This page lists the new features introduced in Android Studio preview releases. The preview builds provide early access to the latest features and improvements in Android Studio. You can download these preview versions here. If you encounter any problems using a preview version of Android Studio, please let us know. Your bug reports help to make Android Studio better.
For the latest news on Android Studio preview releases, including a list of notable fixes in each preview release, see the Release Updates in the Android Studio blog.
Current versions of Android Studio
The following table lists the current versions of Android Studio and their respective channels.
Version | Channel |
---|---|
Android Studio Iguana | 2023.2.1 | Stable |
Android Gradle plugin 8.3.0 | Stable |
Android Studio Jellyfish | 2023.3.1 | Beta |
Android Studio Koala | 2023.3.2 | Canary |
Compatibility with Android Gradle plugin previews
Each preview version of Android Studio is published alongside a corresponding version of the Android Gradle plugin (AGP). Preview versions of Studio should work with any compatible stable version of AGP. However, if you're using a preview version of AGP, you must use the corresponding preview version of Studio (for example, Android Studio Chipmunk Canary 7 with AGP 7.2.0-alpha07). Attempts to use divergent versions (for example, Android Studio Chipmunk Beta 1 with AGP 7.2.0-alpha07) will cause a Sync failure, which results in a prompt to update to the corresponding version of AGP.
For a detailed log of Android Gradle plugin API deprecations and removals, see the Android Gradle plugin API updates.
Android Studio Jellyfish | 2023.3.1
The following are new features in Android Studio Jellyfish | Android Studio Jellyfish. To see what's been fixed in this version of Android Studio, see the closed issues.
Introducing Gemini in Android Studio
Gemini in Android Studio is your coding companion for Android development. It's an AI-powered conversational experience in Android Studio that helps you be more productive by answering Android development queries. To learn more, see Meet Gemini in Android Studio.
Access real devices with Device Streaming in Android Studio
Device Streaming in Android Studio lets you securely connect to remote physical Android devices hosted in Google's secure data centers. Powered by Firebase, it's the fastest and easiest way to test your app against real devices, including the Google Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, select Samsung devices, and more.
After connecting to a device, you can deploy your app, view the display, interact with the device (including rotating or unfolding the device), and anything else you might do with a device over a direct ADB over SSL connection—all without leaving Android Studio. When you're done using the device, Google wipes all your data and factory resets the device before making it available to another developer.
During the current open alpha, you can use device streaming at no cost with Firebase projects on either a Spark or Blaze plan. To get started sign into your Developer account from Android Studio and select a Firebase project. If you don't already have a Firebase project, it's easy to create one. To learn more, go to Device Streaming in Android Studio.
New Sign-in flow
When you sign into Android Studio with your Developer account, you benefit from Google developer services—such as viewing Firebase Crashlytics and Android Vitals reports in App Quality Insights, accessing real remote devices with Device Streaming in Android Studio, and writing higher-quality code with Studio Bot—directly from the IDE.
Android Studio Jellyfish makes it easier to add and manage accounts, and provide the IDE with only the permissions required for each feature. To get started do one of the following:
- Navigate to one of the features mentioned previously and follow the prompts to sign in and provide necessary permissions
- If you're already signed in, you can manage your accounts and permissions by navigating to Settings/Preferences > Tools > Google Accounts.
App Quality Insights support for ANRs, custom data, and multi-events
Dive deeper into App Quality Insights (AQI) crash reports in Android Studio Jellyfish with support for ANR reports, custom data, and multi-events:
- Iterate through events: Now explore multiple events within a Crashlytics report in reverse chronological order, revealing patterns for faster debugging.
- Explore custom data: View custom key/values and logs for each crash report (find them in the Keys and Logs tabs after selecting a report).
- Analyze ANRs: Access and investigate ANRs directly within both the Android Vitals and Crashlytics tabs.
New colorblind checks in Compose UI Check
Compose UI Check includes new colorblind simulations and checks, empowering you to craft visually accessible experiences for all users. Simply enter UI Check mode from Compose Preview to view your Compose UI in different types of color vision deficiencies to ensure your designs remain clear and usable.
