- Android 17 QPR1 update brings back a bell icon for silent mode on Pixel phones.
- The VPN status bar icon now uses a thicker, filled design.
- Both visual changes appeared in stable QPR1 but were absent from its beta testing builds.
The Android 17 QPR1 update for Google’s Pixel smartphones has begun to roll out, and although there are a lot of things worth talking about when it comes to this release, there are also two minor UI changes that have caught everyone’s attention.
In this case, the silent mode and the VPN icons in the Pixel status bar have undergone a subtle change in appearance. The peculiarity of these changes is that neither of them was available during the Android 17 QPR1 beta tests.
Android 17 QPR1 update changes two Pixel status bar icons
But the most significant difference can be found after putting a Pixel phone in silent mode. In contrast to the previous Android versions, where a crossed-out speaker was used as an icon, now the status bar displays a bell icon.
It seems that Google has actually changed its mind regarding what icon should be used on the status bar. Indeed, the company abandoned the bell icon and implemented the speaker-like icon with Android 14. The funny thing is that the bell returned in the Android 17 QPR1 stable build.
The thing becomes even funnier when considering the upcoming QPR2 beta version. There, despite the fact that the crossed-out speaker icon is displayed in the status bar, the volume panel shows a bell.
As a result, the user gets a Google interface with contradictory icons for similar functionality. Right now, it is hard to say whether it was done on purpose or simply accidentally.
VPN icon also gets a beefed-up design
The VPN icon also receives its makeover visually speaking. The Android 17 QPR1 icon is more thickly designed with a full outline, making it look beefier compared to the previous one. Again, this particular version wasn’t spotted during the beta testing phase of QPR1 and became apparent after the stable release.
Google can always tweak them back
At the moment, there are no hints pointing to any functional changes in silent and/or VPN modes caused by these design changes. It’s strictly visual at this point. It’s possible that if Google deems the new icons an unintended change, then a patch in the future might change them back.
But a bigger fix might not happen until the next quarterly update release. One last thing: Google’s Android 17 QPR1 is currently marked as targeting Pixel 6 to Pixel 10 era devices, whereas the Pixel 11 range is on a QPR2 schedule. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section.
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