The Android 12 public beta is now live, following Google's deep dive into the new software during Google I/O 2021. My colleague Dieter Bohn got an exclusive in-depth look at the new Material You design language, plus everything new. And good news:if you have an eligible device, you can try it now, and that's what I'll explain.
The great thing is that you don't have to go through the tricky and failure-prone task of flashing your phone. Instead, you can easily register it to receive the update with just a few clicks from your desktop or mobile browser, and in minutes you'll be ready to install it on your phone.
When you set up the Android 12 beta on your device, you will be set up to receive all future beta OS updates (including the release version) over the air, which is practical. As always, keep in mind that this beta is unfinished software, so you might encounter bugs of varying severity. At the very least, make sure your device data is backed up to the cloud, and maybe think twice before loading the beta to your daily driver.
Let's see if you have an eligible device first.
The way you get this software on your phone ranges from a few clicks to something more complex. For this beta download, it's considerably easier to get the Android 12 beta on one of the supported Google Pixel phones.
For a Pixel, start by visiting the Android 12 beta site to enroll your phone in the beta. You should be able to find your phone in the list when you click "view your eligible devices". You might be prompted by a notification on your phone that the software is ready to install. If you want to check manually, open the settings menu on your phone, then go to System> System update. Tap "Check for Update" to see if you can download the new software.
If nothing happens right away, your only option is to keep waiting. In the past, I got the beta update on my phone within minutes of signing up, although sometimes it took hours. Google says it can take over 24 hours for the software to be ready to install on your phone, so hang in there.
For supported phones from other brands like OnePlus, Realme, Sharp and others, follow the instructions on each page, as the installation process seems to differ by manufacturer.
