One other 12 months, one other model of Google’s cell working system. Android 16 brings an entire new look (Apple additionally simply introduced a redesign in iOS 26), extra customization choices, some chunky safety enhancements, and some welcome accessibility enhancements. Android 16 is rolling out to pick gadgets at the moment—these are the brand new options that caught our eye.
Google formally ditched the scrumptious dessert names for Android years in the past with Android 10, nevertheless it nonetheless makes use of them internally. Android 15 was Vanilla Ice Cream, and Android 16 is codenamed Baklava.
When Is Android 16 Arriving for Your Telephone?
The official launch date for Android 16 is June 10. This launch is sooner than regular (final 12 months’s launch was September), and Google has already scheduled one other “minor” launch, perhaps Android 16.1, for the final quarter of 2025. The developer preview of Android 16 was first launched in November 2024, and Google dropped beta releases in January, February, March, and April 2025.
Google’s Pixel telephones all the time get the brand new Android model first, however Android 16 can be coming to pick gadgets from Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Vivo, and Xiaomi within the coming months. Verify your cellphone producer’s web site, boards, or social media to be taught when (if ever) to anticipate Android 16.
Find out how to Obtain and Set up Android 16
People with a Google Pixel cellphone (Pixel 6 and newer) can obtain Android 16 by going to Settings > System > Software program updates > System replace and tapping Verify for replace.
If you cannot wait, you might be able to set up the Android 16 Beta. These pre-release variations allow builders to check the forthcoming model of Google’s cell working system, be taught concerning the new options, and put together their apps or video games to work correctly. Additionally they give early adopters the possibility to get a sneak peek.
Beta releases are extra secure than developer previews, however some bugs are probably, and there are just a few hoops to leap by to put in them, so it’s not beneficial for everybody. If you wish to attempt it, you want a supported accomplice gadget (together with choose telephones from Honor, Oppo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi), and it’s essential to join the Android Beta Program. Most people who enroll will get the beta updates OTA (over-the-air) with out wiping their telephones, however you possibly can’t decide out of the beta program with out manufacturing facility resetting your cellphone. Ensure you again up your Android cellphone first.
Updates normally pop up mechanically, however you possibly can all the time verify whether or not you’ve got the most recent model in Settings > System > System replace by tapping Verify for replace. Wish to get off the beta and return to Android 15? Go to Google’s Android Beta web page, scroll down to search out your gadget, and hit Choose out. This may wipe all regionally saved knowledge, so you will lose something you haven’t backed up. You must get a immediate to return to the older model.
Prime Android 16 Options
These are the options and enhancements coming in Android 16 we’re most enthusiastic about. You may be taught extra at Google’s developer website, and ensure to learn our interview with Google’s Android chief about his hopes for the platform.
Reside Updates
Google is introducing real-time monitoring into your Android notifications for companies, like meals supply and navigation. As an alternative of getting to open up the related app, you’ll see dwell updates within the notification exhibiting when your Uber will arrive or what flip to take subsequent should you’re touring someplace utilizing instructions. These Reside Updates would be the prime notification and likewise seem on the All the time-on Show, so you possibly can see at a look when your meals will arrive by way of an app like DoorDash. Pull all the way down to develop the notification, and also you’ll see a progress bar and fast hyperlinks to actions, akin to the choice to name or message the driving force.
Much like Reside Actions in Apple’s iOS, Reside Updates could also be applied barely otherwise by every producer. Samsung apparently plans to roll Reside Updates into its Now Bar that sits on the backside of the lock display screen, whereas OnePlus will combine them into its current Reside Alerts system.
Superior Safety Mode
This new extra-secure mode in Android 16 is for at-risk of us, like public figures, journalists, and activists, who want further safety for his or her digital lives. Google’s Superior Safety already exists for Google accounts, however now extends to Android 16, imposing robust safety settings on apps and companies to maintain your knowledge secure. It consists of checks on reminiscence to dam exploits, USB safety, and guards in opposition to unsafe web sites and spam calls and messages. A later launch will add intrusion detection by retaining a everlasting end-to-end encrypted log out of your gadget within the cloud, which could be shared and analyzed by a safety professional should you suspect there’s an issue.
