Android 17 beta 3 update released: Screen rec toolbar, app labels, more

Android 17 beta 3 rolls out to Pixel devices with a redesigned screen recording toolbar, expanded bubbles support, and new home screen customisation options

Google recently rolled out Android 17 beta 3 to eligible Pixel phones. This beta update brings several changes and improvements, including bubbles for several apps, a redesigned screen recording toolbar, hidden home screen app labels, and more. The Android 17 beta 3 update is now available for download. Here’s an overview of what’s new in the update.

Android 17 beta 3 update: What’s new

• Bubbles: Apps beyond Messenger can use the bubble function. For the uninitiated, the Messenger app already offers this, as tapping the floating bubble icon opens a picture-in-picture window for messages. Notably, Bubbles is a windowing mode separate from messaging (chat) bubbles.
• Redesigned screen recording toolbar: The screen recording toolbar has been redesigned, and users can now select only a specific app to be recorded or the entire screen.
• Hidden app labels on the home screen: Android now provides a user setting to hide app names (labels) on the home screen workspace, accessible via the system customisation and wallpaper picker settings.
• Photo picker customisation: Users can now modify the grid view aspect ratio of the photo picker. Users can switch from the default 1:1 square to a 9:16 portrait display, allowing for better UI integration.
• RAW14 image format: Professional camera apps can now capture 14-bit per pixel RAW images.
• Vendor-defined camera extensions: Hardware partners can now define custom camera extension modes (e.g., ‘Super Resolution’ or AI enhancements).
• Bluetooth LE audio hearing aids: A new device category allows apps to distinguish hearing aids from generic LE Audio headsets, enabling tailored UI iconography.
• Granular hearing aid audio routing: Users can independently route system sounds (notifications, ringtones, alarms) to either connected hearing aids or the device speaker. This is handled at the system level and requires no API changes.
• Extended HE-AAC software encoder: A new system-provided encoder supports high and low bitrates for significantly better audio in low-bandwidth conditions, including mandatory support for loudness metadata to ensure consistent volume.
• Widget support on external displays: Improved visual consistency for widgets across different pixel densities. It will now accept complex units, and widgets can retrieve specific DisplayMetrics.
• Desktop Interactive Picture-in-Picture (iPiP): Apps can request to be moved to a “pinned” windowing layer during desktop mode (default on external displays). These pinned windows remain interactive and always on top.
• Discrete Password Visibility: “Show passwords” settings are now split between touch inputs (briefly echoing the last character) and physical keyboards (hidden immediately by default). Standard framework components respect this automatically; custom fields should migrate to the ShowSecretsSetting API.

Other updates rolled out in the Android 17 beta 3 update include changes to performance and battery, security, discrete password visibility, Health Connect device data providers, and more.

Android 17 beta 3 update: Eligible devices

• Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a
• Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a
• Pixel Tablet
• Pixel Fold
• Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a
• Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a
• Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 10a

Android 17 beta 3 update: How to install

According to 9To5Google, users looking to join the Android 17 beta programme can visit Google’s Android Beta page and tap on the “Opt in” option for their device. Eligible Pixel devices linked to the same Google account will be listed there and can be selected for enrolment.

 

Once registered, users can check for updates on their device to download the beta build. The update is usually pushed within a few minutes, although in some cases it may take longer. There is also an option to leave the beta programme from the same page if users do not wish to continue receiving preview updates.

 

After opting in, users can go to Settings, then System, followed by Software Updates and System Updates, and tap Install to begin the process. Alternatively, the update can also be installed manually through sideloading.