Here are the new features for Pixels in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3

Google has released the third and final beta for Android 16’s first quarterly platform release (QPR1). Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 is available without a detailed changelog, which is typical for these releases. We’ve already started digging into the build to find out what’s new, though, and here’s what we’ve discovered so far.

Update 1 (7/17/2025 @ 6:00 PM ET): Although the OTA update has yet to roll out, the factory images are now available for Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3. Subsequently, we’ve updated this article to verify that all the prior information is correct.

The screen magnifier can now zoom into the keyboard

In Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3, there’s a new “magnify keyboard” option under Settings > Accessibility > Magnification. This feature lets you “zoom into the keyboard to see emojis and letters when using full-screen magnification.”

We first spotted this in the Android Canary release earlier this week, but its availability in Beta 3 suggests it’ll be included in the upcoming stable QPR1 release.

A new shortcut to quickly pin/unpin apps from the taskbar

Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 also adds shortcuts to quickly pin or unpin apps from the taskbar. You’ll see a “pin to taskbar” shortcut in the context menu when long-pressing an app icon in the app drawer, while you’ll see an “unpin from taskbar” shortcut in the context menu when long-pressing an app icon on the taskbar. These shortcuts only appear when you’re in Desktop Mode, either on a connected display or the internal display on a tablet.

Other Android Canary features not enabled in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3…

In case you were wondering what other new features from the July 2025 Android Canary release are available in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3, I’m afraid there aren’t many.

• The new screen saver features designed for phones with Qi2 charging are missing.
• The “enhanced HDR brightness” option that lets you control how bright your screen gets when HDR content is visible is also missing.
• The dedicated ‘Parental controls’ menu is not present on the Settings homepage.
• The new 90:10 split-screen ratio is not available.
• The bubble bar for tablets is not available.
• The lock screen widget page doesn’t show a blurred version of your wallpaper.

The stable release of Android 16 QPR1 is scheduled for September 3, 2025, but the beta program for QPR2 will likely kick off before then. If you’re currently in the Android 16 QPR1 beta and want to receive the public stable release, you should consider unenrolling from the program after receiving Beta 3. Staying enrolled will likely result in your device being automatically updated to the next beta track (QPR2) instead of the stable build.

This article will be updated as we find new features. Check back later for more information!