Google tests refreshed live updates UI ahead of Android 17

Google is rolling out subtle visual refinements to Live Updates in the latest Android Canary build, making the real-time notification feature slightly more prominent across the system interface.

Rolled out with the Android 16 last year, Live Updates are designed as a special class of notifications that provide real-time activity tracking through a horizontal progress bar. The floating notification expands around the selfie camera area in a style reminiscent of iOS Live Activities.

Initially pitched for use cases such as food delivery and ride hailing, Google later expanded testing to apps like Google Maps, where Live Updates can show route segments divided by traffic density.

What’s changing in new Android update?

The latest Android Canary build features a Live Updates progress bar which now extends to the entire width of the notification tile. The app icon needed to move from its original left position to a new top position because this change required extra horizontal space.

The button now displays as a more visible action button compared to its previous form. The button used to show up as text but now displays inside a pill-shaped outline, which makes it easier to see. The design exists as an incomplete state because it needs additional work, yet the design shows better separation than before.

The home screen, notification shade and lock screen all display identical changes throughout their entirety. The visual elements of the system remain unchanged, while the colour schemes and progress bar thickness stay the same.