By Will Sattelberg
Publication Date: 2026-03-10 21:10:00
With this month’s rollout of Android 16 QPR3 and its associated Pixel Drop, anyone rocking one of Google’s growing collection of Pixels is finally getting access to something we’ve waited on for a long time: custom app icons. Unfortunately, using this feature is locked behind a basic set of generative AI tools, and compared to what you’ll find on other launchers — from both first and third-party developers — it’s just not good enough.
I’ve been trying out Google’s AI-generated icons on my Pixel 10a over the past week or so, and unfortunately in my eyes, the problems really start appearing right from the beginning of the process. After this update, you’ll find five custom icon styles in the Wallpaper & Style menu on your device: Scribbles, Cookies, Easel, Treasure, and Stardust. Selecting one allows you to lightly customize your color packs with a handful of pre-selected color options, but just like with Google’s genAI-based wallpaper…
