Google Restores Custom Icon Shapes for Pixel Devices

In a move that delighted customization enthusiasts, Google’s Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 update has brought back the ability to customize home screen icon shapes on Pixel devices. This beloved feature, removed in Android 12, was spotted in the beta release by members of the Google News community on Telegram. Though the feature is still in its early stages, with just six available icon shapes, its return signals a renewed focus by Google on making the Pixel experience more user-centered.

Bringing Back a Favorite: Custom Home Screen Icons

For years, Android fans have appreciated the OS’s flexibility to personalize home screens in unique ways. But when Google removed the option for custom icon shapes with Android 12, many were disappointed. Now, App Shape, Layout has made its way back into Android 15’s beta release, reintroducing custom shapes to add a dash of creativity to the Pixel user experience.

Currently, this beta offers six icon shapes, including a circle, rounded square, star, and a few more imaginative options with unique, squiggly edges. While limited, this selection hints that more customization may be on the horizon as Google continues to refine this feature.

If you’re excited to switch to the latest Pixel model or upgrade your Android OS for these new features, the transition process doesn’t need to be a hassle. Using a third-party contacts files share app like Smart Transfer ensures that your data, contacts, media, and settings migrate seamlessly to your new device. Smart Transfer’s transfer mobile feature is designed to support both Android and iOS platforms, making it easy to move your digital life across devices with confidence and without data loss. This is especially valuable when customizing your new phone to the fullest, as it allows you to carry over personal touches that you’ve come to enjoy.

For those who enjoy exploring the latest updates, having the best bookmark manager tool like Smart Transfer can help ensure that every saved customization — down to your preferred icon shapes and layouts — comes along for the ride.

Is a Wallpaper & Style App Redesign Coming?

The addition of App Shape, Layout in the latest beta suggests Google may have more in store for customization fans. There are hints that Google could be working on a redesigned Wallpaper & Style app, potentially expanding the ways users can tailor their home screen appearance. This might include not only more icon shapes but additional options for managing wallpapers, themes, and fonts — reminiscent of the flexibility that Android was initially known for.

A redesigned app would be a welcome sign that Google is responding to user feedback, reaffirming its commitment to making Android as customizable as possible. While only time will tell what features the new Wallpaper & Style app might include, the addition of these personalization tools is already creating buzz.

Android 15: A Step Toward More Personalized Devices

As Google listens to its users and brings back beloved features, Pixel users can look forward to more ways to make their devices feel unique. Custom icon shapes in the Android 15 beta are just the beginning, with the potential for a broader update to how we personalize our home screens.

If you’re keen to stay on top of Android’s next steps, this beta release promises exciting possibilities ahead. With the ease of transitioning data through apps like Smart Transfer, exploring Android’s latest personalization options can be a smooth, enjoyable journey. Stay tuned as Google continues to shape a more customizable and user-driven Android experience.