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The first Android 14 Beta is here!
After a couple of Android 14 Developer Preview builds, Google has released the first Android 14 Beta 1 update for all of the supported Pixel phones. If you want to download Android 14 Beta onto your Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, or Pixel 7 Pro, today is the day for you to do just that.
We’ll have a lot more to say on what’s new in Android 14 Beta 1 soon, but for a general overview Google has provided a few items to be on the lookout for.
Google once again highlighted the focus on support for devices of all shapes and sizes, including foldables and tablets. They are introducing a “Smarter System UI” with refinements “you might notice in Beta 1.” Love to hear that. They pointed out the fancy new back arrow in system navigation (which we knew about from DP builds), a brand new sharesheet where apps can add custom actions, and new graphics features for developers to implement (like morphing effects and interpolation).
Again, we are working on an entire “What’s New” post and will have that for you shortly. UPDATE: There isn’t really anything new from DP2. Dang.
Android 14 Beta 1 Release Info
Release date: April 12, 2023
Builds:
- Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a devices that use Verizon as their carrier: UPB1.230309.014.A1
- All other devices: UPB1.230309.014
Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A)
Security patch level:
- Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a devices that use Verizon as their carrier: March 2023
- All other devices: April 2023
Google Play services 23.09.12
How to get Android 14 Beta 1 on your Pixel
With Google opening up Android 14 to the beta program, they are essentially saying that this should be stable enough for everyday users, assuming those users are willing to accept that some items may be broken. If anything, this should be confirmation that this is more stable than a developer preview and that Google thinks you’ll be OK running it.
As mentioned above, the first Android 14 Beta is available to:
- Pixel 4a (5G)
- Pixel 5 and 5a
- Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
- Pixel 6a
- Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
Easiest way: If you own one of those devices, the easiest way to get Android 14 Beta 1 on device is to sign-up for the Android Beta Program (here). You’ll simply click the “Opt In” button on that page to join and then sit back and wait for Google to push an update as Android 14 over-the-air.
Once you have enrolled, you’ll head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update to check for it. Google may not push it immediately and could instead roll it out slowly throughout the day. Either way, feel free to check through there to tell Google you want it after enrolling in the program.
Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That’s still an option! I’ll be going the OTA route, but factory images are available too. You’ll find Android 14 Beta 1 factory images here and the OTA files here. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go.
Already on an Android 14 DP build: If you are already on an Android 14 Developer Preview build, Google says that you will receive the Beta 1 update over-the-air. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.
Currently on Android 13 QPR Beta: For now, it sounds like Google will let folks in the Android 13 QPR beta program directly update to Android 14 Beta 1 without factory wiping. While they haven’t provided specific instructions for doing so, that should mean un-enrolling from QPR beta and then enrolling in Android 14 Beta 1. If you don’t do this soon, the QPR builds may not let you jump straight to 14 Beta builds. To swap Beta programs, you’ll do so from the Android Beta site.
Time to get updated to Android 14!
Related Android 14 “What’s New” posts: Developer Preview 1 | Developer Preview 2
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