Android 17 beta 1 is here, with some big changes and small surprises

• Android 17's first beta is out now
• It includes improvements for large-screen devices and performance optimizations
• It also includes some interface changes, and lets you finally remove the At a Glance widget

Following a brief delay, Android 17’s first beta has now arrived, and while it’s not as packed full of features as some Android releases, there are some changes here that could prove extremely significant.

Most of the biggest changes are things we already knew to expect, including Google preventing developers from opting out of orientation and resizing requirements for apps. This is a change that might frustrate some app developers, but it should ensure that apps looks much better on large-screen devices like tablets and the best foldable phones.

The other major change here is one that isn’t visible but should be noticeable, as the company has worked to improve the performance of Android phones, including adding a new "generational garbage collection" system, which should reduce the load on the CPU and lessen memory use.

Plus, as expected, this beta also includes smoother camera transitions, with new professional-grade camera APIs aimed at preventing freezes and stutters when switching between lenses.

Alongside these expected changes, Android 17’s first beta also has some surprises, spotted by Android Central.

Customizable shortcuts and a removable widget

These include a slimmer design for the home-screen search bar, and the ability to swap out the AI Mode shortcut on it for other options, such as a one for translations, one for the weather, one for a dictionary, and numerous others, as you can see in the screenshots above.

Whatever shortcut you choose will also now sit inside the search bar, rather than next to it, though disappointingly you can only replace the AI Mode shortcut, not the voice search or Google Lens ones that sit alongside it.

Another appreciated change is that you’re now finally able to remove the At a Glance widget, and there’s a tweak to the volume panel, with this now including a settings icon at the bottom, to quickly take you to the volume settings screen. And speaking of volume, that has now been standardized for a more consistent listening experience across apps.

That’s about it in terms of what’s been dug up so far, but it’s possible that other features or changes are hiding away in the beta still — or that future betas will have more changes.

If you’d like to try out these new features for yourself, then as long as you’ve got a Google Pixel 6 or newer you’ll be able to. Just head to the Android beta program site, sign in with your Google account, and select the Pixel device you want to install the beta to.

Then on your phone, head to Settings > System > Software updates, and install the beta from there — though be aware that it might have more bugs than completed Android versions will.

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