Material UI will go beyond the Pixel family, according to Google, but that doesn’t mean it will stop changing and growing in new ways. In Android 12 Beta 3, an experiment extends the dynamic theming system’s reach to home screen icons, but only for Google’s own apps. Third-party apps can now build their own theming-friendly icons in Android 13, so you can have the two-tone icon packs you’ve always wanted without having to install a custom launcher.
Themed app icons, like all of the other ways Material You may decorate an app, take on the color of your backdrop. This will either style the icon’s background or the icon itself, depending on whether you’re in light or dark mode.
Themed icons are an opt-in feature, so no one will be forced to use them if they don’t like the look. To enable dynamically themed icons, long-press a vacant place on the home screen, select Wallpaper & style, and then scroll down to the Themed icons toggle.
Google is urging app developers to add support for themed icons. The requirements are fairly simple, requiring a new monochromatic vector icon — probably just a mask of the original app icon or reusing a notification icon — and a couple tiny changes to the launcher’s adaptive icon XML and the app manifest.
There is no automated re-styling of app icons in the first developer preview, and there is currently no sign that it will ever be. As a result, programs that don’t support themed icons appear in full color, which detracts from the overall appearance. Of course, this is only the initial developer preview, and Google’s apps are the only ones with themed icon support, at least until the Play Store enables apps that use the Tirimasu SDK.
Many apps will undoubtedly make the necessary adjustments in due time, but it’s unlikely that every app developer will prioritize this, particularly those who wait a long time between updates or resist boosting the target SDK for other reasons.
In the meantime, you’ll probably either want to leave themed icons turned off, or go to the trouble of keeping non-themed icons out of your home screen.
Keep Reading
WhatsApp is finally addressing one of the biggest gaps in its web client, as WhatsApp Web now supports audio and video calls. This requires no download or installation, since it’s built directly into WhatsApp Web, which has also picked up support for screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab showing full call history and […]
While the Pixel 9 lineup is still fresh, with its Tensor G4 chip and sleek hardware, new reports are already surfacing about the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11. For anyone who held off on the Pixel 9 series hoping for a bigger internal upgrade from Google, there may be good news on the horizon. Google […]
Practically every streaming service not named Netflix has turned to bundling over the past few years, with competitors teaming up to deliver combo packs like Disney+ and HBO Max. No service has been bundled quite as often as Peacock, though, and YouTube Premium subscribers are now joining the long list of ways to gain access […]
The invites for Google’s Pixel event just landed, and the leaks have already laid out a stacked rundown of the Google Pixel 11 and Tensor G6. Tech forums have already made up their minds. Going by the leaks, the G6 looks like a regression. The G6 comes up short on CPU cores, and its graphics […]
Google is set to unveil the Pixel 11 family on August 12, and just ahead of that event, the company’s VP of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat, has confirmed what many were expecting: prices are going up across the lineup. Google Confirms Pixel Price Adjustments Barkat explained that, like other consumer tech companies, Google is […]
Google released its first official Pixel 11 Pro teaser today, confirming a gold finish and giving the clearest look yet at Pixel Glow – the light-up feature Google is betting on to differentiate itself from rivals like the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Made by Google event is set for August 12. What Google actually […]
Comments & Discussions
Join the conversation! We use Disqus to handle comments. Click the button below to load the comment section.