How to download Android 12 on your Pixel right now

James Pero May 20, 2021 Guides Google's new Android beta is just a few taps away for anyone willing to dive in early.

Android 12 is finally here... Well, sort of.

During its annual I/O conference, Google unveiled a beta version of Android 12 for developers with a full release coming later this year.

If you just can’t wait for all the update’s pretty new colors , we’re going to tell you how to download Android 12 on your Pixel phone right now. But before we do that...

We’ve got a disclaimer:

Betas are inherently buggy, so before you run off downloading Android 12, just make sure you know what you’re signing up for — an incomplete version of what will be a full-fledged OS later on.

Back up your phone!

If you feel like there’s a chance you might end up switching back to Android 11, you’ll have to do a full factory reset, so make sure you backup your phone before you embark on your journey toward greener Google pastures. Shutterstock

With that out of the way...

Enroll

To download the beta you’ll need to enroll your device in the beta program by following this link . Select “view your eligible devices,” sign in, and choose the device — in this case, your phone — that you want to download the beta on.

Full list of compatible Pixel devices:

- Pixel 3 and 3 XL - Pixel 3a and 3a XL - Pixel 4 and 4 XL - Pixel 4a and 4a (5G) - Pixel 5 Shutterstock

If your phone doesn’t automatically prompt you to install, you can navigate over to your System, System Update, and then tap “Check for update” to see if the beta is downloadable yet. The process isn’t always immediate and could take a few minutes to appear.

That’s pretty much it.

There are other methods , such as flashing Android 12 onto your device using the Android Flash Tool, but this is by far the easiest. If for whatever reason you prefer to flash the beta onto your device, you can use this tool . Shutterstock

Once you’re enrolled in the beta program you should receive regular updates while Google works to add new features, updates, bug fixes, and tinkers with Android 12’s performance ahead of its release later this year.

If you want to download Android 12 on other devices like those made by TCL or Xiaomi you can head over to this page and follow the prompts under each brand. No matter which device you choose...

Oh, and one last thing...

The beta sadly does not include a great deal of the sexy new design elements announced in Google’s I/O keynote, so if you were really looking forward to having Android automatically match your color scheme with your wallpaper or ogling redesigned widgets, you’ll have to wait just a little while longer.

May your beta be bug-free.

SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

WANT MORE?

🎨 Android 12 is the expressive, colorful, fun software our boring phones need 👌 Oh damn, the Amazon Echo Buds 2 are really good 🎧 Galaxy Buds Pro review: Game over for AirPods Pro? oxygen/Moment/Getty Images

We’ve got a disclaimer:

Enroll

Full list of compatible Pixel devices:

WANT MORE?

Thanks for reading, head home for more!

Thanks for reading,
head home for more!