After weeks of delay, Google has finally released the Android 16 QPR1 source code on AOSP, giving developers and custom ROM creators access to new features like Material 3 Expressive and Desktop Mode.
The source code for Android 16 QPR1 is now officially available on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), marking the end of a weeks-long wait. Published under the branch “android16-qpr1-release” across multiple repositories, the release restores open-source transparency and hands developers the tools to explore and build on Google’s latest Android version.
This release reaffirms Google’s commitment to open source collaboration, granting the global developer community access to study, modify, and enhance Android 16 QPR1. Projects such as LineageOS can now rebase their work on the new codebase, incorporating key QPR1 features and continuing to drive community-led innovation within the Android ecosystem.
Among the most notable inclusions are Material 3 Expressive, a design framework that brings expanded visual customisation options, and Desktop Mode, which enhances multitasking and allows Android devices to deliver a PC-like experience.
Google had originally rolled out the Android 16 QPR1 update to Pixel devices in early September 2025 but did not immediately publish its source code, a rare delay, as the company typically releases such code within a few days. After telling Android Authority it would do so “in the coming weeks,” Google has now fulfilled that promise.
The timing, immediately after the November 2025 Pixel Drop, has sparked speculation that Google postponed the release to conceal details about new Pixel Drop features or its Android PC project, teased at the Snapdragon Summit.
Developers are now invited to dive into the newly released code and explore all underlying changes since the initial Android 16 rollout.
