Android's Canary Channel Lets You Try New Features Before Anyone Else

Most of us use our devices as the companies and developers who make them intend, waiting around for the latest operating system to be pushed out to the general public before upgrading. That's the safe bet: The features that ship with an OS like Android are have generally been workshopped and tested to death, so they will (hopefully) run as they should.

But not all users experience their tech this way. Some of us like to run betas—versions of the software that are not yet finished. Betas allow developers (or the merely curious) to test new features and changes with a smaller pool of users so they can iron out any bugs or glitches before they make it to the general public. It's not necessarily the safest software to run on your devices—since it's unfinished, you run the risk of experiencing instability and data loss—but it can be a good way to add some novelty (and functionality) to your otherwise vanilla tech.

But betas aren't even the only way to experience new features early. Depending on the company you made your device, betas might actually be a halfway point between testing and shipping a piece of software. You might hear pre-beta software referred to as "alpha" or "canary:" essentially, it means software that's fresh out of development, and in the earliest stages of testing. In short, being on the cutting edge of software means accepting the biggest risks of instability.

Android's Canary release channel gives you earliest access

If you have an Android device, this earliest testing experience is known as the Canary release channel. It's a pretty new option, at least at the time of writing, as Android only announced it on July 10. It's intended for developers to test their apps with upcoming versions of Android well in advance.

Technically, the Canary release channel replaces another early access model: the Developer Preview. Like the Canary release channel, Developer Previews were designed for developers (though anyone with the know-how could install them) to access the earliest possible versions of new Android features. However, there have been some major changes. Developer Previews did not have a release channel, which meant you had to manually "flash" the software any time a new Android version cycle started. Plus, once Android released a beta for a given software version, the Developer Preview would no longer be available.

The Canary release channel changes that. Once you flash the Android Canary release channel, you can install new updates like any other software via over-the-air (OTA) updates. But just because Android makes it easy, that doesn't mean you should try it.

Is using the Canary release channel safe?

There's a reason Android aims the Canary channel at developers only: This is early-stage software that hasn't gone through the rigorous testing you might be used to as an end-user. It hasn't even gone through the initial debugging that beta testers are used to. This software is nearly brand new, having only completed a short test with internal users, and might ship with issues that are not only annoying, but hinder or prevent your use of Android entirely. Android specifically warns this is not software meant for your primary device.

If you're willing to take on those risks, more power to you. The benefit of the Canary channel is not only trying out new features, but also experiencing changes that might not even make it to the official Android build. But it does come with significant risks. If you want to test features early while mitigating some (but not all) of those risks, the beta program might be more your speed.

Whether you choose to flash the Canary channel, or enroll in the beta program, make sure your data is backed up somewhere safe. If something goes horribly wrong with your unfinished software, you'll want to ensure photos, messages, and any other important data are safely secured elsewhere.

How to run the Canary channel on your Pixel

To start, make sure your Pixel device is in Developer Mode. You can enable this by heading to Settings > About phone and tapping Build number seven times. Then, head to System > Developer options and enable both OEM unlocking and USB debugging.

Now, plug your Pixel into your computer, then head to the Android Flash Tool. Click Get Started, then choose Allow ADB access when prompted. Next, choose Add new device, pick your Pixel from the list, and click Connect. On your Pixel, choose Always allow from this computer then select OK. Choose the device in your browser, then find the most up-to-date Canary build in the Flash Tool. Once flashed, choose Install. Wait until you see Flash Complete, at which point you're safe to disconnect.