Google releases Android 16 Beta 4, hitting the final milestone before stable

Back when Google surprised us all with the first Developer Preview of Android 16 in November, the company also published a development timeline. Google has hit each milestone perfectly so far, and now we're down to the last bullet on the list. The April 2025 release is the final major beta version planned before going stable in May or June, and that update has just arrived: Android 16 Beta 4.

Google announced the new version on the Android Developers Blog today, though its post doesn't provide many details about what has changed. We can confirm that Beta 4 carries the important April 2025 security patches that addressed two zero-days and other critical CVEs, and as Mishaal Rahman reported, this update has a build number of BP22.250325.007.

Notably, this is the first beta build available for the brand-new Pixel 9a, which is now eligible to enroll in the Android Beta Program. In fact, all of Google's phones, tablets, and foldables, from the Pixel 6 through the new 9a, can install this update once opted in to the beta.

The release notes for Android 16 Beta 4 mention fixes for excessive power drain, problems with haptics, and the Pixel Weather app's radar disappearing. A launcher crash and system stability problems have also been addressed.

Android 16 Beta 4 resolves the top issues that are described in the following sections and includes fixes for some issues that are not noted here.

Developer- and user-reported issues

• Fixed issue that caused the radar map to disappear in the Pixel weather app. (Issue# 407282089)
• Fixed issues that impacted haptic performance and delayed feedback (Issues # 400455826, 398829454)
• Fixed issue that caused excessive power drain on some devices (Issue # 395519809)
• Fixed issue that caused a system restart when a call was answered in some situations (Issue # 402639338)
• Fixed issue that caused restart when screen magnification is enabled (Issue # 408330740)
• Fixed issue where screen saver did not start (Issue # 398963286)
• Fixed issue where phone restarted when ranging API used (Issue # 406577030)

Other resolved issues

• Fixed various other issues that impacted system stability and performance, including a launcher crash

Another change was spotted by AssembleDebug on the GApps Flags & Leaks Telegram channel. In the Wallpaper & style app, where Beta 3 had displayed a prominent Beta badge on the Themed icons setting, Beta 4 has finally removed this. In other words, Google's themed icons have finally gone stable — but ironically, this change had already been made with Android 15 QPR2, so the stable channel was ahead of the beta in this regard.

The update started rolling out at around 4:30 p.m. ET, and it clocked in at around 1GB on all the devices we've checked so far. To see if it's available on your Pixel, head to Settings → System → Software updates → System update and tap the Check for updates button.

Google has already said Android 16 is on track for a Q2 2025 release

In an interview with Android Police's James Peckham at Mobile World Congress last month, Google's President of the Android Ecosystem, Sameer Samat, confirmed that the company was still on track to release the stable build of Android 16 shortly after this month's beta. The official word is simply Q2 2025, which could be anywhere between now and June.

With the way things are going — largely thanks to a shift to Trunk Stable development — we wouldn't be surprised to see Android 16's public debut sometime around Google I/O 2025 in May. We'll likely see a Beta 4.x bugfix release or two, so things could easily drag out until June, but today's release certainly bodes well for an I/O launch.

Thanks: Moshe, Hamzah, and Eduardo!