You just upgraded your Android device to Android 14 and are excited to explore the new features. As you switch between user profiles on your phone, you suddenly notice a flashy new transition animation. Instead of the boring fade out and fade in of user profiles from Android 13, Android 14 introduces a slick zoom out animation.Your current user interface zooms out into a bubble, then zooms back in to the new selected user interface. It’s a small touch but makes switching between users feel fresh and modern. The zoom effect is fast and fluid, without any lag on your device. Google continues to refine the Android experience with these types of thoughtful animations and transitions. While the new animation only lasts a second, it shows the care and craft Google puts into the design of Android. The little details matter, and Android 14 delivers.
Android 14’s New User-Switching Animation
Android 14 has a fun new animation for switching between users on the same device. Instead of the boring fade transition we’re used to, Android 14 has a playful little animation that transitions the current user’s wallpaper into the next user’s wallpaper.
To see the new animation in action, you’ll first need to set up multiple users on your Android 14 device. Go to Settings → System → Multiple users and tap “Add user” to add at least one additional user. Once you have multiple users set up, simply lock your device or switch users from the notification shade to see the new animation.
When you lock the screen or switch users, Android 14 will animate the transition between users by having the current wallpaper spin and fold into a little box. Then, the box will unfold to reveal the wallpaper of the new selected user. It’s a subtle yet whimsical effect that makes the mundane task of switching users a bit more fun.
The new user-switching animation in Android 14 is purely cosmetic, but it shows Google’s attention to detail and desire to make the overall user experience on Android as smooth and enjoyable as possible. While a small addition, the new animation makes Android 14 feel polished and thoughtful. The little details matter, and Google nailed it with this fun new user-switching animation. If you haven’t upgraded to Android 14 yet, this playful new animation is just one more reason to make the switch.
How the New Animation Works
The new user switching animation in Android 14 is pretty neat. When you tap your profile icon to switch between users, a fun little transition happens.
First, the screen fades to black. Then, colorful dots start appearing and swirling around the screen, kind of resembling bubbles. More and more dots appear until the whole screen is filled.
Suddenly, the dots all come together in the center and pop! – your new user profile appears. The dots vanish and your regular home screen loads, but now for the user you selected.
It’s a simple but visually engaging effect that makes switching between users feel more dynamic. The animation lasts just a couple seconds, so it doesn’t slow you down or become annoying. It’s whimsical without being over the top.
Android is known for including little delights like this. Over the years, they’ve added more animations and transitions to make the experience feel polished and modern. Moving between apps, opening folders, pulling down notifications – there are pleasant animations for many actions.
The new user switching animation continues this tradition. It’s not radically different or groundbreaking, but it brings a bit of fun and visual interest to an interaction you may do dozens of times a day. And that’s really the hallmark of good design – enhancing the experience in small but meaningful ways.
Kudos to the designers and developers who crafted this animation. Keep the little details coming, we notice and appreciate them! Android’s attention to animations, transitions and the overall user experience is why we keep coming back.
Why Google Added This New Animation
Improved User Experience
Google is all about providing the best user experience. Adding a fun little animation when switching between users in Android 14 is meant to delight users and make the OS feel more modern and polished. Even small details like a quick animation can make an interface feel more premium and thoughtfully designed.
Building Brand Loyalty
Google wants Android to be seen as a premium, well-designed mobile operating system, not just a functional one. Fun animations and transitions, when used tastefully, help to build brand loyalty by associating the OS with qualities like modern, stylish and user-friendly. Over time, these positive associations can make people prefer Android over other choices.
Setting Expectations
The new user-switching animation also helps to provide visual feedback so you know the OS has registered your tap and is responding. Without any animation, quickly switching users could feel unresponsive or like nothing was happening. The short animation sets the expectation that a change is occurring, even if the end result looks very similar. This helps the interface feel more high-quality and dependable.
Keeping Things Interesting
While the animation is quite subtle, it adds an element of delight for frequent users of the OS. After switching between users many times, a small surprise like a new animation can make the mundane task feel fresher and more engaging. Google is always looking for ways, big and small, to keep things interesting for loyal users and give them reasons to keep coming back.
Adding a bit of visual flair and polish with a quick animation is an easy way for Google to improve the user experience, build brand loyalty, set proper expectations, and keep things engaging for frequent Android users. The small details matter when creating a world-class mobile operating system.
How to Enable the Animation on Your Android 14 Device
To enable the fun new user-switching animation in Android 14, follow these steps:
Update Your Android Software
Make sure your Android software is up to date. The latest version of Android includes this new feature, so if you haven’t updated recently, head to Settings > System > Advanced > System update and download the latest Android 14 update.
