Google has released Android 17 QPR2 Beta 7 for supported Pixel phones, starting with the Pixel 6a. The update fixes a battery drain bug tied to the Flip to Shh feature and a problem that made HTTPS downloads fail through DownloadManager.
Google has released Android 17 QPR2 Beta 7, the latest in a series of updates meant to fix issues and bugs affecting Android 17. The Alphabet subsidiary pushes these updates to Pixel models that still receive support from the company, and this beta reaches devices as old as the Pixel 6a. Installing it requires a Pixel that is opted into the Android 17 Beta Program, which the sections below explain.
These Pixel devices are eligible for the update:
Your Pixel must be opted into the Android 17 Beta Program to receive the build, and enrolling is fairly easy. On a Pixel 6a or newer, open the Android Beta Program website and tap the rectangle labeled “View your eligible devices.”
That leads to a page showing an image of your eligible Android devices, along with a button for opting in to Android 17 QPR2 Beta 7. Back up your phone before you press it. Not long after you enroll, a notification should tell you the update has arrived.
To install it, go to Settings > System > Software update > System update. If an update prompt appears, follow the on-screen directions to download and install the build on your Pixel phone.
According to the release notes, two top issues were fixed for Pixel devices in this build. The first is a big one because it involves the Pixel battery. Few things frustrate a Pixel owner more than battery drain, the kind that has the status bar indicator falling faster than the total on a gas pump climbs.
To be precise, the release notes say Beta 7 fixed the problem that caused “Excessive battery drain during idle states when Flip to Shh prevents the device from entering deep sleep.”
Flip to Shh is a Pixel feature that instantly silences the phone and switches it to vibrate mode when it is placed screen down on a flat surface. A Pixel user filed an Issue Tracker submission reporting that battery drain at night with Flip to Shh enabled had increased at a rate of 33%. A second Issue Tracker submission showed the battery draining at a rate 5-10mAh/hr higher than normal.
The other top issue fixed in Beta 7 affects downloads rather than battery life. It was this:
“HTTPS downloads fail immediately when initiated through the system DownloadManager.”
Pixel users who have been dealing with the battery drain will likely be glad that Google has taken care of the problem in Android 17 QPR2 Beta 7.
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Robert Haba is the founder and editor-in-chief of Droid Tools. A lifelong gadget enthusiast with over a decade following the Android ecosystem, he built this publication to cut through the noise and give readers honest, real-world coverage of the tech they actually use.
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