TL;DR Google has officially released Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 for Tensor-powered Pixel devices.
Users enrolled in the Android Beta program will automatically receive the OTA update.
Installing this update keeps you on the beta channel until March 2026 unless you opt out and install the data-wiping downgrade OTA.
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.
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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
December 17, 2025 Build IDs: CP11.251114.006
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.
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