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Worried about status bar clutter with Android Halo? Google may let you clean it up

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TL;DR Android Canary 2607 reveals that Google is working on a new “Status bar” settings section to let users show or hide specific system and notification icons.

Users will be able to toggle off the upcoming Android Halo AI assistant icon, which requires an unannounced “Agent Task” device feature to function.

A separate toggle is in development to hide the mute icon, similar to the existing vibration icon toggle.

Google introduced Android Halo at Google I/O 2026, showcasing it as a subtle status bar indicator that keeps you informed when an AI assistant is running in the background and when it wants your attention. More recently, Google shared that it’s also a handy way for users to interact with the AI agent without having to jump back into the AI app. If the idea of Android Halo doesn’t appeal to you, it seems Google plans to give you control over it and other icons in your status bar.

You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

Android Halo, in its current avatar, is the leftmost spot in your status bar where an AI app can display an icon when an AI agent needs your attention, or simply to show its progress. Here’s what Google showed it off as:

If you’d rather not have Android Halo appear in your status bar, we’ve spotted strings in Android Canary 2607 that suggest the icon can be turned off.

Google appears to be working on adding a new “Status bar” section in the Settings app where users can control the visibility of this icon and other system and notification icons.

Code Copy Text <string name="status_bar_settings_title">Status bar</string> <string name="status_bar_settings_summary">Control system and notification icons on status bar</string>

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