Android 16 will change the style of icons even if app developers don't approve it

With Android 16, Google is taking a decisive step towards complete visual unification - stylised icons will now be mandatory, and developers will no longer be able to opt out of this feature.

Google has been promoting the change of colour of all icons to match the theme colour since Android 12. But traditionally, this requirement for the interface was advisory for Google - a large number of developers simply ignored it, while others could not do it due to legal restrictions, as some brands prohibit changing the logo, including its colour. This led to the complete impracticality of accent colours in Android, because some icons always stood out against the rest. When Apple showed how to do this function in iOS 18 last year, it became clear that Google would learn the lesson and adopt the experience for its OS.

In the new version of Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, users will have access to three icon design modes: Default - the original icon without changes, Minimal - automatic tinting for incompatible applications, and Create - a currently inactive feature that will probably allow modifying icons with the help of AI.

In order to avoid legal conflicts, Google has changed the Application Distribution Agreement (DDA): starting from 15 October 2025, all existing developers must grant users permission to change colours and themes. For new accounts, these rules have already been in effect since 15 September.