Google’s controversial split Quick Settings for Android 16 could at least be optional

The combination of notifications and Quick Settings tiles has been a perplexing choice for brands making the best Android phones. Google graciously allows these OEMs to deploy custom implementations, sometimes handing the choice back to the user about whether they would like notifications, Quick Settings toggles, or a little bit of both when they swipe down on the status bar. After much ado, we finally have confirmation that Google hasn’t entirely given up on its plans to design a split Quick Settings section, and it should be an optional feature for most of us.

While the likes of Samsung and Xiaomi offer the option of keeping the notification area separate from the Quick Settings, Google’s reference design in stock Android shows the two together, necessitating an additional swipe down revealing the complete Quick Settings panel. Android researchers spotted the company developing a split notification shade design. It seems cool in theory, where only notifications and media player controls appear if you swipe down from the left side of the status bar, and Quick Settings tiles accompany the player controls instead, when you swipe down on the right side. Samsung tried forcing this design as the default when One UI 7 rolled out, but quickly offered an option for users to roll back the change.

The latest Android 16 QPR beta release shelved chances of seeing it anytime soon, even though this update brought the new Material 3 Expressive UI design to the notifications and Quick Settings.

Now, subject expert Mishaal Rahman tells Android Authority that we may not have seen the last of this split design yet. The visual elements for this split interface may have disappeared since the third beta, but the public beta build contains strings referencing plans to offer the split view as an option called Separate, alongside the current view, named Classic, under Settings → Notifications & Quick Settings.

Development efforts continue

Hopefully Google does better than Samsung’s OneUI

Rahman managed to see this new option with a placeholder animation in the latest QPR Beta’s settings app after a few tweaks. Meanwhile, the sleuth also uncovered another message in the beta code, especially for people using foldable phones. It mentions that the current user favorite, the Combined panel, will be exclusively available on the cover display. This means Google could be working on a split notification shade design that would remain exclusive to foldable phones.

Noteworthily, Google should develop a matching animation for the relevant setting, and offer the switch to a split layout as an option on all other devices, perhaps learning from its close partner Samsung’s experiences. It remains unclear when we will get to see Google’s plans for the split notification shade set in stone, but Rahman suggests holding out until the next QPR release, because the change is certainly coming.