Android

Android 16 Release: Date, Supported Phones and Key Features

Derek Westcott

Derek Westcott

— 3 min read
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A close-up photo of an Android smartphone screen showing the Android 16 update installation progress.

Android 16 was released on June 10, 2025, when Google started rolling out the stable version to Pixel phones. It was the first major Android release to arrive in June instead of the usual late-summer or autumn window, and it has since been replaced by Android 17, which came out on June 16, 2026. If your phone runs Android 16 today, you're one version behind the newest release but still on well-supported software.

Here's what Android 16 brought, which phones received it, and how the rollout worked across brands.

When did Android 16 come out?

Google released Android 16 to eligible Pixel phones on June 10, 2025, after a beta program that started in January 2025. The earlier date was deliberate. Starting with Android 16, Google moved major Android releases to the second quarter of the year, so new phones launching later in the year could ship with the latest version. A smaller update for developers, sometimes called a minor SDK release, followed in the fourth quarter.

Internally, Android 16 was codenamed "Baklava," and it uses API level 36.

An Android smartphone showing the download progress of the Android 16 software update.

Which phones received Android 16?

On release day, Android 16 reached the Pixel 6 and every newer Pixel, including the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8 and 8a, the Pixel 9 family and the Pixel Tablet. The Pixel 10 series, launched in August 2025, shipped with Android 16 out of the box.

Samsung delivered Android 16 as One UI 8. It debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 in July 2025, and the stable rollout to the Galaxy S25 series began in September 2025, followed by older flagships and mid-range models. OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola and other brands rolled it out to their recent devices over the following months, each on its own schedule.

A lineup photo of multiple Android smartphones confirmed to receive the Android 16 update, including Pixel and Samsung models.

What were the biggest Android 16 features?

  • Live Updates: progress-style notifications for things like food deliveries, rides and navigation, pinned where you can see them at a glance.
  • Smarter notifications: notifications from the same app are grouped automatically, which keeps a busy shade tidier.
  • Advanced Protection: a single setting that switches on Android's strongest security protections for people who need them most.
  • Better hearing aid support: LE Audio hearing aids work more smoothly, including using the phone's microphone for clearer calls in noisy places.
  • Large-screen and desktop improvements: apps adapt better to tablets and foldables, and tablets gained desktop-style windowing.
  • Material 3 Expressive: Google's refreshed design, with bolder shapes, new animations and blur effects, arrived on Pixel phones with the Android 16 QPR1 update in September 2025.

How does Android 16 compare with Android 15 and Android 17?

Android 15, released to Pixels in October 2024, focused on privacy and theft protection, adding features like Private space and partial screen sharing. Android 16 built on that with Live Updates, Advanced Protection and better large-screen support, then delivered a visual refresh through its QPR1 update.

Android 17 continues the same direction. It extends the blurred, layered design, adds an optional split notification shade and app bubbles, and tightens privacy with a new contacts picker and local network permission. You can read more in our Android 17 features guide.

Should I still update to Android 16?

Yes, if your phone offers it and hasn't reached Android 17 yet. Android 16 includes months of security fixes and stability improvements, and staying on an older version means missing patches. To check, open Settings and look for System > Software updates on a Pixel, or Software update on a Samsung Galaxy. Back up your data and charge your phone before installing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Android 16 the latest version?

No. Android 17 is the latest version. It reached Pixel phones on June 16, 2026, and Samsung began rolling it out as One UI 9 in September 2026.

Did the Pixel 5 get Android 16?

No. Android 16 support started with the Pixel 6 series. The Pixel 5 and Pixel 5a stopped receiving major Android upgrades before Android 16 launched.

Why did Android 16 come out earlier than usual?

Google shifted major releases to the second quarter so that phones launching in the second half of the year, including new Pixels and Galaxy foldables, could ship with the newest Android version.

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