Android 15 could soon bring back a popular home screen customization trick
- The shapes of the Android home screen icons will soon be customizable
- The change has been noticed in the latest Android 15 beta
- Android previously had this option in Android 11
While Android 15 has now officially rolled out – at least to Pixel phones – there will be plenty more updates to the operating system in the coming months, and it looks like an old customization feature could be returning.
As noted by tipster Nagel Sadykov (via Android Authority), the latest Android 15 beta includes a hidden option to adjust the shape of the home screen icons from the default circles. It is a design tweak that has not been available since Android 11.
It looks like there are six different icon shapes to choose from, including the standard circle and square shapes, as well as a star-like shape. The customization doesn’t really work at the moment, but the relevant screens can be enabled.
This isn’t a guarantee that the feature will ever see the light of day, but it’s certainly something Google is considering. The option was previously banned with the arrival of Android 12 in 2021 as the customization settings were simplified.
Keep adjusting
Android has always been the mobile operating system of choice for those who like to tinker with layouts and interfaces. You can even install an alternative launcher such as Nova or Niagara if you want to change the entire look of the software.
In recent years, however, iOS has been catching up: iOS 18 includes options to break away from the traditional grid layout of the Home screen, and lets you change the colors of the Home screen icons to match the background. Perhaps Google has realized that it needs to up its game.
There’s plenty more new in the latest Android 15 beta, as detailed in the Android Authority report: We can look forward to improvements to the Do Not Disturb feature, as well as a native Linux Terminal app that will please the true Android enthusiasts.
As for when we’ll see it released for everyone, that’s not clear. Pixel owners should get the update soon – Android 16 is apparently only seven months away – but Samsung Galaxy phones won’t get the Android 15-based One UI 7 until next year.
