How Android 12 lets you customize your phone's color palette

One ​​of the new features in Android 12 is the ability to automatically match your phone's color palette to that of your wallpaper. If you were able to upgrade to Android 12, you might want to give it a try, especially if you like the style and colors.

I tried it on a Pixel 3 using Android 12 beta, and the results were interesting. When I used the sample wallpapers provided by Google and enabled the "themed icons" feature (which is supposed to make your icons match the style of your wallpaper), I got a new background color that appeared in the search box at the bottom of the screen, quick tiles (the buttons you get when you swipe down from the top), and other stuff.

I wasn't terribly impressed with the "themed icons" feature - it basically changed some, but not all, of my homepage icons to black patterns on a tinted background. Quite honestly, I think the normal multicolored icons are much better, but it's nice to have a choice.

Want to try it yourself? Easy.

• Long press on an empty part of your home screen until you see the context menu.
• Select "Wallpaper and Style".
• Select "Change wallpaper".

• Tap one of the categories presented on the Wallpaper screen, then select a specific image. Or press the top button called "My Photos" to select one of your own photos.
• Once you've selected your image, you'll see a preview of what it will look like on your home screen and lock screen. (Two buttons below the preview image allow you to switch between the two.) If you're happy, tap the check mark in the lower right corner.
• A context menu will give you the choice to use the wallpaper on the home screen, your lock screen or both. And you are done! You'll find yourself on your home page — with your new wallpaper.

If you want to try the themed icons or use a dark theme, return to the "Wallpaper &Style" page, scroll down a bit, and enable one or both. This is what the Mandalorian wallpaper looks like, both with normal app icons and with themed icons:

I also tried the new color palette feature with one of my own photos as the wallpaper:a green lawn with some purple flowers. Again, it worked perfectly. Quick tiles and themed icons have all been given a pale green color, as have the lock screen numbers and other elements.

You can also choose a different color combination for your theme, depending on your wallpaper photo.

• On the "Wallpaper &Style" page, select "Wallpaper Colors" and choose one of the color combinations shown. You can also tap "Basic Colors" if you want something basic.

While these style combinations won't affect your phone's efficiency or performance, the idea that you can change the look of your screen to suit your tastes – or your mood – is quite pleasant. If you have access to Android 12 I would give it a try – it can make a real difference to how you view your Android phone.