Android 12 is here, and you can download it on the Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and other phones. It’s a fairly large update that offers a lot, including refreshed design language no matter which Android phone you have, Material You theme choices on the Pixel, and new privacy options.
Naturally, you might be wondering when you can get your hands on it. The answer? It depends on which phone you have. Google and Samsung have been pretty quick with rollouts, while others are still testing beta releases. Most manufacturers have shared some sort of plan regarding Android 12, so read on to find out when to expect the update on your phone.l
Which phones will get Android 12?
All Pixel devices going back to the Pixel 3 will get Android 12 on launch day, along with some Android One partners. Android 11, Sony, OnePlus, and Xiaomi all participated in the betas and got the final release when it was available or very soon after. OnePlus also clarified that, despite merging its codebase with Oppo, it still plans to release Oxygen OS 12 shortly after the Android 12 launch. It’s also been confirmed that Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi phones will get Android 12 later this year, though individual releases will be up to each manufacturer.
Google has released Android 12 for all Google Pixels dating back to the Pixel 3, though it comes later than last year. For the first time, Google didn’t do the expected and started the rollout for Pixels alongside the Android 12 source code drop. Instead, Android 12 was only made available for Google Pixels on October 19, alongside the launch of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. With Android 12 on Pixels, owners will get every single Android 12 feature advertised. This includes the Material You redesign, improved privacy and security options, and funky widgets. This will also be the last guaranteed software and security updates for the Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, and 3a XL (with the latter two picking up the mid-cycle Android 12L update in March). Google will drop all those phones from its guaranteed support lineup by May 2022.
Google Pixel phones that have Android 12
- Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
- Pixel 5a (5G)
- Pixel 5
- Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a (5G)
- Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL
- Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL
- Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
Samsung
Samsung’s rollout of Android 12 and One UI 4 is going quicker than expected. On November 15, the company released the update first to the S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra. Shortly after, an update arrived to bring it to the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3.
“One UI 4 helps users create their own, optimized mobile experience because Samsung recognizes that everyone wants to meet their unique needs and preferences,” TM Roh, president and head of Samsung Electronics Mobile Communications Business, said in September. “As we’ve done with every iteration of our One UI, we’ve listened to our users to understand the tools and innovations needed to create a better, more reliable, and enhanced overall user experience.”
All users will find the security features Google included alongside enhanced customization options that do essentially what Google’s Material You does — without technically being Material You. You can expect every A-series and S-series Samsung phone released in the past four years to eventually get One UI 4 and Android 12, though flagships will naturally take priority. Samsung shared an upgrade plan for Android 12 and One UI 4 in the U.S. via its Samsung Members app. A later rollout with One UI 4.2 brought Android 12 to cheaper phones like the A51.
Going off that, Samsung plans to roll out Android 12 and One UI to older flagships, A-Series phones, and tablets through August 2022. Updates will often start in the company’s home market of South Korea, with a rapid international expansion in the following weeks.
Samsung Galaxy phones that have Android 12
- Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
- Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 5G, S10e, S10 Plus, S10 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, S20 Ultra, S20 Fan Edition
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10, Note 10 Plus, Note 10 Ultra, Note 10 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 Plus, Note 20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, Z Fold 2
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Z Flip 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, A32 4G, A42 5G, A52, A52 5G, A52S 5G, A72
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Fan Edition
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3
- Samsung Galaxy A31, A51, A51 5G, A71 5G
- Samsung Galaxy M22
Samsung Galaxy phones to get Android 12
- Samsung Galaxy A02s, A01, A11, A21, A12
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, Tab A7,
- Samsung Galaxy X Cover Pro
LG
Even as most Android phone makers on this list have promised Android 12 updates sooner or later, one that stands apart (due to circumstance) is LG. While it has exited the smartphone business, the company did promise to update some of its flagship phones, including the LG Wing, LG Velvet, V50, and G8 to Android 12 if possible. In 2022, the company shared a list of all the phones it would be updating to Android 12 — though it stresses that the list is for South Korean phones only. Shortly after, updates began rolling out worldwide, including to the Verizon and T-Mobile models of the LG Velvet and LG v60 ThinQ respectively. The LG Wing and V50 ThinQ picked up updates shortly after.
Android 12 may not even be the final stop. It’s not guaranteed, but a now-redirected South Korean listing indicated the company did plan to go as far as Android 13 at one point. It’s not clear how far along LG was in the process, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the company did end up providing more support than expected.
LG phones that have Android 12
- LG Velvet
- LG V60 ThinQ
- LG Wing
- LG V50 ThinQ
LG phones to get Android 12
- LG V50S ThinQ
- LG Q52
- LG Q92 5G
Oppo and OnePlus
Oppo has announced an Android 12 and Color OS 12 rollout that will come to over 100 Oppo phones throughout 2022. The Find X3 and OnePlus 9 (in China) will get the update first. The company will then roll it out to other popular high-end and midrange Oppo phones through the first half of 2022.
