Android 15 Developer Preview Is Now Available. What to Know About the First Release

Google’s follow-up to Android 14 — Android 15 — is now accessible to obtain for early testers.

The newest main OS replace, with a concentrate on beefing up privateness and safety, additionally permits creators to take higher benefit of digital camera {hardware} and provides builders extra methods to handle warmth and processing energy for extra environment friendly app efficiency.

This early model of Android 15 is meant largely for builders, to assist them construct apps tuned for the following launch of the Android OS and for Google to get useful suggestions because it rolls out updates all through 2024.

Read extra: Best Android Phone of 2024

But simply because the preview is supposed for builders doesn’t suggest you possibly can’t or should not obtain Android 15 proper now. As lengthy as you perceive the constraints of a developer preview (which might embody bugs, lacking options and app incompatibility) and how one can set up it with handbook flash (including the OS to your telephone’s flash reminiscence storage), you possibly can take a look at Android 15 proper now.

If you do not need to cope with software program points or set up, wait till April and May for Google to open enrollment for its Android beta program, or you can even wait till June and July for a extra secure model to drop. The last model of Android 15, meant for all Android customers, is anticipated to launch someday within the fall.

Unsure about what to do subsequent? Well here is all the things that you must learn about Android 15. For extra, here is how Google constructed its Immersive View for Maps and how one can clear your browser’s cache in Android.

What’s new within the first Android 15 developer preview?

With this primary developer preview, Google mentioned the main target is on enhancing consumer privateness and file safety. It’s additionally centered on giving creators higher entry to instruments and {hardware} — together with in-app digital camera controls — in addition to on warmth and energy administration for improved app and sport efficiency. The newest launch makes use of the confectionery-theming code title Vanilla Ice Cream.

For privateness and safety, Android 15 is utilizing the most recent model of Privacy Sandbox, which is a multiyear initiative to reinforce consumer privateness on Android. Privacy Sandbox improves privateness round cellular promoting, by limiting what information third events can entry. Android 15 additionally permits customers to display share simply a part of their display, somewhat than all the display.

Google will give builders and creators extra exact management of digital camera {hardware} to assist them reap the benefits of premium {hardware} options, together with the Pixel digital camera, GPUs and AI processing. These expanded controls can increase the brightness of the digital camera preview, regulate flash energy, join MIDI 2.0 gadgets by way of USB and extra.

This first developer preview of Android 15 additionally contains warmth and processing energy administration instruments by way of an improved Android Dynamic Performance Framework to assist builders optimize performance-heavy and graphic-intensive apps and video games.

As extra developer previews and beta releases drop, Google will proceed so as to add and refine options based mostly on the suggestions from everybody utilizing Android 15.

Which telephones help the Android 15 developer preview?

Google sometimes releases early developer previews simply by itself gadgets, and it is the identical with Android 15. Right now, you possibly can obtain Android 15 on the next Google Pixel telephones and pill:

If your machine is not on the record, do not fret simply but. As the 12 months progresses, Android 15 will grow to be accessible on different telephones and tablets. You even have the choice to use the 64-bit system photographs with the Android Emulator in Android Studio.

Before you put in Android 15, again up your telephone

Note that operating prerelease software program in your telephone could make it unstable, and you might lose information. We suggest downloading and putting in prerelease software program on one thing aside from your major Pixel machine, simply in case Google’s new software program causes points.

The very first thing you must do earlier than you obtain the primary Android 15 developer preview is to again up your supported machine. Why? Developer previews are software program in its early days, and so you possibly can count on bugs, app crashes and different points that may make it troublesome to make use of your telephone or pill each day.

By default, your Pixel ought to again up robotically everytime you’re linked to Wi-Fi and your telephone has been idle and charging for two hours, however you can even do it manually. Depending on the dimensions of your telephone backup and the way a lot accessible house you’ve on Google Drive, you might want a Google One subscription for this to work.

