Google confirms the first Android 17 beta is coming soon — just as Android 16 QPR3 cycle ends

What you need to know

• Google has released the final Android 16 QPR3 build, signaling testing is now complete.
• Enrolled beta users will automatically transition to the upcoming Android 17 beta program.
• Google has confirmed Android 17 testing is next, though no exact rollout date has been shared.

Google has officially announced that it has finished testing Android 16 QPR3, as it has released the final build. This also means the company is preparing to roll out the first beta for Android 17.

Android 16 QPR3 has been in testing for some time. Google released the second Android 16 QPR3 beta last month, and now, just about a month later, it has released the final build, Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2.1, for developers. The new version carries build number CP11.251209.009.A1 and is available for all compatible Pixel phones.

The update is around 100 MB in size, going up to 123 MB for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 series, which is relatively large for a minor 0.1 update. However, Google has not specified exactly what has been fixed in this beta. That said, you can download and install the latest build if you're enrolled in the Android beta program by heading to Settings > System > Software updates.

Android 16 QPR3 testing is officially done

This also confirms that with Android 16 QPR3 testing now complete, Google is preparing to begin the Android 17 beta program.

Google announced on Reddit's r/android_beta that Android 16 QPR3 has finished testing and that it is looking forward to the Android 17 Platform Release, referred to internally as 26Q2.

Those enrolled in the Android 16 QPR3 beta will automatically be moved to the Android 17 beta program, so there's no need to enroll again. Google has not shared an exact start date for the Android 17 beta, but we expect it to begin sooner rather than later.

As for the Android 16 QPR3 stable rollout, since Google has finished testing, we expect the company to release the stable build in early March 2026. The last major Android 16 QPR2 update was released in December, so it makes sense for Google to roll out QPR3, the next quarterly platform release, in March.

Android Central's Take

Exciting. Android's development cycle has clearly accelerated over the past couple of years, and it's interesting to see Google prepare a new major release just as the current one wraps up. We still do not know what Android 17 will bring, but given the version bump, I'm expecting meaningful changes.