It’s Google I/O week which means that after months of speculation and drip feeding of info the Android 12 beta has finally dropped. Here’s how to get it right now.
While we’ve known a bit about what Android 12 has in store for us for awhile, some things are now official and accessible in the beta.
Some of the biggest new features include a new material design language — called Material You — that rethinks the entire UI, a new privacy dashboard and a ‘at a glance’ notification feature.
You can read about the biggest changes and highlights here.
How to install the Android 12 beta
First off it’s always worth mentioning that there are always risks in installing beta software, so don’t make the decision lightly. And do make sure you backup your device first.
Now, onto the installation!
- Head over to the Android 12 beta site
- Make sure you’re signed into your Google account
- Scroll down to see the list of eligible devices you have attached to that account
- If you don’t see any make sure your device is attached to your primary Google account. You can check this on your phone by going to Settings > Accounts > Google.
- If all is well, enroll your device! You may get a notification on your phone saying the software is ready to go
- On your phone go to System > System Update > Check for update
- If you don’t have access to the update right away, don’t panic. It can take up to 24 hours in some cases so keep checking back
- Once the update is available, install and restart your device!
Which phones can run the Android 12 Beta?
As always Google’s very own Pixel devices are the only devices that can run the beta right now. But Google did announce that it would come to a few other Android devices in the future.
Pixels will also be the first to get the official Android 12 release once it comes out later this year — most likely in September.
These are the Pixels that the Android 12 beta are compatible with:
- Pixel 3,
- Pixel 3 XL
- Pixel 3A
- 3A XL
- Pixel 4
- 4 XL
- Pixel 4A and 4A 5G
- Pixel 5
And these are the other devices that the bBeta will come to in the future, though most aren’t on the Australian market:
- Oppo Find X3 Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 11 series
- Asus Zenfone 8
- OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro
- ZTE Axon 30 Ultra 5G
- TCL 20 Pro 5G
- Vivo iQOO 7
What if I want to go back to Android 11?
If you find the beta is buggy, or you’d just prefer to go back to Android 11 now, you can. However, you will need to factory reset your device.
So again, make sure you’re prepared to do that before installing the Android 12 Beta software.