Redirect audio using device mirroring
Starting with Android Studio Jellyfish Canary 5, you can redirect audio from connected physical devices to your computer speakers or headphones. With audio redirection, keep your headphones connected to your computer and listen to both the computer and connected phone without having to manually reconnect to one device and then another. To enable audio redirection, go to Android Studio > Settings > Tools > Device Mirroring and select Redirect audio from local devices. Note that audio is always redirected, regardless of the settings, for Firebase Test Lab devices running Android 12 or higher.
Baseline Profile installation
Android Studio Jellyfish automatically compiles Baseline Profiles after installation on device for projects that use AGP 8.4 or higher. This covers Baseline Profiles that have been generated through a Baseline Profile Generator module or from libraries like Compose. The automatic installation lets you experience the performance benefits of Baseline Profiles when installing your release app locally, and when using low overhead profiling.
Android Gradle Plugin behavior changes
Starting with Android Gradle Plugin 8.4.0-alpha04, if an Android library project is minified, shrunk program classes will be published for inter-project publishing. This means that if an application depends on the shrunk version of the Android library subprojects, the APK will include shrunk Android library classes. You may need to adjust library keep rules in case there are missing classes in the APK.
In case you are building and publishing an AAR, local jars that your library depends on will be included unshrunk in the AAR, which means code shrinker won't run on them.
To revert to previous behavior, set
android.disableMinifyLocalDependenciesForLibraries
in gradle.properties and
file a bug. Future versions of AGP will
remove this flag.
Android Studio Koala | 2023.3.2
The following are new features in Android Studio Koala | 2023.3.2. To see what's been fixed in this version of Android Studio, see the closed issues.
Launch Android Studio in Safe Mode
Android Studio now offers the ability to launch Android Studio in Safe Mode. This mode can be useful if you run into a situation where certain features don't work or the entire IDE fails to launch, which can sometimes be caused by custom configurations, environment variables, or plugins that are incompatible with Android Studio.
Using Safe Mode temporarily returns the IDE to a set of default configurations that might allow it to launch, so that you can troubleshoot from there to identify the issue and restore functionality. Safe Mode attempts to open Android Studio with limited functionality by taking actions including the following:
- Disables third-party plugins
- Restores bundled Kotlin plugin to the version originally included with Studio
- Temporarily resets configurations, for example in the
studio.vmoptions
file - Validates environment variables that can prevent startup, such as
JRE_HOME
andTMP
- Reverts the JRE to a compatible version if needed
To launch Android Studio in Safe Mode, follow these steps:
- Find the Safe Mode script.
- On Windows, navigate to
AndroidStudio/bin
and find thestudio_safe.bat
script. - On macOS, navigate to
Android Studio/Contents/bin
and find thestudio_safe.sh
script. - On Linux, navigate to
android-studio/bin
and find thestudio_safe.sh
script.
- On Windows, navigate to
- Run the script: open the command line and type
studio_safe.bat
(studio_safe.sh
for macOS or Linux), and press Enter.
Build a Generative AI app using the Gemini API template
You can now use Android Studio to build an app that implements Generative AI using the Google AI SDK. The Gemini API template in Android Studio lets you incorporate AI-powered features, such as those that rely on text generation and image recognition, in your app to delight your users.
To learn how to get started, see Build your first Generative AI app in Android Studio.
Device UI Setting Shortcuts
To help you build and debug your UI, we have introduced Device UI Setting Shortcuts in the Running Devices tool window in Android Studio. Use the shortcuts to view the effect of common UI settings such as dark theme, font size, screen size, app language and TalkBack. You can use the shortcuts with emulators, mirrored physical devices, and devices streamed from Firebase Test Lab.
Note that accessibility settings such as TalkBack and Select to Speak only show up if they are already installed on the device. If you don't see those options, download the Android Accessibility Suite app from the Play Store.