Android 17 QPR1 brings new customization, multitasking, and digital wellbeing features: Here’s what’s new!

Hi Reddit!

Today, we’re releasing a minor update to the Android platform: **Android 17 QPR1**. Building on the initial release of [Android 17](https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1u7l1cw/android_17_is_out_and_heres_all_the_features/), we continue to update the platform with fixes and improvements that are then rolled out to supported devices. These releases happen on a quarterly cadence through Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs), which are delivered to Google Pixel devices as part of Pixel Drops.

This update is rolling out first to Pixel devices today, bringing refinements to the system UI, multitasking experience, media controls, peripheral support, Digital Wellbeing, and more. Since these refinements have made their way into the Android platform, you may see them in future updates from our Android partners — check with your device manufacturer to learn more about their update schedule.

For those of you who have been keeping up with our beta releases, a lot of this might not sound brand new. Even so, we wanted to take a moment to recap what’s new in Android 17 QPR1 for everyday users. Let’s dive in!

# 🧘 Stop app autopilot with Pause Point in Digital Wellbeing

We’ve all opened our phones just to check the weather and ended up doing something else on the phone for 45 minutes. You can set an app timer to limit your time in distracting apps, but it's way too easy to just hit snooze and ignore it. A total app lockout, on the other hand, might be too extreme and inconvenient. We wanted to create a middle ground option that stops us from opening apps on auto pilot and start using them with intention, which is why we made **Pause Point**.

https://preview.redd.it/vqz3cwso2qph1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=fddf5ef5762a9b8fb7788ce398e7dceef83fa0cc

When you open an app you've marked as distracting, Pause Point adds a brief delay that makes you ask yourself, "Why am I really here?" During that time, you can do a quick breathing exercise, look at a photo that grounds you (like your dog!), or jump to an alternative app like an audiobook.
We hope Pause Point can help you reclaim time to do more of what you really want to do. To enable it, open Settings > Digital Wellbeing and look for “Pause point” under “Ways to disconnect.”

# 🎨 New customization features & more UI polish

**Expanded use of background blur**

With the [Material 3 Expressive redesign](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/material-3-expressive-android-wearos-launch/) we introduced in Android 16, we subtly blurred the notification shade background to provide a sense of depth so you can stay aware of the apps you’re using in the background. In Android 17, we brought these blur effects to more parts of the system UI like the widgets picker, and in QPR1, we’ve brought it to additional surfaces including the volume panel, power menu, home screen context menu, app folders, and more.

https://preview.redd.it/fhaadyso2qph1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=339472cc1994c5b922f1a0e408b77958f583f3f2

https://preview.redd.it/bsxa28uo2qph1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=c9747e014afd03245b226281ef99a1f8bed1b100

**Screen saver enhancements**

Android 17 QPR1 allows you to **select multiple screen savers** and switch between them by swiping in from the edge of the display. To reduce swiping, you can either choose the order in which these screen savers are arranged in Settings or press and hold on any screen saver to open a quick switcher. 

https://reddit.com/link/1wh8n2e/video/t9l9eso03qph1/player

**Customizing the vibration pattern for your ringtone**

When your Android device rings for an incoming call, it typically vibrates to let you know — handy in case the ring volume is low or your device is in your pocket. For most ringtones, your device follows a standard vibration pattern, but for others, it vibrates in sync with the ringtone itself. This couldn’t be changed by the user — if a ringtone came with a custom