The first Android 16 developer preview has arrived - here's what to know before installing it

Google has announced the availability of the first developer preview release for Android 16. Developer previews, for those who are unfamiliar, are made available so developers can test their apps to ensure they function properly in the upcoming software release.

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Along with the release, Google has also announced that there will be two Android API releases for 2025. The first will be the major release for Q2 and another release in Q4. According to the press release, the release cycle for Android 16 looks like this:

As for the final release, the announcement states that developers will have "several months" before the official release to do final testing, according to the company's Tuesday press release.

Android developers can start by flashing a system image of the first developer preview and updating all the required tools. Google also recommends using the latest preview of the Android Studio Ladybug feature drop. Just sure you're compiling your apps for Android 16 against the newest SDK, and use the compatibility framework to enable targetSdkVerion-gated behavior as they become available for testing.

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Developers will want to use the SDK_INT constant with VERSION_CODES to guard a code block with a check for Android's API level. That looks something like this:

For API checks against both major and minor versions, use the SDK_INT_FULL constant with the new VERSION_CODES_FULL enumeration, which looks like:

One thing to keep in mind is that if you've installed Android 15 QPR2 beta 1, you will not be able to move to the Android 16 Developer Preview program without first wiping your device. Google recommends that developers avoid installing future betas to avoid having to do a data wipe before transitioning to the next developer preview.

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If you're not a developer but do enjoy getting a glimpse of what's coming with the latest version of Android, you'll have to wait until the first public beta for Android 16 is released, which will happen in Q1 of 2025.

To join the Android beta program, you'll need to hold off until the first public beta release, check your eligible devices, and then select which supported device you'd like to enroll in the public beta. If your phone is already associated with a previous public beta, you'll want to do a factory restore on the device, and then join the latest beta program.