Android 17 Beta 1 rolls out to Pixel devices

2026-02-13 — After a brief two-day delay, Google has begun rolling out Android 17 Beta 1 to Pixel phones and tablets, delivered as build CP21.260116.011. The update, available via OTA for enrolled devices and as system images, marks the first public Beta following the company’s Canary-channel experimentation. Early testers will see changes aimed at adaptive multi-window behavior, performance gains and new media and camera APIs. Developers and users can file feedback through the Android Beta Feedback app or Google’s issue tracker.

Key takeaways

Android 17 Beta 1 (build CP21.260116.011) began rolling out to Pixel devices on 2026-02-13 after a two-day delay.
System images and OTA files are available for Pixel 6/6 Pro/6a, 7/7 Pro/7a, Pixel Tablet, Fold, 8/8 Pro/8a, 9/9 Pro/9 Pro XL/9 Pro Fold/9a, and 10/10 Pro/10 Pro XL/10 Pro Fold and the Android Emulator.
Android Canary, introduced in June, feeds early features and pre-release APIs into Beta faster and with OTA support to simplify testing workflows.
Adaptive app behavior is enforced for apps targeting API level 37: apps will fill large displays without the previous developer opt-out (games are excluded).
Performance work includes fewer missed frames, reduced garbage-collection CPU costs, more aggressive optimizations and lower notification memory use.
Camera and media improvements emphasize seamless transitions between use cases and add a loudness management API for consistent playback across apps and devices.
Platform Stability for Android 17 is targeted for March 2026, with the final consumer release expected several months later (roughly June 2026).

Background

Google has shifted its early-release strategy toward a continuous Canary channel, which debuted in June as a replacement for the traditional Developer Previews. The Canary channel publishes cutting-edge builds and pre-release APIs as they pass internal checks, giving developers an earlier look at forthcoming behavior changes. Google says the move speeds feature availability, improves Beta stability through broader early testing, and simplifies updates via OTA distribution.

The Android 17 cycle is the 26Q2 major SDK release for the year and will be followed by minor quarterly updates: 26Q3 (17 QPR1), 26Q4 (17 QPR2) and 27Q1 (17 QPR3). Platform Stability—when final SDK/NDK APIs and largely final app-facing behaviors are set—is scheduled for March 2026. The company expects the finished, stable release a few months after that, around June 2026.

Main event

On 13 February 2026 Google began distributing Android 17 Beta 1 to a broad set of Pixel hardware, with on-device over-the-air delivery for those in the Android Beta Program and downloadable system images for manual installs. The rollout follows a two-day postponement and carries the build identifier CP21.260116.011. Devices confirmed in the distribution include Pixels from the 6 series through the 10 series, several foldable models and the Pixel Tablet, plus the Android Emulator for developers.

Android 17 continues the platform’s push toward adaptive apps that automatically span large screens without letterboxing. For applications targeting API level 37, the prior developer opt-out has been removed; such apps are expected to fill available space across foldables, tablets and desktop-like environments. Google explicitly excludes games from this forced behavior change to avoid disrupting full-screen gaming experiences.

Performance improvements are a stated priority in Beta 1: teams focused on reducing frame drops, trimming garbage-collection CPU overhead, and lowering the RAM footprint from notification stacks. On the media and camera side, Android 17 introduces APIs intended to provide smoother transitions between camera modes and to reduce user-visible freezes or glitches. A new loudness management API aims to normalize playback volume across apps and hardware combinations.

Analysis & implications

The Canary-to-Beta cadence signals a platform engineering trade-off: by exposing more incremental changes earlier, Google hopes to accelerate developer feedback while stabilizing features before they reach wider Beta participants. In practice, that should shorten the feedback loop for complex changes (multi-window behavior, new media APIs) but raises the bar for app authors who must test more frequently against evolving internals.

Removing the developer opt-out for adaptive surfaces on API level 37 apps tightens expectations for app compatibility on larger or multi-window devices. For enterprise and productivity apps, this can improve usability by default; for apps with bespoke layouts it may necessitate additional development work. Because games remain exempt, Google is signaling that it recognizes performance and UX sensitivity in full-screen interactive experiences.

Performance optimizations and reduced GC costs can translate into tangible battery and responsiveness improvements on mid-range hardware, where CPU and memory budgets are tighter. If those gains are realized broadly, device makers and OEM customizations may show measurable improvements in perceived smoothness and multitasking behavior. Third-party developers will need to test for behavioral changes, as even small platform adjustments can reveal logic assumptions in complex apps.

Comparison & data

Stage	Target	Notes
Canary	Ongoing	Continuous, early access to pre-release APIs with OTA support
Beta 1	2026-02-13	Public Beta rollout to Pixel devices (build CP21.260116.011)
Platform Stability	March 2026	Final SDK/NDK APIs and largely final app-facing behaviors
Final Release	June 2026 (approx.)	Consumer-ready Android 17

The table places Android 17’s timeline alongside the new Canary model. Developers should plan validation windows around Platform Stability in March—this is when API and behavior changes are considered final for app compatibility purposes. The quarterly QPR cadence (26Q3, 26Q4, 27Q1) will add incremental fixes and features after the major 26Q2 SDK release.

Reactions & quotes

Google’s developer messaging has emphasized earlier visibility and easier testing as Canary’s primary benefits; product managers say the channel shortens the path from internal testing to developer feedback. That framing is intended to encourage more rapid integration of early changes.

“Canary gets features and APIs into developers’ hands sooner, and OTA updates make iteration simpler.”

Android engineering (official)

Independent developers in forums noted both excitement and caution—welcome access to new APIs is tempered by the need for more frequent testing cycles. Community threads advise rigorous checks against multi-window and camera transitions introduced in Beta 1.

“The adaptive-surface enforcement for API 37 will force us to rework some layouts, but it should make tablet UX more consistent.”

Third-party app developer (community)

Explainer: Canary, Beta, Platform Stability

Canary is a rolling channel for experimental Android builds that exposes pre-release APIs as soon as internal validation completes. Beta releases bundle a more stable subset of these changes for broader testing on supported devices. Platform Stability is the point in the cycle when app-facing APIs and behaviors are finalized—after that, developers can expect no further breaking changes ahead of the final platform release. The QPR (Quarterly Platform Release) cadence provides smaller updates after the major SDK drop to address compatibility, security and incremental features.

Unconfirmed

Exact timing for OEM and carrier rollouts beyond Pixel devices has not been announced and may vary by manufacturer and region.
Specific performance uplift numbers (frames-per-second, battery improvements) have not been published and remain subject to vendor and app behavior.

Bottom line

Android 17 Beta 1 begins the public verification phase for a release that emphasizes adaptive surfaces, performance, and professional-grade media tools. The Canary channel’s earlier visibility and OTA convenience should help developers catch integration issues sooner, but it also requires more continuous testing discipline.

Developers should prioritize validation as Platform Stability approaches in March 2026; consumers who want early access can enroll in the Android Beta Program or flash system images but should expect occasional instability. For most users and many apps, the final, broadly compatible Android 17 experience is still on track for a mid-2026 arrival.

Google rolls out Android 17 Beta 1 to Pixel devices