The Top New Android 16 Features (2025): How to Install, Features, Release Date Leave a comment
One other yr, one other model of Google’s cellular working system. Android 16 brings a complete 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 out gadgets at this time—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, but it surely 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 Cellphone?
The official launch date for Android 16 is June 10. This launch is sooner than regular (final yr’s launch was September), and Google has already scheduled one other “minor” launch, possibly 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 at all times get the brand new Android model first, however Android 16 can be coming to pick out gadgets from Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Vivo, and Xiaomi within the coming months. Examine your cellphone producer’s web site, boards, or social media to study when (if ever) to count on Android 16.
The best way to Obtain and Set up Android 16
Of us 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 Examine 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 cellular working system, study in regards to the new options, and put together their apps or video games to work correctly. Additionally they give early adopters the prospect to get a sneak peek.
Beta releases are extra steady than developer previews, however some bugs are probably, and there are a couple of hoops to leap by means of to put in them, so it’s not really helpful for everybody. If you wish to strive it, you want a supported partner device (together with choose telephones from Honor, Oppo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi), and you need to join the Android Beta Program. Most folk who enroll will get the beta updates OTA (over-the-air) with out wiping their telephones, however you may’t decide out of the beta program with out manufacturing facility resetting your cellphone. Be sure you again up your Android cellphone first.
Updates normally pop up mechanically, however you may at all times test whether or not you’ve the newest model in Settings > System > System replace by tapping Examine for replace. Wish to get off the beta and return to Android 15? Go to Google’s Android Beta page, scroll down to search out your machine, and hit Decide out. It will wipe all regionally saved information, so you may lose something you haven’t backed up. You need to get a immediate to return to the older model.
High Android 16 Options
These are the options and enhancements coming in Android 16 we’re most enthusiastic about. You’ll be able to study extra at Google’s developer site, and ensure to learn our interview with Google’s Android chief about his hopes for the platform.
Stay Updates
Google is introducing real-time monitoring into your Android notifications for providers, like meals supply and navigation. As a substitute of getting to open up the related app, you’ll see stay updates within the notification exhibiting when your Uber will arrive or what flip to take subsequent should you’re touring someplace utilizing instructions. These Stay Updates would be the prime notification and in addition seem on the At all times-on Show, so you may 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, comparable to the choice to name or message the motive force.
Just like Stay Actions in Apple’s iOS, Stay Updates could also be carried out barely otherwise by every producer. Samsung apparently plans to roll Stay Updates into its Now Bar that sits on the backside of the lock display, whereas OnePlus will combine them into its current Stay 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 powerful safety settings on apps and providers to maintain your information secure. It contains checks on reminiscence to dam exploits, USB safety, and guards towards unsafe web sites and spam calls and messages. A later launch will add intrusion detection by maintaining a everlasting end-to-end encrypted log out of your machine within the cloud, which may 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 folk have seen a rip-off on their cellphone in some unspecified time in the future, whether or not disguised as tech help, 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 reveals 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 may also be blocked throughout cellphone calls, so scammers can now not stroll individuals by means of the method to sideload a malicious app.
Medical Information
Well being Join allows totally different well being, health, and wellbeing apps to share information overlaying your well being in sure classes (Exercise, Physique Measurement, Cycle Monitoring, Diet, Sleep, and Vitals). Google is now including help for Digital Well being Information (EHRs) utilizing the Quick Healthcare Interoperability Assets (FHIR) commonplace extensively utilized by healthcare suppliers. It’s unclear precisely how this may work or what information it is going to embody, 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 health club, for instance, or stream audio on to listening to aids at a public live performance. Android 16 helps broadcasting, so you may go to Settings > Related gadgets > Audio sharing and select to share audio out of your machine with close by gadgets that help Bluetooth LE Audio, which incorporates Auracast.
Higher Help for Greater Screens
Whereas some apps prohibit resizing and display orientation, Google is eradicating this default functionality in Android 16. Each app ought to now adapt to totally different display sizes and facet ratios, together with tablets and folding telephones. Google additionally desires builders to make sure that app content material is displayed edge to edge.
Conceal Delicate Notifications
Google is redacting content material in delicate notifications, comparable to One-Time Passwords (OTPs), when it detects the potential danger of another person seeing the notification. This could be if you’re not linked to your private home Wi-Fi and haven’t unlocked your cellphone shortly.
Extra Legible Textual content
For folk with low imaginative and prescient and lowered distinction sensitivity, Google is detecting textual content that could be a difficulty and drawing a high-contrast shade field beneath it to make sure the textual content is as legible as doable.
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 power to regulate the ambient sound quantity picked up by your listening to help’s microphones. Each might show useful in noisy environments with numerous background noise.
Enhanced Digital camera for Professional Photographers
Google is pushing a number of small digital camera enhancements in Android 16 for eager photographers. There’s hybrid auto publicity, permitting a steadiness of automated and handbook ISO and publicity management, exact shade temperature and tint changes, higher night time mode help for apps, and help 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 be capable of resize home windows, and the brand new function will work seamlessly with cut up display (similar to the brand new iPadOS 26!). Google can be including linked show help, so you may connect an exterior show to your Android machine and uncover the thrill of a twin display setup. Presently a part of the developer preview, this may not come to your Android pill till later this yr.
Recent Design
The most recent evolution of Google’s Android design language is Materials 3 Expressive. Whereas it’s not a whole overhaul, it’s giving Android a facelift with contemporary new animations, higher haptic suggestions, extra dynamic shade themes, impactful fonts, and extra possibilities to personalize your Android machine. Google has accomplished its homework, drawing on 46 research with greater than 18,000 members to make modifications that folks of all ages authorized.
Earlier than you get too excited, Materials 3 Expressive received’t be a part of the June launch, as a substitute rolling out on Pixel telephones first, later this yr, after which on different Android gadgets. Impatient of us might get a sneak peek by signing up for the Android Beta Program.
Energy up with limitless entry to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that is too essential to disregard for simply $2.50 $1 per 30 days for 1 yr. Consists of limitless digital entry and unique subscriber-only content material. Subscribe At the moment.