As per an Oppo timeline shared on Twitter, the update will come to the Oppo Find X2 Pro and Oppo Find X2 starting on December 22, 2021, in parts of Asia. The company did not share a European timeline, citing nebulous General Data Protection Regulation concerns.
On the first day of December comes our #ColorOS12 based on the #Android12 Roll-out plan! Save the date and apply on time 👇. pic.twitter.com/GidMjorkY4
— ColorOS (@colorosglobal) December 1, 2021
For OnePlus phones, the company has rolled out OxygenOS 12 to the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. In the first half of 2022, it plans to bring the update to the OnePlus 9R, OnePlus 8T, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8, OnePlus 7T Pro, OnePlus 7T, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7, OnePlus Nord 2, OnePlus Nord CE, and OnePlus Nord. As of March 2022, OnePlus has started rolling out the update to the 9R, 8, 8T, and 8 Pro. Android 12 remains in testing for other phones.
Oppo phones to get Android 12
- Oppo Find X2
- Oppo Reno Pro 5G
- Oppo Reno 6 5G
- Oppo Reno 5 Pro 5G
- Oppo F19 Pro Plus
- Oppo A74 5G
OnePlus phones that have Android 12
- OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro
- OnePlus 9R
- OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro
- OnePlus 8T
- OnePlus Nord 2
OnePlus phones to get Android 12
- OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro
- OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro
- OnePlus Nord CE 5G
- OnePlus Nord
Xiaomi
Xiaomi has revealed MIUI 13, its own version of Android 12. As with other Chinese versions of this operating system, it bears little resemblance to Google’s iteration. Instead, Xiaomi has doubled down on its own distinctive iOS-inspired interface. If you’re a fan of Xiaomi’s approach, you’ll be glad to know the company isn’t stepping away. It’s even adding new iOS-styled widgets with MIUI 13. It’s a far cry from Google’s more fun takes on widgets, but it’s consistent. Xiaomi is also implementing Google’s Material You with MIUI 13. While the APIs that make Material You possible are still locked to Google’s Android 12L release, Xiaomi appears to have manually added them to its own iteration of Android 12. This means the nifty color-changing features that you’ll find on the Pixel will be on Xiaomi’s phones as well when MIUI 12 launches without the hacky or less elegant methods other phone makers on this list have adopted. It’s one of the strengths of Android’s open-source nature, despite all its foibles.
The Android 12-based MIUI 13 China Beta 22.11.17 build has apparently added dynamic theming support, according to the "Xiaomi With You" Telegram group.
What's interesting is that this could be the first OEM implementation that's actually based on Google's "monet." pic.twitter.com/y2zGQewufq
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) January 18, 2022
More substantively, the privacy features Android 12 ships with are also here. You’ll be notified if your camera or microphone is being used, and Xiaomi has added enhanced face verification, a new privacy watermark, and fraud protection. The company has yet to expand on the latter two.
Finally, Xiaomi launched a version of MIUI for tablets, dubbed MIUI 13 Pad. In the vein of Android 12L and iPad OS, it tweaks the MIUi experience for larger-screened devices and foldables. There’s a new taskbar, faster access to a windows style desktop mode, and improved drag and drop.
No Xiaomi phones currently have Android 12, except for the newly launched Xiaomi 12-series. The company is rolling out a series of beta tests in China, with global releases following after some time in Q1 2022 (January to March).
Xiaomi phones expected to get Android 12
- Xiaomi 11, 11 Pro, 11 Ultra, 11T, 11T Pro
- Xiaomi 10, 10 Pro, 10S
- Redmi K40, K40 Pro, K30, K30 5G, K30 pro
- Redmi 10X, 10X Pro
- Redmi Note 11 5G, Note 11 Pro, Note 11 Pro+, Note 10, Note 10 Pro, Note 9, Note 9 4G, Note 9 Pro
- Xiaomi Pad 5, Pad 5 Pro, Pad 5 Pro 5G
Asus
Asus has announced plans for Android 12 on the Asus ZenFone 8, ZenFone 8 Flip, ROG Phone 5, ROG Phone 5S, Zenfone 7, and ROG Phone 3. These updates didn’t come particularly quickly, with the Zenfone 8 series getting their stable updates in December, while the ROG Phone and ROG Phone 5S will get theirs from January to March 2022. Reports from European customers have confirmed the start of the March rollouts. With the Asus Zenfone 7 and 7 Pro receiving their updates in May of 2022, and the ROG Phone 3 getting it in June, Asus’ rollout is complete.
Asus phones with Android 12
- Asus ZenFone 8
- Asus Zenfone 8 Flip
- Asus ROG Phone 5
- Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Asus Zenfone 7, Zenfone 7 Pro
- Asus ROG Phone 3
Vivo
Vivo has not yet announced a finalized Android 12 rollout, but the company has just shared the plan for beta updates of its Funtouch OS — at least in India. Flagships like the excellent Vivo X70 Pro+ topped the list for an update by November, with lower-tier phones getting it around April 2022. In China, the company will debut a new OriginOS Ocean interface on December 9, but it’s unlikely to roll this out to the rest of the world.
