Lockscreen media controls get a facelift w/ Android 11’s ‘media resumption’ shortcut

Lockscreen controls on Android used to be pretty complex, but Google has gone the way of simplicity for that portion of the platform. With Android 11, though, Google has given lockscreen media controls a facelift, but it only applies to certain settings.

Android 11 is debuting a new way of the platform handling media controls. Instead of a simple notification, the quick settings shade will also house media controls within. From there, you can also switch the media output settings between your phone’s speaker and nearby Bluetooth speakers. As we explained in another post, it’s pretty awesome!

When “media resumption” is enabled, though, Google also redesigns Android’s media controls up on the lockscreen. There, media controls are bolder and look more like a part of the system and less like an average notification. You’ll still get information like the app playing audio, the track and artist names, and album art. However, everything looks a lot cleaner now. I especially like the rounded corners on the album art.

Android 11 DP4 (left) and Android 11 Beta 1 (right)

We’re still digging through Android 11 Beta 1, so stay tuned for our full coverage! Feel free to ping me on Twitter or drop a comment if you find anything we haven’t covered yet.