Android 16 QPR1 Beta’s Background Blur Issue Has A Simple Fix

Joe Maring / Android Authority

Google rolled out the much-anticipated first public beta for Android 16 last week. The update introduces some big changes, like physics-based animations, upgraded app components, and new themes. A new background blur effect has also been applied across the system. If you’ve installed the beta and this blur effect doesn’t seem to be working for you, we now know the reason.

One of the more visually appealing changes brought on by Android 16 is the new background blur effect. This effect appears when you’re on the recent screen, Quick Settings panel, app drawer, and keyguard. It gives the background a frosted look that feels more expressive than what you get with Android 15. However, some users have recently noticed that this feature doesn’t seem to always work. If this is the case for you, then you may want to check your battery settings.

Like turning on Smooth display or raising your screen brightness, this background blur effect can drain your battery. It’s a feature that’s run by the GPU, so it consumes extra power. As a result, if your phone enters Battery Saver mode, it will turn the effect off to maximize the amount of power left in your device.

In the screenshots above, you can see examples of the blur effect working and not working in the app drawer and Quick Settings. We have confirmed on our own devices that turning on Battery Saver does indeed turn background blur off.

The answer is as simple as that. If you turn on battery saving mode, you’re also turning off background blur. Although we think the effect looks nice, it’s not exactly worth the power drain if your battery is low on juice.

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