How to enter the Android beta program

The Android world has always got us used to some degree of customization, experimentation And freedom. We speak clearly in software terms, with Android that has always proposed alternatives and more or less simple to apply.

Just think of the graphic customization methods, which are also available at a low level for all types of users with, for example, third-party launchers. In addition to this we find the great universe of modding which, with more complicated procedures than the simple installation of an app, allows you to install very customized software versions compared to the stock ones offered by the various Android manufacturers on their devices.

Parallel to this we find the beta testing. Android users look to beta testing, almost always, in its positive sense. Beta testing on Android often means trying out the innovations developed at the software level. This is pleasant and generally appeals to the average keen user.

In this guide we will talk about beta testing. Specifically we will go to see how to enter the android beta program. By beta we mean all the beta programs offered publicly by the various Android manufacturers, starting with Google and arriving at OnePlus, passing through Samsung and Xiaomi.

For beta program means a test campaign initiated by an Android manufacturer. It is good to be clear that they exist different types of beta on Android:

• The private betas, i.e. those software versions not intended for daily use because they are not mature. Often these builds are identified by the alpha designation, especially when they are in a particularly primitive stage of development. Private betas are usually not accessible by ordinary users, but only by developers. They aim to give developers the ability to test their apps. The process of installing a private beta is usually not easy and requires a manual procedure.
• The public betas, which are the ones we are most interested in in this guide. The public betas are generally suitable for everyday use and allow average users to try out what’s new on the next stable versions of the software. Public betas are still betas and therefore may include bugs. Their installation is usually simple and accessible even to less experienced users.

In the current landscape of Android we find several manufacturers offering beta testing programs to users. Google he has been doing it for several years for his Pixels, with an extremely simple and automatic login procedure. This also happens for devices OnePluswhile Samsung And Xiaomi they offer the same in specific geographic regions.

Google currently offers two types of beta for its Pixel with Android. The traditional one allows you to test the new Android version in advance. Usually the new Android version is launched every fall, and the public beta program allows you to test the new build starting in May of the same year.

In addition to this Google the Quarterly Platform Releases. Quarterly Platform Releases include the beta testing of the software news that Google releases periodically, usually every 3 or 4 months with the so-called Feature Drop. These are updates of particular relevance, which differ from the monthly safety ones because they include functional innovations. The QPRs are on the same Android basis as those with stable current.

There registration procedure both types of beta are the same. Let’s check how to sign up for Android betas with Pixel:

1. Access the official page of Android Beta (can be done from smartphone or PC).
2. Read all warnings carefully.
3. Go to the bottom of the page and check that one of your devices is compatible with the beta.
4. Select the device you intend to use stick to beta.
5. Confirm your choice.
6. Within minutes you should receive a automatic update via OTA on your device.
   • You can manually check the receipt of the update via the System section of the Android Settings.
7. Once you have received the update, confirm yours installation on the device.
8. Once installed the device will reboot and you can enjoy the new Android beta version.

Android betas with Pixel devices are expected to release at least four beta updates. The receipt of these updates takes place automatically once you have joined the beta program.

It is good to know that joining and installing the public beta of Android with Pixel it does not require any reset. However, it is important to know that the reset is requested when you intend to return from the beta to the stable version. To do this, just go to the usual one official page of Android Beta and unsubscribe.

Once the beta program is over, Google will release the first stable version of the new operating system. This will also be distributed to those who have joined the beta, in fact ending automatically beta testing.

Samsung has been offering a beta program of the new Android versions for its users for several years. It always happens that Samsung makes the beta program of the new Android version available for those who own one of its top of the range.

Unfortunately Samsung never opened its public beta program for Italian users. This in fact has always been intended for users in South Korea, Germany, the United States. Therefore, if you are in Italy and have a Samsung device sold in Italy, you will not be able to join to the public beta of Android.

OnePlus has started to offer its public beta programs since the launch of the OxygenOS, or from the second generation of its smartphones that arrived on the market. The OnePlus beta program is called Open Beta and historically it has been available for all the company’s models, even for the mid-range of the Nord series.

In addition to the Open Beta, OnePlus also offers the Closed Beta version of the OxygenOS, its Android customization. Closed Betas are more experimental and require selection by OnePlus for installation and testing. The Open Betas are instead public. So let’s go and see how to sign up for the Android beta with a OnePlus device:

1. Download the latest update zip package of the ROM from the specified server. This depends on the OnePlus model you own. OnePlus official ROMs are usually found on the OnePlus official websiteto the section dedicated to your device.
2. To copy the ROM upgrade package in the phone memory.
3. Going up Settings -> Device information -> Version -> Click on Build number 7 times and enter the password, now you are in developer mode.
4. Come back Settings -> Device information -> Update -> Click on the button at the top right -> Local installation -> Click on the corresponding installation package -> Extract -> Update -> System update 100% completed.
5. When the update is complete, click Restart.
6. Successful update.

The installation of an Open Beta version of the OxygenOS does not require no reset smartphone. Once the first Open Beta has been installed, through this procedure, you will receive the subsequent Open Beta automatically, as if they were classic OTA updates.

For go back to the stable version from an Open Beta version it will be necessary to carry out the same procedure described above, however, they use the stable build, always available on the OnePlus official website. In this case a reset to the factory data of the device.

Even Xiaomi has always proposed beta testing programs of his MIUI, the software customization based on Android that we find on all devices of the Chinese company. The most reliable versions are the Global Stable Betaalso available for European users.

In the past we have seen Xiaomi open its beta program for users as well Italians. Generally it is necessary to apply for access to the beta, through the app Mi Pilot. Once approved, you should receive the update notification via OTA. In recent years, however, it seems that MIUI in beta has no longer been made available for Italian users.

Alternatively, you can try the MIUI beta ROMs by resorting to installation manual. However, this requires a manual procedure, which at times may also require unlocking the bootloader. This procedure may vary, or even not be available, depending on the model considered. Therefore we suggest you consult the Xiaomi official forum for more details on your model and its compatibility with the MIUI beta.