AI-Powered Rip-off Detection
Sadly, fraud is large enterprise. Most people have seen a rip-off on their cellphone in some unspecified time in the future, whether or not disguised as tech assist, a prize, or a crypto funding alternative. Google is utilizing on-device AI to identify rip-off texts with the Rip-off Detection function in Google Messages. It runs regionally on-device, so no message content material is shared, and exhibits a pop-up warning to of us when it discovers a suspected rip-off, warning them of the chance and providing the chance to report and block the scammer. Some permissions can even be blocked throughout cellphone calls, so scammers can not stroll individuals by the method to sideload a malicious app.
Medical Data
Well being Join allows completely different well being, health, and wellbeing apps to share knowledge overlaying your well being in sure classes (Exercise, Physique Measurement, Cycle Monitoring, Vitamin, Sleep, and Vitals). Google is now including assist for Digital Well being Data (EHRs) utilizing the Quick Healthcare Interoperability Assets (FHIR) normal broadly utilized by healthcare suppliers. It’s unclear precisely how this can work or what knowledge it is going to embrace, however it could make sharing well being data simpler.
Auracast Broadcast Help
As one of many latest Bluetooth options, Auracast allows audio streaming to listening to aids and different supported gadgets in public areas. A number of individuals can use it to connect with the identical audio stream concurrently and get audio from TVs in public areas just like the fitness center, for instance, or stream audio on to listening to aids at a public live performance. Android 16 helps broadcasting, so you possibly can go to Settings > Linked gadgets > Audio sharing and select to share audio out of your gadget with close by gadgets that assist Bluetooth LE Audio, which incorporates Auracast.
Higher Help for Larger Screens
Whereas some apps limit resizing and display screen orientation, Google is eradicating this default functionality in Android 16. Each app ought to now adapt to completely different display screen sizes and facet ratios, together with tablets and folding telephones. Google additionally needs builders to make sure that app content material is displayed edge to edge.
Conceal Delicate Notifications
Google is redacting content material in delicate notifications, akin to One-Time Passwords (OTPs), when it detects the potential threat of another person seeing the notification. This could be in case you are not related to your house Wi-Fi and haven’t unlocked your cellphone shortly.
Extra Legible Textual content
For folk with low imaginative and prescient and decreased distinction sensitivity, Google is detecting textual content that could be a problem and drawing a high-contrast colour field beneath it to make sure the textual content is as legible as potential.
LE Audio Listening to Aids Options
There are a few notable new options for people utilizing Bluetooth LE Audio listening to aids with Android 16. First is the choice to change between the built-in microphones on the listening to aids and the microphone in your cellphone for voice calls. Second is the flexibility to regulate the ambient sound quantity picked up by your listening to assist’s microphones. Each may show useful in noisy environments with numerous background noise.
Enhanced Digital camera for Professional Photographers
Google is pushing a bunch of small digital camera enhancements in Android 16 for eager photographers. There’s hybrid auto publicity, permitting a stability of automated and guide ISO and publicity management, exact colour temperature and tint changes, higher night time mode assist for apps, and assist for Extremely HDR photos within the HEIC file format. Google can be including the Superior Skilled Video (APV) codec for higher-quality video recording and post-processing.
Windowing Apps
Have you ever ever wished Android was extra like Home windows? Help for desktop windowing, enabling you to run a number of apps concurrently, is within the works. Multitaskers will have the ability to resize home windows, and the brand new function will work seamlessly with cut up display screen (simply like the brand new iPadOS 26!). Google can be including related show assist, so you possibly can connect an exterior show to your Android gadget and uncover the thrill of a twin display screen setup. Presently a part of the developer preview, this may not come to your Android pill till later this 12 months.
Contemporary Design
The most recent evolution of Google’s Android design language is Materials 3 Expressive. Whereas it’s not an entire overhaul, it’s giving Android a facelift with contemporary new animations, higher haptic suggestions, extra dynamic colour themes, impactful fonts, and extra possibilities to personalize your Android gadget. Google has executed its homework, drawing on 46 research with greater than 18,000 contributors to make modifications that folks of all ages permitted.
Earlier than you get too excited, Materials 3 Expressive gained’t be a part of the June launch, as an alternative rolling out on Pixel telephones first, later this 12 months, after which on different Android gadgets. Impatient of us could get a sneak peek by signing up for the Android Beta Program.
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