---
title: "Android 17: the most useful new features and where to find them"
url: https://protergates.com/tips/android-17-features-and-where-to-find-them/
published: 2026-11-09
updated: 2026-11-09
---

# Android 17: the most useful new features and where to find them

> Android 17 adds floating app bubbles, one time location sharing and stronger protection for stolen phones. Here is which phones have it now and how to use the features that matter most.

- URL: https://protergates.com/tips/android-17-features-and-where-to-find-them/
- Section: Tips
- Author: Oliver Schmidt, Senior Software Engineer (https://protergates.com/expertise/#oliver-schmidt); Giorgi Beridze, Technology Solutions Architect (https://protergates.com/expertise/#giorgi-beridze)
- Published: 2026-11-09
- Last updated: 2026-11-09
- Topics: android, android 17, pixel, samsung, phone security, privacy, settings
- Reading time: 5 min
- Cite as: Oliver Schmidt and Giorgi Beridze, "Android 17: the most useful new features and where to find them", Protergates, November 9, 2026, https://protergates.com/tips/android-17-features-and-where-to-find-them/

## The tip

If your phone has Android 17, try three things today: open apps in **floating bubbles** for easier multitasking, allow **one time location** when an app offers it, and make sure your **theft protection** is on. The last one matters most, because Android 17 makes a stolen phone much harder to break into.

To check for the update on a Pixel, open **Settings**, tap **System**, then **Software updates**. On other brands the menu name can differ; search Settings for "software update".

## Which phones have Android 17 now

| Phone maker | Status as of November 9, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Google Pixel | Released June 16, 2026. Google's help pages say bubbles work on all Pixel phones with Android 17. |
| Samsung Galaxy | Rolling out as One UI 9, starting with the Galaxy S26 series in September. Samsung has confirmed the S25, S24, S24 FE, S23, Z Fold and Z Flip 5 to 7, several Galaxy A phones and many tablets. |
| Other brands | Google says other eligible devices get it through 2026. Timing depends on your manufacturer and carrier. |

Samsung's confirmed list and dates were published for Japan, so timing in other countries may differ. Samsung phones may also place some settings in different menus than a Pixel.

## 1. Float any app in a bubble

Bubbles turn an app into a small floating window that sits on top of whatever you are doing. Handy for keeping a map, recipe or notes in view while you use another app.

1. On your home screen or all apps screen, touch and hold the app icon.
2. Tap **Bubble**. The app opens in a floating window.
3. Tap the bubble to expand it, and tap outside it to shrink it back.
4. To close a bubble, touch and hold it and drag it onto **Close** at the bottom of the screen.

You can have up to five bubbles open. On foldables and tablets, bubbles sit in a bubble bar at the bottom of the screen.

## 2. Share your location only for the moment

Many apps ask for ongoing location access when they only need it once, for example to find a nearby cafe. Android 17 adds a **location button** that apps can use instead. Tapping it shares your precise location temporarily, for that task, while the app is open.

You do not switch this on yourself. Apps have to adopt it, and Google says it is encouraging them to. What you can do now:

- When an app offers a one time option, prefer it over **Allow all the time**.
- Watch for the new **location indicator** at the top of the screen. Tap it to see which apps used your location recently and change their permissions.
- When an app wants your contacts, the new **contact picker** lets you share only specific people instead of your whole address book, when the app supports it.

Curious how your phone works out where you are in the first place? Read [how GPS works on your phone](https://protergates.com/guides/how-gps-works-on-your-phone/).

## 3. Make a stolen phone useless to a thief

Android 17 adds several protections against phone theft:

- **Mark as lost with a fingerprint or face.** When you mark your phone as lost in Find Hub, it can now require your biometrics to unlock. A thief who watched you type your PIN still cannot get in or switch off tracking. Marking it lost also hides Quick Settings and blocks new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
- **Fewer PIN guesses.** Google says it reduced how many times someone can guess your PIN or password and added longer waits between failed tries.
- **Theft protection on by default.** Features such as Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock are switched on by default for new Android 17 devices and for phones that are reset or upgraded to it.

**Check yours now:** open **Settings** and search for **Theft protection**, then make sure **Theft Detection Lock** is on. If it is grayed out, your phone does not support it. If your phone is ever taken, you can lock it from another device at **android.com/lock**.

A longer PIN is harder to guess than a short one or a simple pattern, and it helps to shield the screen when you unlock your phone in public.

## 4. Quieter protections that work in the background

You do not need to do anything for these, but they are worth knowing:

- **Sign in codes are hidden from apps.** Google says Android now hides one time passcodes in your texts from most apps for three hours, which stops malicious apps from stealing them.
- **Better scam app warnings.** Live Threat Detection now warns about more suspicious app behavior, such as quietly forwarding your texts.
- **Smoother performance.** New app memory limits stop a single app from using too much memory, which Google says helps speed and battery life.

## 5. Small extras

- **Screen Reactions** records your screen and your selfie camera at the same time, for reaction videos.
- A setting can **hide app names** on your home screen for a cleaner look.
- **Parental controls** are expanding to all Android devices.
- **Foldable gaming mode** splits a foldable's screen into a game view and a gamepad. Google said it would arrive in the months after launch.

## Common mistakes

- **Waiting for the update to find you.** Check manually once a month, and [turn on automatic updates](https://protergates.com/tips/turn-on-automatic-updates-on-your-phone/).
- **Leaving theft protection off on an older setup.** Default settings apply to new and reset phones. If you upgraded, check yourself.
- **Granting location "all the time" out of habit.** Very few apps need it.
- **Expecting every feature on every phone.** Some features arrive on Pixel first, and brands add their own changes.

On an iPhone instead? See what is new in [Siri AI and iOS 27](https://protergates.com/tips/ios-27-siri-ai-features-to-turn-on/).

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: Which phones have Android 17?**

A: Google released Android 17 for Pixel phones on June 16, 2026. Samsung began its Android 17 based One UI 9 update with the Galaxy S26 series in September and has confirmed a long list of Galaxy phones and tablets. Other brands follow their own schedules.

**Q: How do I check for the Android 17 update?**

A: On a Pixel, open Settings, tap System, then Software updates. On other phones the menu name can differ, so search Settings for software update or contact your manufacturer or carrier.

**Q: How do I open an app in a bubble?**

A: On a Pixel with Android 17, touch and hold the app icon on your home screen or all apps screen, then tap Bubble. The app opens in a small floating window. You can have up to five bubbles at once.

**Q: What is temporary location access?**

A: It is a new location button that apps can use to get your precise location only for the task you are doing while the app is open, instead of asking for ongoing location permission. Apps need to adopt it, so you will see it gradually.

**Q: What happens if I mark my phone as lost in Android 17?**

A: Google says the phone can then require your fingerprint or face to unlock, so a thief who knows your PIN still cannot get in or turn off tracking. It also hides Quick Settings and blocks new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.


## Sources

1. [Google: Check out what's new in Android 17](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/android-17-features/)
2. [Google: What's New in Android Security and Privacy in 2026](https://blog.google/security/whats-new-in-android-security-privacy-2026/)
3. [Pixel Phone Help: Multitask between apps with bubbles](https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/17126710?hl=en)
4. [Android Help: Check and update your Android version](https://support.google.com/android/answer/7680439?hl=en)
5. [Android Help: Protect your personal data against theft](https://support.google.com/android/answer/15146908?hl=en)
6. [9to5Google: Samsung confirms a list of Galaxy phones and tablets getting Android 17 updates](https://9to5google.com/2026/10/23/samsung-galaxy-android-17-update-list-confirmed/)