Our #Android12 upgrade roll-out plan is here!
Get a safer and better personalized experience for all your needs.
Follow @FuntouchOS_IN to explore more. pic.twitter.com/RPxgdEVpAv— Vivo India (@Vivo_India) October 21, 2021
Vivo phones to get Android 12
- Vivo X70 Pro, X70 Pro, X70 Pro Plus
- Vivo X60, X60 Pro, X60 Pro Plus
- Vivo X50, X50 Pro
- Vivo V20, V20 Pro, V20 SE, V21e, V20 2021, V21
- Vivo V17, V17 Pro
- Vivo S1, S1 Pro
- Vivo Y19, Y20, Y20i, Y20G, Y30, Y31, Y33s, Y51A, Y72 5G, Y73,
Realme
Realme has unveiled Realme UI 3.0, its own take on Android 12. Much like with MiUI and Color OS, you won’t find any Material You here. Instead, you’ll find the company redesigning its interface with what it calls “Fluid Space Design,” which refocuses on animation and careful use of white space.
Although Material You isn’t here, wallpaper color-themed customization is, and Realme’s theming engine will pick up colors from your wallpapers and apply them to system elements for a more cohesive experience. This won’t apply to third-party apps like Material You’s theming does, however. Finally, the new privacy features in Android 12, including the camera, microphone, and location permission changes, will be present.
The Realme GT 5G will be the first phone to get it, with the Realme X7 Max, Realme GT Neo 2 5G, Realme GT Master Edition, and Realme 8 Pro scheduled to pick it up by December. Older eligible devices will pick it up by Q2 2022 (between April and June).
Realme phones to get Android 12
- Realme GT 5G, Master Edition, Neo 2
- Realme X7 Max 5G, X7 Pro, X7 6G
- Realme 8, 8 5G, 8s 5G, 8i, 8 Pro
- Realme 7, 7 Pro
- realme X3, X3 SuperZoom
- Realme Narzo 30, 30 5G, 30 Pro 5G, 50A,
- Realme C25, C25S
Nokia
While HMD Global ships phones running stock Android, the company hasn’t been particularly speedy at rolling out these updates across its line. It’s a little better this time, as it’s now rolling out Android 12 to the Nokia X20 in certain regions, with updates to the G50 and X10 following in early 2022. The company later brought Android 12 to its 2020 flagship, the Nokia 8.3 5G, along with the cheap Nokia 2.4.
Nokia phones with Android 12
- Nokia X20, Nokia XR20
- Nokia X10
- Nokia G50
- Nokia G10
- Nokia 2.4
- Nokia 8.3 5G
Motorola
Motorola may have beaten everyone to launch the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphone — but the company doesn’t seem to be as competitive when it comes to the rollout of Android 12 updates. While most of its competitors have long started issuing Android 12 updates, Motorola seems to be in no hurry.
The company recently made a blog post where it revealed it is still beta testing Android 12. The post lists all Motorola smartphones eligible for the Android 12 update while also revealing the official Android 12 rollout for Motorola smartphones wasn’t expected to start before February 2022.
Visually, Motorola’s Android 12 resembles Google’s, with the same Material You-style interface. There are some changes, like the company implementing a control center-style quick-toggle area, but it looks broadly the same. Much like Xiaomi, a closer look reveals that Motorola is also using the same theming engine that powers Material You on the Pixels.
In March 2022, Motorola started rolling out the Android 12 update to the Moto G30 and G Pro. In April, the G200 followed, with the Motorola Edge 20, Edge (2021), and Edge Plus fast on its heels.
Motorola phones with Android 12
- Motorola Edge 20, Motorola Edge (2021), Motorola Edge Plus
- Moto G Pro, Moto G200 5G, Moto G 30
Motorola phones to get Android 12
- Motorola Razr 5G, Motorola Razr 2020
- Motorola Edge 20 Pro, Motorola Edge 20 Lite, Motorola Edge 20 Fusion
- Motorola Edge 5G UW, Motorola One 5G Ace, Motorola One 5G UW Ace
- Moto G71 5G, Moto G51 5G, Moto G41, Moto G31, Moto G100, Moto G60s, Moto G60, Moto G50, Moto G50 5G, Moto G40 Fusion
- Moto G Power (2022), Moto G Pure, Moto G Stylus 5G
Sony
Sony is releasing a relatively stock version of Android 12 as per the company’s announcement, but it didn’t share any rollout plans detailing which handsets would receive it. Reports indicate an arrival on the Xperia 1 III and the Xperia 5 III in parts of Asia and Russia (which the company confirmed later), though it can be assumed recent flagships from the company released over the past two years will also be in line for the update.
What about the rest?
Eventually, all high-end Android phones and most midrange phones from the past year or so should get Android 12, but it may take a while. After all, look at the Galaxy S20 series, which only got Android 11 starting in January, though Google finalized the OS in September. It’s pretty common for even flagship phones to get the next major software update months after it’s released by Google. This has been a long-standing problem with Android releases, though it’s certainly gotten better over time.
Editors’ Recommendations
