Updated
Updated · MUO - MakeUseOf · Jul 3
Android 17 Adds 3 Hidden Tweaks for Dark Mode, Icon Labels and Flashlight Control
Updated
Updated · MUO - MakeUseOf · Jul 3

Android 17 Adds 3 Hidden Tweaks for Dark Mode, Icon Labels and Flashlight Control

1 articles · Updated · MUO - MakeUseOf · Jul 3

Summary

  • Android 17 on Pixel devices includes three lesser-known settings: hiding home-screen app labels, forcing dark mode in unsupported apps, and adding a flashlight intensity slider.
  • The icon-label option sits under Wallpaper & style > Icons > Names, while Expanded Dark Mode is buried in Settings > Display & touch > Dark theme > Expanded.
  • Long-pressing the flashlight quick-setting now opens a brightness slider, letting users lower torch output instead of using full power every time.
  • Google is also promoting bigger Android 17 additions such as app bubbles and Screen Reactions, but the report argues these smaller quality-of-life changes may matter more in daily use.
  • The feature mix underscores Android 17's incremental approach: fewer headline-grabbing changes, more hidden refinements that will reach other Android devices later this year.

Insights

Beyond minor tweaks, will Android 17's groundbreaking AI features ever actually reach non-Pixel phones?
Dark mode saves less battery than you think. Are Android 17’s new updates more hype than helpful in daily use?
Is Android 17’s AI brilliance masking a critical performance weakness in Google's new Tensor G5 chip?