Material 3 Expressive Floating Toolbars Explained: Where Are the Bottom Bars?
Looking for an update on Material 3 Expressive’s floating toolbars and what happened to bottom app bars? Google is revamping its UI design system with a sharper focus on user accessibility and modern interface standards. One of the biggest updates in Material 3 Expressive is the introduction of floating toolbars and docked bottom bars—flexible components that make apps more intuitive and user-friendly. If you're a developer or designer wondering where the bottom app bars went and what to use instead, here’s everything you need to know about this UI evolution.
Google’s new approach promotes bottom controls that align with user hand placement and screen ergonomics, especially important for smartphones and tablets. The floating toolbar is designed to highlight contextually relevant actions for the current page, improving interaction flow and overall app usability. This isn't just a visual change—it enhances functionality and streamlines user experience, boosting engagement and session duration.
What Is a Floating Toolbar in Material 3 Expressive?
Floating toolbars in Material 3 Expressive act as contextual containers for frequently used actions. Think of them as smart toolkits that change depending on what the user is doing. Google describes this UI component as a “container with several slots,” allowing app developers to strategically place actions that match the content or functionality on-screen. These toolbars aren’t static—they’re responsive, adaptive, and improve navigability across an app.
This aligns with current UX trends that favor fewer taps, faster access to core functions, and visual clarity. For mobile and web apps alike, floating toolbars provide a clean interface while improving efficiency. It’s a win-win for both usability and design.
Say Goodbye to the Old Bottom App Bar
If you’ve been using the bottom app bar in apps like Google Tasks, it’s officially deprecated. Instead, Material 3 Expressive introduces the docked toolbar, a more flexible and comprehensive alternative. This new docked toolbar spans the full width of the screen and is ideal for global navigation actions—the kind users need regardless of what page they're on.
Whether you're designing a productivity app, an e-commerce platform, or a messaging tool, the docked toolbar offers consistent placement for key actions like search, share, settings, or home navigation. It simplifies UI logic while maintaining accessibility and visual balance.
What’s the Difference Between a Docked Toolbar and a Floating Toolbar?
While both are toolbar variants, they serve different UI goals:
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Docked Toolbar: Anchored to the bottom edge of the app window, ideal for static or globally available actions. It's visually prominent and acts as a replacement for the deprecated bottom app bar.
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Floating Toolbar: Hovers slightly above the bottom of the screen and contains context-aware actions. These are dynamic and change depending on the screen or task.
By providing both options, Material 3 Expressive gives developers flexibility in creating interfaces that are both ergonomic and engaging—reducing cognitive load and boosting task completion rates.
Why This Matters for App Developers and Designers
For anyone building modern Android apps, adopting Material 3 Expressive is more than a trend—it’s a necessary step toward future-proofing your user interface. Floating toolbars and docked bottom bars are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also align with mobile-first design strategies that cater to thumb-friendly layouts and user retention.
Material 3 Expressive isn’t just about floating elements and new layouts—it’s a shift toward more adaptable, responsive, and user-centric design. By phasing out the old bottom app bar and introducing more intelligent toolbars, Google is helping developers craft more intuitive and visually balanced apps.
Whether you're optimizing for user experience, mobile performance, or in-app ad revenue, embracing these new Material Design components will keep your apps competitive and compliant with the latest design standards.
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