In a double treat for Android developers and users who like to stay on the bleeding edge, Google on Wednesday launched both a preview version of the next version of its popular Android mobile operating system and a new Android Beta Program that makes it easier to install pre-release versions of the software.

Dubbed “Android N,” the preview brings new multitasking features to Android, including support for split-screen and picture-in-picture viewing. Also getting an upgrade are Notifications and Doze, Android’s battery-saving feature. 

Previously, to install developer previews of Android, developers had to flash their devices from a computer and install the update with the help of command line code and developer tools — a process that easily stumps all but the most technically adept users and has many potential points of failure. With the introduction of the Android Beta Program, Google is making it possible to install Android N — and any future maintenance releases and updates —  as a simple over-the-air (OTA) update.

While the beta program makes it easier to try out the latest developer version of Android, it is not without limitations: only a handful of devices are supported, and leaving the beta program and reverting to a stable, publically available version of Android involves wiping all user data from your device.

How to sign up for the Android Beta Program

• Firstly, the list of devices eligible for Android N is limited to: Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel C, and General Mobile 4G (Android One).
• If you own one of the above devices, go to the Android Beta Program page and sign in using the same Google account you use on your device (the one you plan to install Android N on).
• Once signed in, scroll down to Your eligible devices and click on Enroll Device next to the device you want to install Android N on. If at all possible, do not install Android N on your primary device (see below “before your install…”).
• Accept the beta program’s Terms and Conditions, including a warning about what happens should you opt-out of the beta program and revert back to Android Marshmallow, and click Join Beta.

Before you install the Android N preview

• Is a developer preview of Android N for you? If you’re an Android developer, then the answer is probably Yes. If you’re not, you probably shouldn’t install Android N. Google warns that “The [beta] program is currently targeted towards developers and is not suitable for use on your primary device.” And, “[Android N] updates that you’ll receive as a part of this program are unstable pre-release versions, and may contain errors and defects that affect your device.”
• Connect your device to its charger — you don’t want to run out of juice halfway through the update process.
• Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi connection — again, you don’t want connectivity issues halfway through.
• Make sure your device has enough free storage space. A few gigabytes should do the trick.

How to install the Android N preview

Once you’ve enrolled your eligible device, your device will prompt you to install an Android system update. This, says Google, could take up to 24 hours to happen but, in reality, it should happen much sooner than that.

With the installation process started, simply let the device go through the standard system update process and be ready to follow any onscreen prompts.

If you’re unsure whether the install was successful, you can verify that you’re running a beta version of Android. Go to Settings > About > Build number. The build number for the beta version of Android N starts with NP.

With Android N installed, you will automatically receive new preview updates every four to six weeks until Android N is publically released. If you have not received the latest update 24 hours after it was released, you can manually update your device by going to Settings > About System updates and installing any available updates.

Do send Google feedback on Android N

Vendors release developer previews (beta software) in order to get feedback from early users and testers beyond those available in their development team. This feedback allows them to fix bugs and issues much faster than they would be able to do without an extended pool of software testers. Faster fixes mean faster time to market and a much more stable first public version of the software.

To send Google feedback while you’re testing Android N, use the Android N Quick Settings tile or go to Settings > About > Send feedback about this device (doesn’t work for Nexus player).

You can also post comments on the Android Beta Program Google+ community or report bugs via the Android Open Source Project Issue Tracker.

How to leave the Android Beta Program

If you want to leave the Android Beta Program (and uninstall Android N), go to the Android Beta Program page and click on Unenroll Device next to the device running Android N.

Your device will receive an OTA update to install the latest stable public version of Android. Make sure you back up your device data before you do this as your device will be wiped and set up as a new device.

Image credit: Racchio, Flickr