Material You is Google wallpaper-based color system for Android. When you change wallpaper, Android can pick colors from it and apply a matching palette to system controls, widgets, icons, and supported apps.
These steps apply to Android 12 and later on Pixel phones and to Samsung Galaxy phones with One UI theme color controls.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if your phone colors changed after you set a wallpaper, or if you want to choose a different accent color.
How Material You Works
- Android analyzes the wallpaper dominant and accent colors.
- It creates a small color palette from those tones.
- System areas such as Quick Settings, lock-screen widgets, and app icon backgrounds can pick up the palette.
- Apps that support dynamic color use the same palette for buttons, highlights, and surfaces.
- The palette updates when you change wallpaper.
Change the Colors on Pixel
- Open Settings > Wallpaper and style.
- Choose wallpaper-based color options or a basic manual color.
- Turn Themed icons on or off if you want supported Home Screen icons to match.
Change the Colors on Samsung
- Open Settings > Wallpaper and style.
- Tap Theme color or Color palette.
- Choose wallpaper colors or a manual palette.
- Apply the selection.
Important Notes
Not Every App Follows It
Apps must support dynamic color. Apps without support keep their own brand colors and icons, which is normal.
Samsung Is Similar but Not Identical
One UI has its own implementation of wallpaper color theming. It looks similar to Material You, but menus and details differ from Pixel.
No Meaningful Battery Impact
Color extraction happens when you set wallpaper. It does not keep running all day and should not affect performance or battery life.
Sources
- Google Design: Material You overview
- Google Support: Change Android theme colors
- Samsung Support: Customize theme color on Galaxy devices