Android 7.0 Nougat is now downloading on a select number of Nexus devices. The new version of the popular mobile operating system brings over 250 new features including, multi-window support, improved battery life, virtual reality support, notifications improvements, and many other new features.
Google said that is slowly rolling out the update and it will take days — even weeks — before every supported phone or tablet gets the Nougat update. The update will download and install automatically on all supported devices. However, if you don’t want to wait there is an easy way to download the Android 7.0 on your device.
If you have a Nexus device, you can simply sign up for the Android Beta Program using Google account connected to your phone or tablet to get the update. In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to force the download of Android 7.0 Nougat onto your device.
How to download Android Nougat on your device right now
To skip the line and force the download of the new version of Android, follow these steps:
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Visit the Android Beta Program page.
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Sign-in with your Google Account that you’re currently using on your eligible device.
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Scroll down and you’ll find a list with all the devices compatible with Android Nougat, and click the Enroll device button.
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Check “I agree to the terms of the beta program”.
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Click Join Beta.
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Click OK.
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Open Settings.
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Tap on About.
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Tap on System updates.
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Tap on Download.
- Tap on Restart & Install to begin the update to Nougat process.
Keep in mind that it can take up to 24 hours to download the update on your device, but usually users get the update within the hour. Also, make sure to have your phone or tablet plugged in to a power outlet during the install process.
The only caveat is that if you try to unenroll your device from the program, you may be asked to reinstall the previous version of the operating system. A process that will wipe out your device deleting apps, games, data, and settings. However, some users reports that after installing Android Nougat through the beta program, they were not asked to reinstall anything. Proceed with caution at your own risk!
Current supported devices for Android Nougat
Only the following devices are compatible to run the beta version of Android N:
- Nexus 6
- Nexus 9
- Nexus 5X
- Nexus 6P
- Nexus Player
- Pixel C
- General Mobile 4G (Android One)
Remember that the 2013 version of Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 won’t be getting Android 7.0 Nougat.
At this point, you may be wondering why you need to enroll in the beta program to download the new version of Android. While the beta program provide early access to pre-releases of the operating system, devices enrolled in the program also get the final release before start getting again new beta versions of the next version of the operating system.