Android 17
2026 Android mobile operating system
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Android 17 (codenamed Cinnamon Bun[1]) is the seventeenth major release of the Android mobile operating system, developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. The first public beta was released on February 13, 2026.[2]
| Android 17 | |
|---|---|
| Version of the Android operating system | |
| |
 Screenshot of Android 17 Beta 3 | |
| Developer | |
| OS family | Android |
| Source model | Open-source software |
| Latest release | Beta 4 / April 16, 2026 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Preceded by | Android 16 |
| Official website | developer |
| Support status | |
| Currently in beta. | |
Codename
Since Android 14 QPR2 shifted the development process to a trunk-based development model, build IDs in 2024 began with the letter A (e.g., AP1A, AP2A). In 2025, Google changed the starting letter to B, making the internal codename for Android 16 "Baklava," a dessert starting with B. Following this alphabetical progression, Android 17 in 2026 adopted "Cinnamon Bun," starting with the letter C, as its development codename.[3]
Development
Starting with Android 17, traditional Developer Previews have been discontinued and replaced by continuously updated Android Canary builds, marking a transition to an "always-on" testing state for the Android platform.[2]
The development cycle for Android 17 does not terminate immediately after its official release in June. According to the release schedule, Android 17 utilizes a release model featuring a major release in the second quarter followed by a minor SDK release in the fourth quarter, continuing to receive enhancements via Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs). Notably, Google plans to introduce a "Minor SDK Release" in the fourth quarter of 2026, which may include new API extensions. This allows hardware manufacturers to support innovative hardware features launched at the end of the year without breaking core platform stability.[2]
History
Features
API level
The API level has been increased to 37.[8]
VVC support
The ability to play back Versatile Video Coding (VVC) media will be available on devices that include hardware decoding support and corresponding drivers.[2]
Background audio enhancements
The audio architecture strictly restricts background audio interactions, including background audio playback, audio focus requests, and volume adjustments.[9]
Free screen orientation and resizability
The system will ignore screen orientation and resizability restrictions, completely removing the option to opt-out of big-screen orientation and resizing limitations that was previously introduced in Android 16.[10]
Frosted glass extension
The frosted glass visual effect has been extended to more UI panels, such as the system volume adjustment slider panel.[11]
Contacts picker
The new contacts picker grants temporary, session-only read permissions strictly to the specific data fields requested by the user, allowing selections from either personal or work profiles. The introduction of this feature minimizes the necessity for applications to request the broad READ_CONTACTS permission to harvest entire contact lists.[12]
App Lock
Allows users to protect individual applications with a password, requiring authentication before the app can be used.[11]
EyeDropper
The EyeDropper API allows applications to request a color value from any pixel on the display without needing broad screen-capture permissions.[13]
Split notifications and Quick Settings
This is an optional feature. When enabled, swiping down from the top-left corner of the screen opens the notification panel, while swiping down from the top-right corner opens the Quick Settings panel.[14]
Version history
| Version | Release date | Features / Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | ||
| Beta 1 | February 13, 2026 | Early Beta release made available to early testers enrolled in the Android Beta Program. Unlike previous releases, Android 17 did not feature traditional Developer Previews. |
| Beta 2 | February 26, 2026 | The second beta update. |
| Beta 3 | March 26, 2026 | The third beta update. This release reached Platform Stability. |
| Beta 4 | April 16, 2026 | The fourth beta update. This is the final scheduled beta release. |
| Final Release | ||
| 17.0 | N/a | Final release of compatible versions for applications, SDKs, and libraries. |
