Android 16 beta welcomes Pixel 9a just before stable release

Summary: It’s now possible to enroll the Google Pixel 9a in the Android Beta Program, allowing users with that device to install the Android 16 Beta 4 update. Users will need to wait for the notification after enrollment to begin the installation.

Yesterday, Google teased the Android 16 Beta 4 update, followed by today’s rollout to users with compatible devices, and one of those compatible devices is now the Pixel 9a. Google’s Pixel devices are generally allowed to be a part of the Android Beta Program, with a few exceptions. For instance, the device has to be semi-new, at least new enough in this case to be getting the Android 16 stable release update when it finally launches.

Which, by the way, is supposed to be in June. Since the Pixel 9a is Google’s latest phone, it makes sense for it to be included in the beta. That being said, it was also highly likely that Google would eventually allow the Pixel 9a to enroll in the beta. It just wasn’t confirmed, nor was it clear when this would happen.

As it turns out, that day is today, now that the fourth beta for Android 16 is finally live. It’s also the last beta before the stable release hits in June. So now is the last opportunity for the Pixel 9a to participate in the beta software before an official rollout.

If you own a Pixel 9a, you can enroll in the Android 16 beta right now

As with any other device that’s compatible with the Android Beta Program, you’ll need to enroll your Pixel 9a in the beta if you want the beta software update. At least if you want it to push out to your device over-the-air. You could always install the beta manually through factory images. However, it’s much easier to just enroll your device and wait for the update. Alternatively, you could also check for the update’s availability after enrolling. Specifically, by checking for it in the software section of the settings menu.

To enroll in the beta program, you can head to the official page for it. Once you enroll your Pixel 9a, all that’s left to do is wait for the notification. There’s no telling how long it will take exactly, but it shouldn’t be terribly long. It might even be less than a few minutes if you’re lucky.

Factory images and OTA sideloading aren’t available yet

As of right now, the only way to get your Pixel 9a on the Android 16 Beta 4 software is through enrollment. Eventually, the factory images and files for OTA sideloading should be available. However, as 9To5Google points out, they’re not quite available yet. So these methods for installing the software aren’t currently possible.