When iOS users download an app, its icon appears on the home screen -- with a progress circle reflecting its status. This behavior allows users to quickly check the status of apps that are actively downloading or installing on their iPhones. It appears that Google has finally caught up with the other platform. The company has started offering a similar feature on Android 11+ devices. Users downloading an app from the Play Store can now see an indicator on their home screens that displays the installation progress.

Google Play Store app installation progress on home screen

As per a 9to5Google report, users running Android 11 or later on their phones should be able to see the new installation progress indicator when downloading apps from the Play Store. The execution is similar to that of iOS, featuring grayed-out icons and downloading/installing labels right below them. At the time of writing, the downloading label is cut off on some devices -- as the screenshot above displays. Google will likely fix this bug in a future update.

The Play Store allows users to download only one app at a time. Those installing several apps simultaneously will see a pending label below queued apps. Interestingly, users are allowed to move the grayed-out icons before they're actually installed. So they can customize their home screens without needing to wait. It's worth noting, though, that these gray icons only appear on the home screen -- and not on the main app list.

This addition is a very welcome one from the company. That's because it gives a better visual of the progress, especially for those with a cluttered notification sheet. Users will no longer need to search for the sticky Google Play Store notification to check an app's installation progress.

Do you see this change on you phone? If so, what version of Android are you running? Let us know in the comments section below.