The following are new features in Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop.
Patch releases
The following is a list of patch releases in Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop.
Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop | 2025.1.2 Patch 1 (August 2025)
This is a minor update that includes bug fixes and improvements to Android Studio and the Android Gradle plugin.
Android Studio fixes and performance improvements
- Fixed an issue in the
code_searchtool used by the Agent. - Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP): A bug has been fixed where Gradle tasks for Android Gradle Managed Devices were not being created correctly in KMP projects. Your managed device tasks should now resolve and run as expected.
Android Gradle plugin fixes and performance improvements
- The Android Gradle plugin (AGP) has been updated to version 8.12.1.
The following are new features in Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop.
Gemini in Android Studio's Agent Mode
Gemini in Android Studio's Agent Mode is a new AI feature designed to handle complex, multi-stage development tasks that go beyond what you can experience by chatting with Gemini. To use Agent Mode, click Gemini in the sidebar and then select the Agent tab. You can describe a complex goal, like generating unit tests or fixing errors, and the agent formulates an execution plan that spans multiple files in your project. The agent suggests edits and iteratively fixes bugs to reach the goal. You can review, accept, or reject the proposed changes and ask the agent to iterate on your feedback.
Rules in Gemini
Rules in Gemini let you define preferred coding styles or output formats within the Prompt Library. You can also mention your preferred tech stack and languages. When you set these preferences once, they are automatically applied to all subsequent prompts sent to Gemini. Rules help the AI understand project standards and preferences for more accurate and tailored code assistance. For example, you can create a rule such as "Always give me concise responses in Kotlin."
To set up a rule, go to Android Studio > Settings > Tools > Gemini > Prompt Library > Rules and edit the text in the editor. Use the drop-down to store rules at the IDE level or the project level:
- IDE-level rules are private to yourself and can be used across multiple projects.
- Project-level rules can be shared among teammates working on the same project.
To share prompts across the team you must add the
.ideafolder to the version control system.
Embedded XR Emulator
The XR Emulator now launches by default in the embedded state. You can now deploy your application, navigate the 3D space and use the Layout Inspector directly inside Android Studio.
XR project template
Android Narwhal Feature Drop introduces a new project template specifically designed for Jetpack XR. This provides a solid foundation with boilerplate code to begin your immersive experience development journey right away.
Embedded Layout Inspector for XR
The embedded Layout Inspector now supports XR applications, which lets you inspect and optimize your UI layout within the XR environment. Get detailed insights into your app's component structure and identify potential layout issues to create more polished and performant experiences.
16 KB page size support
Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop adds improved support for transitioning to 16 KB page sizes. To help you navigate this transition smoothly, Android Studio now offers proactive warnings when building APKs or Android App Bundles that are incompatible with 16 KB devices. Using the APK Analyzer, you can also find out which libraries are incompatible with 16 KB devices. To test your apps in this new environment, a dedicated 16 KB emulator target is also available in Android Studio alongside existing 4 KB images.
Compose preview navigation improvements
Compose preview interaction is now more efficient with the latest navigation improvements. Click on the preview name to jump to the preview definition or click the individual component to jump to the function where it's defined. Hover states provide immediate visual feedback as you mouse over a preview frame. Improved keyboard arrow navigation eases movement through multiple previews, enabling faster UI iteration and refinement.
Compose preview picker
The Compose preview picker is now available. To try it out, click any @Preview
annotation in your Compose code.
Child recomposition in Layout Inspector
Layout Inspector supports Child recomposition counts. You can now see recomposition counts even if the composable that is recomposing is collapsed under a parent in the component tree. When you see the child recomposition counts increase, you can open up the tree and find where the recompositions are happening.
Partner Device Labs available with Android Device Streaming
Partner Device Labs are device labs operated by Google OEM partners, such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, vivo, and others, and expand the selection of devices available in Android Device Streaming. This service is in Beta and is available in the latest Canary releases of Android Studio. To learn more, see Connect to Partner Device Labs.
K2 mode by default
Android Studio now uses the K2 Kotlin compiler by default. This next-generation compiler brings significant performance improvements to the IDE and your builds. By enabling K2, we are paving the way for future Kotlin programming language features and an even faster, more robust development experience in Kotlin.