Android 16 Has Officially Released For Pixel Users: How To Install, Devices Supported And More

iOS 26 was announced by Apple and now Android 16 has made its release official for Pixel users this week. Google has been betting on an early roll out timeline for Android 16 this year and the company has managed to live up to those claims.

The Android 16 beta versions have been available for a few months, and the recent QPR 1 beta update suggested we are close to the full release, which has now become official, as long as you have a Pixel device that is eligible for the new version. The new update is available with some improvements and here are the details. 

Android 16 Update Now Available: How To Install And Devices Supported 

The Android 16 update is rolling out well in advance compared to the usual timeline but also means Google is gearing up for the Pixel 10 series launch somewhere in August once again. The new Android 16 version is currently limited to the eligible Pixel phones, and users can install Android 16 with these steps: 

Android 16 Update: Pixel Phones Supported 

People using Pixel 6 or later models are eligible for the Android 16 update which will show up as an over-the-air update in the next few days. 

Android 16: New Features Coming Your Way 

Android 16 promises the new Material Expressive UI changes that we have seen with the beta versions but the new update mostly focuses on new features for now. 

Live Updates 

This is Google’s version of Live activities that you get on the iPhones. You will see the current status of a food delivery or Uber cab at the top of the lockscreen in a pill-shaped bubble next to time on the display. Live updates on the home screen also means you don’t need to open the app to check for the status all the time. Android phones having always-on-display enabled could benefit from this addition. 

Advanced Protection 

The other important feature coming with Android 16 is advanced protection which is there to help you tackle possible online scams, and possible intrusion by malicious apps. It will warn users when they try to open an unsafe website and more. 

Adaptive Apps Across Devices 

Google is saying goodbye to mobile-only apps which means the apps will now adapt to foldables and tablets based on their screen/window size. It is vital that Fold devices get native support for the regular apps and we’re glad that Google is finally making it happen with the Android 16 version this year.

You can also notice the changes in the font style, the curvy nature of the icons, and the settings menu looking refreshed with new colour tones for different sections. The media controls are getting a new design that looks refreshing for a big update. 

For people using the Pixel 8a or later models, Android 16 brings a new Battery Health indicator which gives you iPhone-like condition of the phone’s battery and how long it will last before needing a replacement.  

The likes of Samsung have already lined up their Android 16 beta versions and other brands should now start working on their updates.