Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3: How to Reorder Quick Settings Layout on Pixel

Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 introduces a layout editor that lets eligible Pixel users change the order of three parts of Quick Settings: the brightness slider, the control tiles and the media player. It is a beta-only feature for now, and it offers rearrangement rather than a complete redesign users cannot remove or resize those sections.

The change is modest, but it affects one of the phone’s most frequently used screens. Someone who changes display brightness often can keep that control at the top of the shade, while a frequent music or podcast listener can move playback controls ahead of the tiles.

Google’s official Android Developers release notes confirm that QPR2 Beta 3 began rolling out on August 14. The formal notes do not list the Layout editor among the update’s changes, but hands-on reporting from 9to5Google documents the new tab and its options. That means the feature is present in the current beta, though its exact design could still change before the stable release.

How to change the Quick Settings layout

To find the editor, open Quick Settings, tap the pencil-shaped Edit button, then select Layout at the bottom of the screen. The editor lets users move these three fixed blocks into a different order:

• Brightness bar
• Quick Settings tiles
• Media player

There are six possible combinations:

1. Brightness bar, tiles, media player
2. Brightness bar, media player, tiles
3. Tiles, brightness bar, media player
4. Tiles, media player, brightness bar
5. Media player, brightness bar, tiles
6. Media player, tiles, brightness bar

The change does not affect which Quick Settings controls are available. Pixel owners could already add, remove and reposition individual tiles; the new editor changes the order of the panel’s main blocks instead.

What the editor cannot do

The feature is deliberately limited. The brightness bar, tiles and media player remain fixed parts of the panel, so none can be hidden. The current version also does not offer resizing controls for those sections.

That means it will not satisfy every customization request. Users who want to remove the media player when nothing is playing, or who would rather hide the brightness bar, will not find those options here. Still, the editor gives people a practical way to put the control they use most often nearer the top of the shade.

Why this matters for Pixel users

Quick Settings puts everyday controls such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the flashlight, wallet shortcuts, media playback and screen brightness within a swipe or two. Moving the major blocks can make that space easier to use without changing Android’s familiar structure.

The feature does not add a major new capability, but it gives users more control over how an everyday Android screen is arranged. It is also separate from the familiar tile editor: a user can reorganize individual tiles and then choose where the entire tiles section sits relative to brightness and media controls.

Who can try Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 now?

Android 17 QPR2 Beta is available to enrolled owners of supported Pixel devices. Google lists the Pixel 6a; Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7a; Pixel Tablet; Pixel Fold; the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 families; and the Pixel 10 family, including the Pixel 10a, as eligible devices.

The build is intended for testing and early adopters, so users should back up important data before joining the Android Beta for Pixel program. Google also says Beta 3 fixes an issue that could cause visual corruption and unexpected restarts when the notification shade or Quick Settings was opened.

What happens next

9to5Google expects Android 17 QPR2 to reach stable users in December as part of the Pixel Feature Drop cycle. Google has not announced a final consumer release date in the official materials reviewed, and beta features can be adjusted or removed before then.

For now, the layout editor is a useful quality-of-life option for Pixel beta testers rather than a feature available to every Android user.

ANDROID 17 QUICK SETTINGS REORDERING: MYTH VS. REALITY
MYTH	REALITY
"The new editor lets you delete the media player entirely."	False. According to hands-on testing, all three sections remain mandatory; they can only be rearranged.
"This update is available to all Android phones today."	False. The feature is currently exclusive to enrolled Pixel devices running Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3.
"Layout reordering replaces individual tile customization."	False. Users retain full ability to add, delete, and rearrange individual action tiles independently of block order.

Reporting basis and sources

• Official documentation: Android Developers’ Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 release notes confirm the August 14, 2026 release and the Quick Settings stability fixes.
• Official documentation: Google’s Android 17 QPR2 eligibility page lists the Android Beta for Pixel program and compatible devices.
• Hands-on feature reporting: 9to5Google documents the Layout tab, the three rearrangeable sections and the six available orders. Google’s formal Beta 3 release notes do not enumerate this interface feature.