Updates often pop up robotically, however you’ll be able to at all times test whether or not you could have the most recent model in Settings > System > System replace by tapping Test for replace. Need to get off the beta and return to Android 14? Go to Google’s Android Beta web page, scroll down to seek out your gadget, and hit Decide out. It will wipe all domestically saved knowledge, so again up your gadget first. You may get an replace immediate to return to the older model.
People with no Pixel or supported associate gadget ought to watch their cellphone producer’s web site, boards, or social media to be taught when to count on Android 15.
Prime New Android 15 Options
These are our favourite options and enhancements in Android 15. You may be taught extra at Google’s developer web site. And you’ll want to learn our story on all the brand new options coming to Android and the Android ecosystem—together with Put on OS, Android Auto, and Android TV—on this story right here.
Non-public Area
Courtesy of Google
Android 15 features a new Non-public Area the place you’ll be able to hold delicate apps separate from the remainder of your cellphone. Whether or not you wish to safeguard well being knowledge or your banking apps, Non-public Area retains them safely behind a second layer of authentication, protected with the identical password you employ to unlock your gadget or an alternate PIN. When your Non-public Area is locked, apps are hidden from the Recents view, notifications, settings, and different apps. You may wipe your personal area utterly too.
What’s That Tune?
We’ve got a information on determine songs along with your cellphone, however Google is making it simpler than ever with Circle to Search in Android 15. If a tune enjoying in your cellphone or a speaker close by catches your consideration, long-press the Dwelling button or navigation bar to activate Circle to Search, then faucet the music button to determine the observe title and artist. You even get a hyperlink to the YouTube video.
Improved Audio Picture Descriptions
Android has a display screen reader known as TalkBack for people with imaginative and prescient loss, and Android 15 makes use of Google’s Gemini AI to enhance its means to explain pictures. Historically, picture descriptions on web sites had been restricted to no matter was enter within the alt textual content discipline, however Google’s AI can analyze pictures and describe them in higher element. This new function additionally works with photographs in your digital camera roll, social media pictures, or photos in textual content messages.
Earthquake Alert System
People within the US will get probably life-saving warnings about impending earthquakes as Android 15 employs crowd-sourced earthquake detection expertise. This new function additionally consists of tips about what to do within the aftermath of a quake.
Extra Satellite tv for pc Connectivity
Courtesy of Google
There’s a big growth for satellite tv for pc connectivity in Android 15. Some RCS and SMS apps ought to now be capable to ship textual content messages through satellite tv for pc (it was beforehand restricted to emergency use). Google has additionally standardized the pop-ups and different person interface parts to make it clearer when linked through satellite tv for pc. Up to now, solely the Pixel 9 vary helps satellite tv for pc messaging.
Offline Maps on Put on OS
When you’ve got a Put on OS smartwatch to associate along with your Android cellphone, now you can entry offline maps. Any map you obtain to your cellphone can be utilized for instructions in your wrist, so you’ll be able to go away your cellphone behind if you go for a run.
Higher Bluetooth
Android 15 will convey a spread of Bluetooth enhancements. For starters, the fast settings tile now opens a popup that allows you to decide on particular person units, bounce into their settings, and pair new units, slicing down on settings menu navigation. It additionally seems as if Google is altering how the Bluetooth toggle works, so if you toggle Bluetooth off, by default, it can robotically flip again on the following day. This function will possible assist Android’s Discover My System community, which makes use of Bluetooth to seek out units. You may disable the automated turn-on within the settings in case you want.
Partial Display screen Recording
Courtesy of Google
As a substitute of recording or sharing your whole display screen, in Android 15, you’ll be able to share a person app with out revealing the remainder of your display screen or incoming notifications. Logins and one-time passwords (OTPs) are robotically hidden from distant viewers. That is already out there on Pixels, however now Google has baked it into Android.
Malicious App Blocking
A number of updates in Android 15 make life more durable for malicious apps. They will not disguise behind different apps by bringing them to the foreground or overlay themselves invisibly on prime. There are additionally adjustments designed to forestall the exploitation of intents, which allow you to begin an exercise in one other app by describing an motion you’d prefer to carry out, as they’re usually misused by malware. That is behind-the-scenes stuff to maintain customers safer.
App Archiving
Courtesy of Google
In the event you haven’t used an app or sport for some time, you might be prompted to delete it, however what in case you suppose you would possibly use it once more sooner or later? With app archiving in Android 15, you’ll be able to offload a lot of the app by archiving it however hold your person settings or save knowledge in video games. The auto-archiving function was introduced final yr, however Android 15 makes it a systemwide choice, so people can select to auto-archive apps when storage is operating low.
