Android 16 QPR1 adds new notification shortcuts and lock screen layout

Ben Schoon | May 20 2025 - 1:15 pm PT

Among the many updates in Android 16 QPR1’s big redesign is a new look for notifications which includes more prominent shortcuts for settings, history, and also an updated lock screen layout too.

Notifications have always been a strength of Android as a whole, and on Google Pixel devices, there are some nice little tweaks that you won’t find everywhere else. In Android 16 QPR1, Google is introducing a few updates to notifications.

This starts with the addition of new shortcut buttons underneath notifications. A large “Clear All” button appears in the center with shortcuts to notification history and notification settings to the left and right, respectively. These shortcuts still disappear when there are no notifications to show.

Beyond that, the lock screen is getting a new layout option for notifications. By default, the lock screen shows just one notification with minimized icons for further notifications below that. This is called the “Compact view,” where a new “Full list” option will show multiple notifications and then drop the rest into an overflow with icons.

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These layout options are found on a new “Notifications on lock screen” page which previously was a simple pop-up menu. The new page offers more granular controls over what notifications are shown on the lock screen and how they are shown.

There are also some new animations when swiping away a notification.