Technologies

The Latest Android 16 QPR1 Beta Is Out Now. Here’s How to Get It on Your Pixel

The overall update is minor, but it comes with the latest security updates for your Pixel.

The latest Android 16 QPR1 Beta is available for Pixel owners who’ve signed up to receive the latest releases from Google. Since it’s just a .1 update, it doesn’t bring any new phone features to the table, but a handful of bug fixes, as well as the June Security patch — something the QPR1 2.0 update from earlier this month was missing.

Although Android 16 is now officially available, it lacks the visual overhaul, Material 3 Expressive, that Google showed off during the Android Show this past May. Luckily, Google transitioned its Android Beta Program to Quarterly Platform Releases, and a large chunk of Material 3 Expressive found its way to Pixel devices that installed the first QPR1 update.

Below, we’ll show you what’s new in the latest QPR1 release and how to enroll your supported Pixel device in the Beta program to get these updates moving forward. For more, don’t miss when we expect the Pixel 10 to launch.

What’s new in the latest QPR1 Beta?

The sparse release notes for QPR 2.1 reiterate that there isn’t much to gawk at in this release. The QPR 2 beta added in support for enhanced windowing on connected devices, bringing a desktop-like experience. It’s nowhere near as slick as what Apple is doing on the iPad with iPadOS 26, but it is nonetheless a welcomed addition when you need more space to work with and have a display you can connect your phone to.

Here’s what’s new in the Android 16 QPR1 2.1:

Fix for the «Approve» button in the Device Admin settings being transparent and invisible.
Fix for the lockscreen sound toggle showing as off, but sounds still playing.
Fix for the Android back button intermittently failing to function.
Fix for a launcher crash when swiping up from the bottom.

In addition, and as mentioned before, this release also comes with the latest June security patch.

Android 16 QPR1 has some Material 3 Expressive baked in

The latest QPR1 builds include several pieces of the Material 3 Expressive design overhaul. It’s a fresh take on the OS while still looking like a natural progression of what was there before. It’s easier to find important actions within the OS, and the new design will eventually make its way to apps when developers adopt the new design language. Google has already shown off a few of the apps it plans to update with Material 3 Expressive, including Gmail, Fitbit and Google Photos.

While the public release will include more of Material 3 Expressive, the biggest visual changes are present here. The launcher, notifications, quick settings and lock screen all «pop» like never before.

What Pixel devices can install the Android 16 QPR1 2.1?

In order to install the Android 16 QPR1, you’ll need a compatible Pixel. Here’s the full list of supported devices.

Pixel 6, 6a, and 6 Pro
Pixel 7, 7a, and 7 Pro
Pixel Fold
Pixel Tablet
Pixel 8, 8a, and 8 Pro
Pixel 9, 9a, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold

How to install the Android 16 QPR1 2.1

Installing the Android 16 QPR1 2.1 build is easy.

If you’re running the last Android 16 QPR1 release, you don’t need to do anything. You should be able to check for a system update and the QPR1 2.1 beta should begin to download.

If you’re new to installing Android 16 on your device, here’s how to get things moving:

Go to the Android Beta site and log in to your Google account.
Click or tap on «View your eligible devices» or just scroll down to the section.
You should see the devices associated with the Google account you’ve logged in with.
Under the device on which you’d like to install the Android 16 update, click or tap the «+ Opt in» button.
Agree to the terms of the beta program and click or tap «Confirm and enroll.»

Once your device is enrolled, you can check to see if the update is waiting for you. It typically doesn’t take long.

On your Pixel, go to your Settings menu.
Tap System.
Tap Software updates.
Tap System update.

From there, the Android 16 QPR1 2.1 build should start downloading to your device. If it continues to say «Your Pixel is up to date,» give it a few more minutes or try restarting your phone, then try again.

Alternatively, you can flash the update to your Pixel.

Want more on Pixel? Don’t miss what we know about Google’s new AI Assistant, Pixel Sense.

Technologies

Spotify Brings Wrapped Energy Year-Round With Friend-Sharing Stats

The music service introduced new ways for music nerds to share their listening habits with friends.

It can be a long wait for Spotify Wrapped, the end-of-year promotion that allows Spotify users to view and share their listening habits. Now, users can keep an eye on those stats daily, plus share their listening habits with friends.

You can view your Spotify usage statistics every 24 hours and share your updates via social media services, such as Instagram Notes or Spotify Messages. The new share icon gives you access to eight different services where you can post your stats.

Every week, you’ll get updates on your top artists and songs from the past month, and Spotify will recommend new playlists. The app also gives you a «special highlight» based on a specific artist or song.

To access your personal musical data, click on your profile in the top left corner of the app and scroll down to «listening stats.»

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

The new features are somewhat similar to Spotify Wrapped, the service’s annual end-of-year review of users’ listening habits, which is designed to be shared. Every year, Spotify adds extra details to Wrapped, such as assigning users a listening personality or a city that supposedly reflects their music tastes. It’s been the most popular way for Spotify users to view and share their music listening in the past. A number of third-party services do the same thing, including Volt.fm.

Read more: Best Music Streaming Services

Spotify is the world’s largest music streaming service, offering 100 million tracks and serving more than 713 million users. In addition to its $12-per-month subscription service, Spotify also offers a free, ad-supported option.

Technologies

Wordle Gets Personal: You Can Now Make and Share Your Own Puzzles

If you’re a Wordle obsessive, you can now make your own inside joke puzzles to send to friends.

Wordle’s an immensely popular New York Times word game (we post the answers daily), but it’s not the most personal game in the world. Answers such as GUISE and PERIL are tricky, but generic. Now, Wordle fans who have ever dreamed of making their own puzzles can test their friends and family by creating their own Wordle creations up to seven letters in length.

No surprise, you have to be a New York Times Games or All Access Subscriber to use this feature. If you are, you’ll find the Create a Puzzle option available from the top menu above today’s Wordle. While you must be a subscriber to create your own personalized puzzle, you can share it with anyone — they only need the link, not a subscription, to complete your Wordle.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Enter a word, and the site will tell you if it is available. Real Wordle limits you to five-letter words, but the puzzle-making feature lets you choose words between 4 and 7 letters.

The usual dictionary rules apply, and so curse words, some pet names, and obscure inside jokes are essentially out. If your cat is named TANGO, that’s there, but RINGO is not an option. You can drop a proposal with a single word like MARRY, but MARRYME will get rejected since that’s two separate words.

Word chosen, you can then fill out your name and add an optional hint, and the feature will generate your puzzle with a link you can send around. Unlike standard puzzles, your puzzle doesn’t appear to reset after a day, so whoever you send it to doesn’t need to rush to solve it.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 8, #411

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle No. 411 for Saturday, Nov. 8.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tricky one. The theme of the purple category is also a word hidden among the answers, but of course, it doesn’t end up in the purple group. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Brawl.

Green group hint: The Steel City.

Blue group hint: They once played in Oakland.

Purple group hint: Not always made of cardboard.