Android's QR code scanner is getting a redesign for easier one-handed use (APK teardown)

Google is giving Android’s QR code scanner a slight UI refresh that should greatly improve usability. The redesign comes with a slick new animation and moves the flashlight and feedback buttons closer to the bottom of the screen for easier one-handed use.

Currently, the built-in QR code scanner in Android has three buttons at the top of the UI. As you can see in the following screenshot, there’s a button to close the scanner in the top left corner, along with buttons to enable the flashlight and send feedback to Google in the top right corner. The UI also has a “Scan from photo” button beneath the square viewfinder that lets you scan QR codes from a photo.

In the redesigned UI, Google has integrated the flashlight and feedback button into a new pill-shaped button close to the bottom of the screen, which also includes the “Scan from photo” button. This new implementation brings the flashlight and feedback buttons closer to where your thumb rests naturally, making them much easier to access while using the phone one-handed.

Along with the UI changes, the redesign brings a slick new animation for the square viewfinder that you can see in the video attached above. We’ve spotted the redesign in the latest Google Play Services beta (version 24.28.30), but it’s not rolling out to users at the moment. Google will likely release it with a future update, and we’ll let you know as soon as it’s widely available.