Google adds app lock and other tweaks in Android 17 QPR3 Beta 3
The third beta of Android 17's Quarterly Platform Release 3 brings 26 bug fixes, reintroduces app lock, and adds minor interface improvements for Pixel devices.
Google released Android 17 Quarterly Platform Release 3 (QPR3) Beta 3, adding 26 fixes and several usability updates for supported Pixel phones. The build restores the app lock feature, allowing users to protect sensitive applications, and simplifies the use of app bubbles by enabling launch from the Recents menu. A new camera shortcut appears in Quick Settings, and the lock-screen AM/PM display and blur effect have been corrected.
Other fixes address random screen flickering, black inner displays on foldable devices, webcam video quality, and crashes when viewing mentions in X threads. Google also resolved issues with force-stop controls, missing notification elements, Bluetooth scan crashes, and WPA-Enterprise Wi-Fi authentication failures.
The update is available for Pixel 6a and newer models, with most devices receiving build DP11.261016.003 and Pixel 11 models receiving DP11.261016.004. Users can enroll through the Android Beta Program, though backing up data before installing beta software is recommended.
"App lock is making a comeback, offering users another way to keep sensitive apps safe from unwanted access," a Reddit user noted.
"Google is also making app bubbles easier to use by letting users launch them from the Recents menu," the same user added.