Google Play Books has finally embraced Dynamic Color theming, marking a significant update for users. While some user interface elements may still lack complete theming, this change represents a gradual rollout of the feature. Transparency regarding updates has not been Google’s strong suit, particularly in changelogs, yet progress with Dynamic Color support is evident.
The journey to this point has been lengthy; Material You was introduced in 2021, and Play Books was one of the last major apps to adopt this visual language. Although Play Books transitioned to Material You in 2024, Dynamic Color theming had remained unavailable over the past year. Fortunately, recent updates have remedied this situation, enabling users to experience the new color themes in Play Books.
After some anticipation, the release of update 2025.3.7.2 confirms that Google Play Books now supports Dynamic Color theming. Early testing indicates that new themed colors are indeed a part of this update, especially in themed drop-down buttons for both dark and light modes. However, there is a catch—certain user interface elements may not be fully themed yet, suggesting that the rollout may be occurring server-side rather than solely through the app update.
Compounding the frustration is the lack of an updated changelog. Google’s Play Store listing for Play Books still refers to an update from early this year, which further complicates understanding the recent changes. This trend illustrates Google’s ongoing challenge of keeping users informed about updates.
Despite the slow rollout, it is promising to see Dynamic Color support being added to Google’s core applications. However, numerous apps, such as the Play Store and Google Maps, still lack this feature. Hopefully, Google will adopt a more efficient approach to implementing its Material You guidelines across all apps in the future.
For now, users can enjoy Dynamic Color in Google Play Books.
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