By Abner Li
Publication Date: 2026-01-25 16:05:00
Google is following last year’s Material 3 Expressive redesign on phones by introducing significantly more blur across Android 17.
Based on images of internal builds that we and others have seen, Google is continuing to update Android’s visual design with this year’s major release. Additionally, system flags we’ve found explicitly refer to this look as “blur.”
Throughout the OS, you can expect a system UI that switches from solid light or dark backgrounds to a blur effect that allows you to see what’s immediately behind the component you’re interacting with.
In the case of the volume bar, the pill-shaped container that houses the slider, mode switcher, and other elements will be translucent. On your homescreen, you’ll see your wallpaper and app icons in the background. If activated inside an app, you can make out what is beneath the slider. The full volume sheet and power menus are other examples of system UI elements that will be…
