Android 16 will improve how we use our phones in the dark — here’s how

using your phone at night
(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the biggest issues with using smartphones at night is the strain it puts on your eyes, however, a new feature might just help to mitigate this issue.

Google has recently released the first developer preview for Android 16, and there are a lot of new features that will help Android users. However, one of the new features caught the eye of Android Authority's Mishaal Rahman. According to a recent post on X, Rahman revealed a new feature that is replacing the current Extra Dim mode.

The feature is reportedly called "Even Dimmer," and it was first spotted back in one of the early preview builds for Android 15. Android Authority was able to get the feature working in the second Android 15 beta to give us an idea of how it would function. However, the feature wasn't a part of the final release, but some users are reporting Even Dimmer appearing on their devices running Android 16.

Android 16 settings to activate extra dimmer

(Image credit: Android Authority)

The biggest difference between Extra Dim and Even Dimmer is how they're turned off and on. Both features first need to be turned on in the settings by heading to Settings and then Accessibility. However, Extra Dim will need to be constantly turned off and on via a quick settings tile.

Meanwhile, Even Dimmer is controlled through the brightness bar, meaning there's no chance of forgetting to turn it off and on, making it feel much more natural.

Android 16 is bringing a lot of changes to some of the best Android phones, but arguably the biggest is the change in the number of releases over the year. A recent report has indicated that Google is planning to split the major SDK packages between Q2 and Q4 of 2025. However, Google has stated that the usual quarterly updates will continue as expected.

Currently, the Pixel 9 is the only device to show the feature at the time of writing. As such, we will have to wait for the next developer preview to see if Even Dimmer appears on the best Android phones.

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Josh Render
Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer. 

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