Top 5 Android 17 Features: I Swear It's New!
In a Nutshell
Android 17 introduces five major features: independent Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles in quick settings, a built-in selfie camera option for screen recordings, a new bubble bar supporting up to four floating app windows, a foldable game mode that splits the screen between gameplay and an on-screen controller, and minor UI refinements like hidden app labels and customizable search widgets. The update also includes an Asteroids-style Easter egg and various performance tweaks.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Android 17 is codenamed Cinnamon Bun. Google previously used alphabetical dessert names for Android versions including Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Nougat, Oreo, and Pie. After Q, Google shifted to numeric versioning starting with Android 13. Internal dessert codenames continued, including Red Velvet Cake, Snow Cone, Tiramisu, Upside Down Cake, and Vanilla Ice Cream. Android 16 was internally named Baklava. System notifications in Android 17 display a small cinnamon bun glyph. The speaker advocates for Google to restore public dessert names.
Screen recording now includes a built-in show selfie camera option. Users can enable a live keyed-in camera feed of themselves that can be repositioned, resized, and recorded directly within the stock screen recorder. This eliminates the need for third-party apps to create reaction-style videos.
Foldable devices including the Pixel Fold and Samsung Z Fold series receive a new game mode in Android 17. Games can utilize half the screen for gameplay while the other half displays an on-screen gamepad controller. This feature is available on all foldables receiving the Android 17 update.
The bubble bar allows any app to launch into a floating window that can be minimized into a bubble. Up to four bubbles from different apps can remain open simultaneously, functioning as a multitasking hub layered over background content. Previously, bubble functionality was limited to certain messaging apps. The bubble bar enables scenarios such as taking notes while a YouTube video plays in the background. The new screen recording UI features a pill-shaped indicator at the top of the screen, thematically aligned with the bubble bar design.
Several smaller visual and interface refinements appear throughout Android 17:
- App labels can now be hidden on the home screen in the stock launcher for a cleaner appearance
- Reduced empty whitespace between options in deeper settings menus
- Additional transparency effects applied to the widget picker, allowing wallpaper to show through during widget selection (transparency was already present in the app drawer and quick settings)
- Users can select specific apps to always use the expanded dark mode theme instead of applying dark mode universally
- The empty notifications state now displays "You're all caught up" with a trophy icon instead of the previous "No notifications" text
Tapping the Android version number five times opens a constellation interface with a ring of stars. Connecting the stars in any pattern reveals the Android 17 logo. Holding the logo triggers the classic Asteroids-style mini-game featuring a controllable spaceship, consistent with previous years' Easter eggs.
Quick settings now feature independent Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles. Tapping the icon toggles the connection on or off directly. Tapping the label opens the full network menu. Previously, these were combined into a single "internet" toggle requiring multiple taps. The change restores direct one-tap access to each network type.
The permanent search button on the home screen can now be customized. Long-pressing allows adjustment of transparency and theme color for the default search widget. In Android 16, customization options applied only to secondary search widgets. The search button itself cannot be removed.
Quick settings and multitasking interfaces feature slightly bouncier, more exaggerated animations. Various performance tweaks appear throughout the system. Future features mentioned include natural language widget creation, improved speech-to-text via Rambler, and a new digital wellbeing tool called Pause Point.
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