Android 16’s final quarterly beta is here for Pixel phones

Google has officially kicked off the beta program for its third and final quarterly platform release of Android 16. Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 is now available for all Tensor-powered Pixel devices, letting adventurous users try out some of the new features coming in the March 2026 Android update.

Wondering what’s new in Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1? We’ll have a full breakdown soon, but we can confirm there won’t be any new developer-focused features. Google doesn’t plan to bump the SDK version for Android 16 QPR3 like it did with Android 16 QPR2 because the company’s new release schedule only calls for one minor SDK version bump a year. That could change in the future, but that’s how things stand right now.

Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 Release Notes

• Release date: December 17, 2025
• Build IDs: CP11.251114.006
• Security patch level: 2025-12-05

If you’re wondering why the build ID for Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 starts with “CP1A,” it’s because Android 16 QPR3 is scheduled for release in March 2026. Since this is the first quarterly release of 2026, Google has started over with a new prefacing letter. The major Android release of 2026 will be Android 17 (codenamed Cinnamon Bun), which is another reason these build IDs start with C.

How to install Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 and whether you should

Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 is available for the Pixel 6 and later. If your Pixel device is currently running the latest stable December 2025 update, you can upgrade to QPR3 Beta 1 by enrolling in the Android Beta program. Once you enroll, Google will push an OTA update shortly.

If you’re currently running the QPR2 Beta 3.3 release and haven’t opted out of the Android Beta program yet, then your device will automatically receive an OTA update to QPR3 Beta 1. If you opted out to install the QPR2 stable release, then you’ll need to re-enroll in the program to receive the beta.

Users running the latest 2512 Android Canary release who want to migrate to QPR3 Beta 1 will have to manually install it, as Google has not prepared an OTA update for this migration path. If you choose to do so, it’s recommended that you wipe your phone’s data to ensure there’s no issues.

Lastly, note that if you install the Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 update, you won’t be able to switch back to the stable track without a data wipe for quite a while. Your next opportunity to exit the beta program without wiping your device’s data won’t arrive until the stable version of Android 16 QPR3 rolls out in March 2026.