Update: Android 16 Developer Preview 2 is now available. Google will release Android 16 in the second quarter of 2025. There will be multiple releases throughout the year, but this one will be the major SDK release with new features. Android 15 wasn’t a big update like Android 12 or Android 14, so hoping Android 16 to bring some impressive changes. We will talk about Android 16 features in a separate article. Here we will discuss eligible models and how to try Android 16. Before we head on to the installation guide, you would want to ensure your device is eligible for Android 16. Below you can check the list of Android 16 eligible Pixel devices.
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro Pixel 6a Pixel 7 and 7 Pro Pixel 7a Pixel Fold Pixel Tablet Pixel 8 and 8 Pro Pixel 8a Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold
If your device is on the list, you can install Android 16 on your device.
How to Install Android 16 on Pixel
Android 16 is currently available in Developer Preview which is no where close to the stable build. It may have many bugs including major ones, so avoid installing the Android 16 DP1 on your primary device. The developer preview is mainly for developers and enthusiast who don’t care about bugs. Having said that, now let’s discuss the methods to install Android 16. You can either use Android Flash Tool to install Android 16 or you can also download the system factory image to install it manually. Of course the Android Flash tool method is the easiest of all the methods. All the methods require you to unlock bootloader of your phone, so let’s start with that.
Unlock Bootloader of Pixel Phone
This will erase all data, so make sure to backup your data to restore it later. Rest of the process depend on the method you are choosing. So let’s jump on to the methods.
Install Android 16 using Android Flash Tool
Android Flash Tool is the official web based flashing tool for Pixel phones. To use this tool, you need to enable developer options, USB debugging, and OEM unlocking on your phone as mentioned above. In future you will receive upcoming beta build directly on your phone.
Flash Android 16 System Factory Image
For this method you will need Factory Image for your device, which you can download from this page. Also make sure to enable USB debugging and OEM unlocking from the steps above. If you want, you can now relock the bootloader using the below command. Boot your phone to fastboot mode following the same steps as above and then execute the below command. Fastboot flashing lock So these are the two ways to install Android 16 on Pixel phone. In case something goes wrong, you can recover the device by installing OTA images that you can download from here.
Flash OTA Image
You can flash OTA image if your phone not booting after installing Android 16. You can also follow this process to install upcoming beta builds if you don’t receive them over the air. So that’s all for this guide. In case you have any queries, let us know in the comments. Also Check:
Download Android 16 Factory and OTA Images Google Confirms Android 16 Coming Early Next Year! Google Surprises with Early Release of Android 16 Developer Preview Pixel Users! Try These 13 Features on Your Pixel Phone Pixel 6 users report major issues after Android 15 Update