Enable Developer Options
You’ll need to turn on Developer options to access this animation setting. Go to Settings > System > About phone and tap “Build number” seven times. Developer options will now appear under Settings > System.
Find “Animations” Settings
Scroll down in Developer options until you find the “Animations” section. There are a few options here that control different interface animations in Android.
Enable “Animations”
Tap the switch next to “Enable animations” to turn it on. This allows the animation to play when switching users. If it’s off, the user-switching screen will simply fade in and out with no animation.
Set Animation Duration Scale
The “Animation duration scale” controls the speed of the animation. Tap on this option and move the slider to adjust how quickly or slowly you want the user-switching animation to play. I like to set mine around 0.5x for a slower, more dramatic effect. Play around with different settings to find what you prefer.
Switch Users to See the Animation!
With animations and the duration scale enabled, you’re all set. Tap the user icon at the top of the screen to switch users, and you’ll see a fun zooming animation as the current user’s screen slides out of view and the new user’s screen slides in. Enjoy this playful new touch in Android! Let me know if you have any other questions about customizing your Android experience.
Will This Animation Come to Older Android Versions?
Probably Not
Unfortunately, Android updates can take a while to rollout to older devices, if at all. This fun new user-switching animation was likely built specifically for Android 14, and may be incompatible with the software and hardware capabilities of older Android versions.
Hardware Limitations
Newer Android releases are designed to take advantage of the latest smartphone tech, like improved processors, graphics chips and memory. These newer components allow for more visually impressive and complex animations that just aren’t possible on older devices. If the animation was ported to older Androids, it likely wouldn’t look or function the same due to these hardware limitations.
Software Incompatibilities
Android 14 also has under-the-hood software upgrades that enable new features like this animation. The code that powers the animation probably won’t work with the outdated software frameworks of older Android editions. Google would have to do a lot of re-engineering to make the animation backwards compatible, which may not be feasible or worth the resources.
Exceptions Possible
There’s a small chance Google may be able to optimize a simplified version of the animation for certain newer devices running Android 10, 11 or 12. Flagship phones from the past couple of years may have hardware able to handle a scaled-down variant. However, most older mid-range and budget Android smartphones probably still won’t make the cut due to their more limited specs.
Overall, you shouldn’t get your hopes up for this fun new animation to come to your older Android phone. But when you do upgrade to a new flagship running the latest Android version in a year or two, you’ll have this to look forward to! New software and hardware capabilities are enabling more visually interesting user experiences all the time.
what are the advantages of android 14 for new users?
Customizable
Android 14 brings a new level of customization for users. You can now customize your phone’s interface with different themes, icon styles and fonts to match your personality. Choose from preset color palettes or get creative by designing your own theme. Change your default font to something stylish like Monsterrat or keep it classic with Roboto. These options allow you to make your Android feel unique to you.
Improved gestures
Navigating your Android just got even more intuitive. New gesture controls let you swipe up for recent apps, hold and swipe left or right to switch between apps quickly. The new back gesture has been improved so you can swipe from either the left or right edge to go back. These smart gestures feel natural and make using your phone effortless.
Focus mode
Distraction is the enemy of productivity. The new Focus mode in Android 14 helps minimize interruptions so you can concentrate on what’s important. Activate Focus mode and select which apps you want to pause notifications from. Your messaging apps will be muted but phone calls and alarms will still come through in case of emergencies. When you’re done, simply turn Focus mode off and your notifications will return to normal. This feature helps you stay on task by limiting unnecessary disruptions from your phone.
Live Caption
The Live Caption feature automatically generates captions for any audio playing on your Android in real time. Whether you’re watching videos, streaming music, or listening to podcasts, Live Caption will display subtitles for what’s being said. This is an accessibility tool that benefits all users and allows you to enjoy content anywhere without relying on provided captions. Live Caption supports many languages and works entirely on-device so your privacy remains secure. This smart feature enriches the experience of listening to audio on your Android.
So there you have it. Android 14 has added a small but delightful new animation when you switch between users on your phone. Sure, it’s a minor addition in the grand scheme of things. But it shows Google is continuing to polish the little details and user experience in Android. The subtle animations and transitions really do make a difference in how premium a device feels. If you haven’t tried the new user switching animation on Android 14 yet, update your phone and give it a spin. You might find yourself switching between users more often just to see that slick transition. Google’s software team deserves a lot of credit for consistently enhancing the system animations and UX in Android releases big and small.
