Android 11 has been officially launched by Google. The latest iteration of Android is now available as a stable release for compatible Google Pixel phones along with select devices from OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo and Realme phones. The new revision brings with itself numerous new changes and features.
Android 11 was in development since the start of this year, first Developer Preview arrived in February. Now, as promised, Google is publishing the stable Android 11 release. Android Open Source Project is also being updated with the latest code so developers can start working on porting it / modifying it, right away!
Android 11 – What’s New?
The new Android 11 release refines and builds upon Android 10. There aren’t many drastic UI changes but rather, small refinements that add up to make the new version that much better.
Here is the complete run down of all that is new:
Better ways to communicate with the people in your life
- In Android 11, conversations across messaging apps will be moved to a dedicated space in the notifications section, making it easy to manage your conversations in one spot. You can also prioritize conversations from the key people in your life so you never miss an important message.
- Bubbles makes multitasking on your device a breeze. You can now respond to important conversations without having to switch back and forth between what you’re doing and your messaging app.
- Built-in screen recording is finally here: Now you can capture and share what’s happening on your phone. Record with sound from your mic, device or both—no extra app required.
New ways to control your connected devices & media
- You can now access all your smart devices in one place, simply by long pressing the power button. Control your connected devices like your thermostat or smart lock with a tap, so there’s no need to open multiple apps.
- Media controls have been redesigned and are more helpful than ever. You can now quickly switch the device your media is playing on, so you can take your music with you from your headphones to your speaker without missing a beat.
- Android Auto now works wirelessly for all phones running Android 11 as long as you have a compatible vehicle. So you can bring the best of your phone on every drive while skipping the cable—get directions with a tap, talk to send a text, play your favorite media and get help from Google Assistant.
More control over your privacy and data
- One-time permissions will allow you to grant single use access to your most sensitive permissions: microphone, camera and location. The next time the app needs access to the sensors, it must ask you for your permission again.
- If you haven’t used an app that you installed on your device in a while, you may not want it to keep accessing your data. Android will now “auto-reset” permissions for your unused apps and notify you accordingly. You can always decide to re-grant the app permissions the next time you use the app.
- With additional Google Play system update modules, even more security and privacy fixes can be sent to your phone from Google Play, in the same way your apps update. So you’ll get these fixes as soon as they’re available, without having to wait for a full OS update.
- For Android Enterprise users, Android 11 brings the privacy protections you get on a personally-owned device to your company-owned device. The work profile gives your IT department tools to manage a device without monitoring your personal profile data or activity on your phone.
Even more on Pixel
- If you’re using a Pixel 2 or above you’ll get additional features to organize and manage your phone, like app suggestions on the home screen based on your daily routines, and new overview actions that allow you to take a screenshot of an app and select text and images, and more.
Download Android 11 for Google Pixel Phones
There are technically three different ways to get Android 11 on your Google Pixel phone on day one. First, you can check the update directly from your phone’s setting app. Second, you can use Android Flash Tool to download and flash it. Third, you can manually download Android 11 factory images from ahead.
Manual image method will be the best bet for users running custom ROMs, root. Plus, it will also work for users not seeing the update in settings.
| Phone | Version | Flash Tool | Download Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 4a | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.011, Sep 2020, All carriers except EMEA, SG, and IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 4 XL | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 4 | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 3a XL | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 3a | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 3 XL | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 3 | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 2 XL | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
| Google Pixel 2 | 11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.009, Sep 2020, All carriers except IN) | Flash | Link |
