Android 17 Beta 1 Rolls Out: Here’s What’s New and Who Can Install It

by Abhinav Anand | Feb 13, 2026 | News

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Update 02/13 4:05 PM ET: Android 17 Beta 1 is finally rolling out after a two-day delay.

Update 02/11 3 PM ET: Android 17 Beta 1 was expected to roll out today, but Google has now canceled the release. The company now says the beta is “coming soon” (via Android Authority).

Google has released Android 17 Beta 1, and with it comes a notable shift in how the company plans to develop Android going forward. The first beta is now rolling out to eligible Pixel devices, marking the official start of the Android 17 cycle.

This year, Google is moving away from the old Developer Preview model. In its place is a continuous Canary channel that delivers early APIs and platform changes as soon as they pass internal testing. Developers gain faster access to new features, beta builds arrive in a more polished state, and testing becomes more streamlined.

Android 17 Beta 1 is here and Google is changing (some of) the rules

Android 17 puts more pressure on developers to take large screens seriously. Apps targeting SDK level 37 can no longer ignore orientation and resizing rules on bigger displays, so they will have to scale properly on tablets, foldables, and desktop style windows. Games are exempt, but most apps are not.

Performance improvements are also part of the update. Android 17 aims to reduce dropped frames and cut CPU usage with a revamped garbage collection system. Notifications now use less memory as well, which should help the system feel more responsive in daily use. These may not be the flashiest changes, but they matter for smoothness.

The update also brings camera and media upgrades. Switching between camera modes should feel smoother, with fewer visible hiccups. Android 17 adds support for H.266 video and introduces a loudness management API to keep audio levels more consistent across apps. Google expects Platform Stability in March, with the stable release likely in Q2.