To again up your Pixel telephone, go to Settings > Google > Backup and faucet Back up now. Depending on the final backup and what number of apps and recordsdata should be backed up, this course of might be instantaneous or take as much as a number of minutes. Once you are backed up, you are prepared to start the method of downloading and putting in Android 15.

Next, allow USB debugging and OEM unlocking

To set up Android 15 in your Pixel, join the telephone to your laptop by way of USB. That requires that your Pixel be unlocked and have USB debugging enabled. Although unlocking your telephone is simple sufficient, to allow USB debugging you will have to first unlock Developer choices.

Note: If you’ve got flashed a developer preview earlier than, you might be able to merely replace OTA to Android 15. If not, skip to the following part.

1. Unlock Developer choices. In the Settings software, go to About telephone after which faucet Build quantity seven occasions. Enter your password when prompted, and a brand new Developer choices menu will seem in your settings. 
2. Next, you will have to allow USB debugging so your telephone and your laptop can switch information between one another. Go to Settings > System > Developer choices and toggle on USB debugging. In the notification that seems, which briefly describes what USB debugging is supposed for, faucet OK.
3. And lastly, when you’re nonetheless in Developer choices, toggle on OEM unlocking. This unlocks your machine’s bootloader, which is what hundreds the working system. Once unlocked, you’ll select a distinct working system besides up in your Pixel — on this case, Android 15.

Finally, flash Android 15 in your machine utilizing Android Flash Tool in Chrome 

You have two methods to flash the Android 15 developer preview in your Pixel, however for the sake of simplicity, we’ll use the Android Flash Tool, which you should use instantly out of your internet browser. It works greatest on Chrome or Edge. Also, your laptop should have 10GB of accessible storage for this to work. 

If all the things is sweet to go, join your Pixel to your laptop by way of USB, unlock your machine, go to https://flash.android.com/ in Chrome and do the next: 

1. First, click on Get Started after which hit Allow ADB entry within the pop-up that seems (if there are any advert blockers, flip them off). 
2. Next, click on Add new machine, select your machine from the record and hit Connect.
3. On your Pixel, examine the field subsequent to Always enable from this laptop after which faucet Allow to present Android Flash Tool entry to your telephone.
4. Back in your laptop, click on DP 1 underneath Android 15 Preview Releases. 
5. Click Install construct after which hit Confirm. 

Now, you will have to work together with each your laptop and telephone to flash Android 15, which begins with unlocking your telephone’s bootloader.

1. Click Start in your laptop to start the unlocking bootloader course of.
2. Over in your telephone, hit any quantity button to decide on “Unlock the bootloader” after which hit the energy button to unlock the bootloader.

The Android 15 software program will then start to obtain out of your laptop to your telephone. It’s practically 2.5GB, so it might take a couple of minutes, relying in your web speeds. Once the obtain is completed, you will have to lock your telephone’s bootloader. 

1. Click Start in your laptop.
2. Go again to your telephone, use the quantity keys to decide on “Lock the bootloader” after which hit the energy button.

Your telephone will then restart and the Android 15 Developer Preview ought to now be put in. You can safely disconnect your Pixel from the pc. 

You can now use Android 15 in your Pixel 

Once your Pixel boots again up, you will see a notification that claims you are now operating the Android 15 developer preview. Hit OK after which arrange your telephone simply as you’d a brand-new telephone. That means connecting to Wi-Fi, copying over apps and information out of your newest backup by way of Google, agreeing to phrases and circumstances, organising a password and so forth.

If you need to take away Android 15 out of your machine, you will want to make use of the Android Flash device to return to a secure model of Android 14.

What’s the discharge schedule for Android 15?

Google mentioned it expects to launch a number of developer previews — this one in February and one other date in March — to shake out new options and examine compatibility. 

Planned beta releases for early adopters in April and May ought to be extra secure and can concentrate on high quality and compatibility enhancements. Finally, Platform Stability releases slated for June, July and August will heart on Android 15 last testing earlier than the primary public launch within the fall.

Have an older Android? Check out 5 tricks to make your Android telephone really feel like new once more.