Android 17 is headed to Pixel phones now, and it'll change the way you multitask

Google’s Android 17 software is beginning to make its way to Pixel phones from today.

Google showed eager Android fans some of what they could expect from Android 17 during the Google I/O developer conference in June, and The Android Show before it, but has shared a little more with the announcement of its first release.

Here’s what to look out for when Android 17 arrives on your phone.

Bubbles for multitasking

Bubbles are the latest way to multitask on your Pixel phone. While not exactly a bubble, these floating windows help you juggle multiple tasks, and can docked into a dedicated Bubbles section at the bottom of the screen. Using Bubbles on a foldable enables a resizing option, and a quick way to maximize the window.

This is one of the biggest and most noticeable changes in Android 17, and those who've tested it out in an Android 17 beta have been impressed with Bubbles multitasking.

Gaming mode

Staying with foldables for a moment, Android 17 introduces a foldable phone gaming mode, which splits games into a 50/50 view when foldables are half-folded into a desktop stand mode.

The game will appear at the top of the screen, and a gamepad control system will show on the lower half. Google hasn’t said if it requires specific games to add support for the feature, only that it’s enabled in Android 17, and will be available in the coming months.

Screen reactions

For those recording reaction videos on their phones, Android 17 makes it easier to shoot them without the need for a green screen or extensive editing.

Screen Reactions uses the phone’s selfie camera and overlays the recording onto the screen, all in one go, using the updated screen recording mode with an annotation option.

It’s accessed using a new toolbar, and Google says it has improved the workflow to get you recording quicker.

Security updates

Google’s taking security seriously in Android 17. In Find Hub, the Mark as Lost feature adds an option to lock a lost phone with biometrics, and Google has also reduced the number of PIN entries allowed when someone is trying to guess it, plus extended the wait times between entries. More scams and suspicious apps will be blocked by Live Threat Detection too.

When will Android 17 arrive?

Google hasn’t shared much information on the exact release schedule for Android 17. It states the software will start arriving on Pixel phones from June 16, so you’ll have to keep checking for updates if you’re really keen.

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Android 17 is compatible with every Google Pixel phone from the Pixel 6 to the Pixel 10 series, and with the Pixel Tablet too.

Google says Android 17 will continue to be released throughout 2026. Other manufacturers will set their own release schedules for the new version.