Good Vibrations
Android 15 lets you flip keyboard vibrations on or off systemwide, as a substitute of getting to dig into the keyboard settings. There’s a brand new toggle in Settings > Sound and vibration > Vibration and haptics, the place you can even use sliders to regulate haptic depth (this has been out there on choose Android telephones, however is now systemwide). The second beta additionally introduces wealthy vibrations, so people can decide between several types of notifications with out wanting on the display screen.
Audio Sharing
It needs to be simpler to share audio out of your cellphone utilizing Bluetooth LE and Auracast with a brand new settings web page centered on audio sharing. This web page didn’t work within the final Beta, and it isn’t clear what units will help the function, however the people at Android Authority managed to get it engaged on a Pixel 8 Professional. The function means that you can broadcast audio out of your cellphone to different units inside Bluetooth vary, together with the telephones and earbuds of family and friends who can scan a QR code to hitch.
Higher PDF Dealing with
Courtesy of Google
Making an attempt to do something with PDF recordsdata in your Android cellphone could be a ache, so the information that Google has constructed a number of PDF enhancements into Android 15 is welcome. PDFs ought to load extra easily, and there may be now help for password-protected recordsdata, annotations, type modifying, and replica choice. Maybe better of all, now you can search inside PDF recordsdata.
Loudness Management
It may be jarring if you change from one app to a different and the quantity all of the sudden booms. Fortunately, Android 15 introduces help for the CTA-2075 loudness commonplace. Which means it can evaluate quantity between apps, bear in mind the traits of your audio system, headphones, or earbuds, and intelligently regulate the audio to make sure no sudden jumps or drops.
Higher Low-Mild Digicam
There are a few vital enhancements for the digital camera app in Android 15. Firstly, Low Mild Enhance makes for higher previews in low-light situations, so you’ll be able to body your nighttime photographs higher and scan QR codes when gentle is proscribed. There are additionally new digital camera app choices to offer you finer management over the flash so you’ll be able to regulate the depth for each single flashes and steady flashlight mode.
Enhanced Fraud and Rip-off Safety
Courtesy of Google
There are a number of updates in Android 15 aimed squarely at thwarting fraudsters and scammers. Google will make use of AI by means of Play Defend and on units to scan for and flag suspicious habits. Messages containing one-time passwords (OTPs), usually utilized in two-factor authentication, at the moment are hidden from the notifications system, making it more durable to intercept them. Restricted settings are additionally being expanded for side-loaded apps—ones that are not downloaded by means of the Google Play Retailer.
Process Bar Choices
For Android tablets and folding telephones, Google has modified the best way the duty bar dock works. Initially, it was everlasting, then it was transient, and now you’ll be able to select. That is helpful for docked tablets the place you may want a job bar to at all times show, however it’s additionally good to have the choice to cover it. It’s also possible to pin your favourite split-screen app combos. Android 15 permits apps to show edge-to-edge, to allow them to make extra of the out there display screen actual property, even when there’s a job bar or system bar on the backside.
Higher Battery Life
There are at all times tweaks and enhancements to effectivity in Android updates that ought to have a constructive affect on battery life, however with Android 15, Google is inserting extra checks on foreground providers and clamping down on apps that hold operating in an lively state. Gadgets with numerous RAM also needs to see quicker app and digital camera launch occasions with decrease energy draw, because of help for bigger web page sizes.
Enhanced Theft Safety
Courtesy of Google
Lots of the new Android safeguards that Google is rolling out to discourage thieves—resembling computerized locking when somebody snatches your cellphone, in addition to distant lock choices—can be coming to units operating Android 10 and up. However the replace to manufacturing unit reset safety, which stops thieves who power a reset of a stolen gadget from setting it up once more with out figuring out your gadget or Google account credentials, is simply in Android 15.
Extra Foldable Cowl Display screen Choices
A number of the greatest folding telephones robotically change no matter motion you are performing onto the quilt display screen if you fold them up, however Google is now integrating that alternative into Android 15. In the event you want the quilt display screen to lock up if you fold, that can be an choice too. There’s additionally extra help for apps displaying on smaller cowl screens with the extra compact flip cellphone class.
Extra Well being Join Information
Well being Join began as an app to drag all of your well being and health knowledge from completely different units and apps. It got here preinstalled with Android 14, however Android 15 is including two new knowledge sorts: pores and skin temperature (collected by wearables just like the Oura ring and the Pixel Watch 2) in addition to coaching plans—which might embody completion targets for energy burned, distance, length, repetition, and steps, but in addition efficiency targets round as many repetitions as attainable (AMRAP), cadence, coronary heart price, energy, perceived price of exertion, and velocity.
