Google Material 3 Expressive: Android gets a Gen Z glowup to bridge iOS gap

Google has officially introduced Material 3 Expressive, the latest evolution of its Material Design system, ahead of the Android 16 launch slated for later this year. Unveiled at the Android Show virtual event on 13 May 2025, the update builds on the “Material You” aesthetics first seen in Android 12, placing personalisation and vibrancy at the forefront of Android’s user experience.

You can check out the entire Android event streamed by Google here.

Material 3 Expressive uses dynamic colour extraction to generate bespoke themes from your wallpaper. Dominant hues are sampled from the lock-screen background and applied across system and app interfaces, so every device feels uniquely yours. Google’s design team believes this level of customisation will strengthen the emotional connection users have with their devices.

Typography has been overhauled, too. Five core type styles: Display, Headline, Title, Body and Label, now adapt fluidly to different screen sizes and contexts, ensuring clarity without sacrificing flair. Developers can also choose from a spectrum of corner shapes, from sharp rectangles to fully circular forms, letting UI elements convey tone: circular buttons for a friendly feel, squared cards for a more formal touch.

Key Android components have been refreshed. Navigation bars sit higher on the screen and shed drop shadows for cleaner lines. Floating action buttons now sport boxier silhouettes in multiple sizes. Cards are available in elevated, filled and outlined variants, giving designers fresh ways to organise content hierarchies. Dialogues feature increased padding and bolder headlines, making prompts easier to scan.

Live Updates, which is Android’s answer to Apple’s Live Activities, have been enhanced too. Apps such as food-delivery and navigation services can now pin ongoing tasks to the lock screen, always-on display and notification shade, complete with custom icons and interactive milestones, so you never lose track of real-time events.

Google has taken particular care to appeal to younger users, as Material 3 Expressive introduces punchy purples, pinks and blues, alongside abstract motifs and springy animations. This vibrant palette aims to narrow the aesthetic gap with iOS and boost Android’s appeal among Gen Z.

To help developers adopt the new design language, Google is updating its toolkit. The Material Theme Builder plugin for Android Studio has been revamped, Figma design kits now include the new colour, typography and shape libraries, and detailed codelabs and migration guides are available on the Android Developers site. These resources make experimenting with and implementing expressive themes easier without lengthy redesigns.

Material 3 Expressive will debut in the Android 16 Beta, which Google plans to roll out to Pixel devices in June 2025, with a broader release across other manufacturers expected later in the year. Wear OS 6 will receive matching visual updates, creating a unified look across smartphones and smartwatches.

Although primarily an aesthetic refresh, Material 3 Expressive is designed to improve usability: directing attention more effectively with colour and motion, and enhancing task completion rates and user satisfaction. As Android devices continue to diversify from foldables to automotive displays, this personalisation-first approach is poised to shape the next chapter of Android’s visual identity.