Android 17 available now – here's how to install it on your Pixel (if you're brave enough)

Google is racing ahead with the launch of Android 17, with a slightly different approach than it took with Android 16. That means the new software is now available in public beta, so anyone with an eligible Pixel device can try it out themselves.

The oldest compatible model is the Pixel 6 family from 2021. This is the last year of updates for this model of phone, but it means that any subsequent model will be supported. Currently, it's limited to Google Pixel devices, with other brands likely to join the beta in the coming months.

Google makes it incredibly easy to join the Android 17 beta. As per previous years, all you have to do is navigate over to google.com/android/beta and enrol your device.

But before you do, remember that this is unfinished software, with the beta primarily designed for developers to test out new features. Many of the consumer-facing features won't be in this updated core software – but there may be hints to changes that will come in the future.

There's one important detail to consider here: once your device is enrolled in the Android 17 beta, you can't return to the stable version of Android 16 without a complete wipe of your device, so you'll lose any and all data on your phone.

If you're happy with those conditions, here's a simple step-by-step guide to get you started.

How to install Android 17 beta on your Pixel

• Backup your phone if there's any data you want to preserve
• Head to google.com/android/beta
• Scroll down the page to see your eligible devices
• Tap "Opt in", then agree to the terms
• A confirmation message will appear
• On your enrolled phone, head to Settings > System > Software Updates
• Tap to install the new software

The update appears to be around 3.22GB and the installation process is much the same as it has been for previous beta releases.

What to expect from Android 17?

That's the big question and probably why you want to install the beta on your phone.

At the moment, there are a couple of design tweaks, with slight colour changes to icons. There's tweak to the Google Search widget for the home page, while menus are also more compact too – those are the things you'll immediately notice.

However, the release notes also tell us that Android 17 continues to build towards adaptable Android apps and will bring "significant enhancements to camera and media capabilities". That includes a number of measures to improve the stability of cameras, and support for VVC (H.266) video.

There's likely to be a lot more added to Android 17 as it develops, but as always, all these little details won't pull together until the software is in final form with apps that use the new features.