Material 3 Expressive: A bold step forward in Android design

At its recent Android Show event ahead of Google I/O, Google officially unveiled Material 3 Expressive, a refreshed design language for Android and Wear OS. This new evolution of the Material You philosophy brings a deeper level of personalization, more fluid animations, and enhanced real-time feedback across the Android ecosystem.

Building on the foundations laid by Material You in 2021 — which emphasized dynamic color theming based on user identity — Material 3 Expressive is focused on bringing emotion, fluidity, and context to the Android experience. “We’re expanding new components and capabilities to provide a more premium and engaging experience that creates a little more joy in key moments,” said Mindy Brooks, VP of Product and UX at Android.

More Fluid Motion and Enhanced Customization

Material 3 Expressive introduces springy, tactile animations and haptic feedback designed to make user interactions feel more alive. Whether you're dismissing a notification, adjusting the volume, or swiping away recent apps, each motion is now paired with nuanced transitions and subtle vibrations that provide physical feedback.

Visual context has also been enhanced through background blurring, helping users stay grounded when navigating between tasks. The update brings dynamic color themes and emphasized typography, allowing users to personalize their devices even further — a consistent look and feel that extends to Google apps like Gmail and Google Photos.

Quick Settings are also getting a revamp, giving users the ability to customize shortcuts, such as toggling Flashlight or enabling Do Not Disturb with greater ease.

Real-Time Information at a Glance

A standout new feature, Live Updates, will deliver real-time glanceable notifications from apps like Uber Eats, ride-shares, and navigation services. Much like iOS’s Live Activities, these updates will keep users informed without constant interaction, offering live progress updates directly on the lock screen or notification shade.

“We’re introducing Live Updates to help you stay focused on what matters,” Brooks explained. “It lets you track what’s happening in real time while staying present in the moment.”

Live Updates and the broader Material 3 Expressive experience will begin rolling out with Android 16 on Pixel devices later this year.

Wear OS Gets a Parallel Makeover

Material 3 Expressive is also coming to Wear OS 6, starting with the Pixel Watch. The design overhaul brings fluid circular animations, dynamic color theming, and a system-wide visual coherence. For example, the color of your watch face can now automatically theme the entire interface, including Google Apps.

Other improvements include more responsive media controls, a redesigned pin pad, and more tappable, space-efficient buttons using a polar grid layout. Enhanced Tiles will offer quicker access to key functions like texting, workouts, or music control.

These updates position Material 3 Expressive as a significant leap in Android’s visual and functional evolution — combining personalization, aesthetic delight, and practical utility in a seamless user experience across devices.