Android 17's newest beta lets you record reaction videos the easy way

by · Android Police

Google pushed a feature-rich third beta of Android 17 QPR1 during I/O 2026. It packed several notable changes, such as animation tweaks, system UI blur, and redesigned app menu shortcuts. Now, less than a month later, Google is pushing the fourth Android 17 QPR1 beta to users on the public beta program.

Unlike the previous beta builds, Android 17 QPR1 Beta 4 focuses on bug fixes and stability improvements. There's one notable new feature addition: Screen Reactions.

Google first demoed this feature at I/O 2026. It lets you record yourself and your Pixel’s screen simultaneously, with your face appearing in a movable, resizable overlay at the bottom that you can position anywhere on the screen. The feature will make recording reaction videos or tutorials easier.

Besides this, Android 17 QPR1 Beta 4 addresses the following bugs:

  • An issue where the mouse pointer becomes invisible on external displays when Work profile or FLAG_SECURE applications are active. (Issue #446715557)
  • A Settings app crash occurring when launching credential provider settings from a Private Space. (Issue #499908921)
  • An issue where screenshot sounds were coupled with the ringer volume, preventing silent captures while maintaining call alerts. (Issue #336098340)
  • An issue where video recording at 5x zoom would exhibit frame jumps and jitter during panning. (Issue #447867142)
  • An issue where Back Tap gestures failed to trigger on the interactive lock screen. (Issue #476775220)
  • A graphics driver regression that caused severe 3D performance drops in OpenGL ES applications on newer hardware. (Issue #476585209)
  • A regression where Wireless ADB and local network-dependent apps failed to connect. (Issue #506418219)
  • Home screen widgets would disappear or become unavailable in the widget picker after a device reboot. (Issue #488125748, Issue #505117543, Issue #505671079, Issue #497140330, Issue #506685943, Issue #510967059)

Grab the new beta or wait for Android 17's stable release

If you are on the Android public beta channel running the previous QPR build, the new beta should automatically appear as an OTA download. Beta 4 is available for all compatible devices, from the Pixel 6a through the Pixel 10 family. The only exceptions are the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, though Google says both devices will receive the next beta release.

Do note that this is the fourth beta of Android 17's first Quarterly Platform Release (QPR1), with the stable release expected around September. As for Android 17 itself, based on Mishaal Rahman's post on X, the stable release appears to be just around the corner.