Google has released the first Beta of Android 11 (also known as Android R) and is currently available for testing, development, and feedback.
What are the new features in Android 11?
Scheduled dark theme/mode, screen recorder, redesigned notifications, Apple’s Airdrop-like file sharing, new APIs, new media player, message bubbles, new power menu, new recent apps screen, and one-time permissions are the prominent features of Android 11.
How to try Android 11?
If you are a developer or an enthusiast, you might want to try the latest version of Android 11. There are currently two ways out there to try the Android 11 Beta. The best way to try and test Android 11 is to install it on a supported Pixel device. But then not everyone has a supported Pixel device. The next option is to set up an Android Emulator to run Android 11.
By now, you probably know that there are several Android Emulators out there to install and run Android on Windows 10. The problem with most of these is that they do not offer Android 11 yet.
Luckily, you can use the official Android Studio to set up an emulator to run Android 11. The best part is that running Android 11 using Android Studio is quite easy as well.
The Emulator simulates Android devices (there are multiple phones, tablets, and wearables to choose from) on your Windows 10 computer. It provides all the capabilities of an Android device. You can simulate phone calls, text messages, test your apps, access the Play Store and do much more.
Use Android Studio to set up an Emulator to run Android 11 Beta
In this guide, we will tell you how to install the Android Studio and set up an Emulator to run Android 11 Beta on your Windows 10 PC.
Step 1: Visit this official download page of Android Studio and download it to your Windows 10 computer. The installer size is close to 900 MB. So might take a while if you are on a relatively slow internet connection. We recommend you download the executable (.exe) instead of the ZIP version. The procedure is not exactly the same when installing the ZIP version.
Step 2: Run the downloaded Android Studio setup file. If you get the UAC prompt, click the Yes button to let the installer run.
Step 3: Click the Next button.
Step 4: When you get the following screen, make sure that both Android Studio and Android Virtual Device are selected. Click the Next button.
Step 5: Click Next without changing anything unless you want to change the default installation location, which is the drive where Windows 10 is installed. From our experience, we recommend installing it on a drive where you have at least 10 GB of free space. If you do not have enough space, refer to our 20 ways to free up drive space in Windows 10 guide.
Step 6: Click on the Install button. Once the installation is over, you will see the Completed message. Click on the Next button.
Step 7: Finally, click on the Finish button.
Step 8: Clicking the Finish button will automatically launch the Android Studio program. If not, manually launch the same using the Start/taskbar search. Please note that the Android Studio might take a minute to launch for the first time. So wait for some time if it doesn’t start immediately.
Step 9: Once the Android Studio is launched, you will get the following dialog box. Select the default Do not import settings radio button. Click OK to continue.
Step 10: When you get the following screen, click either Send usage statistics to Google or Do not send button depending on your views on data privacy.
Step 11: Next, the Welcome window will show up. Click Next to proceed further.
Step 12: On the Install type screen, click the Standard radio button.
Step 13: Select the UI style. Either select the default light mode or the dark mode (Darkula) depending on your needs.
Step 14: Next, you will see the Verify settings page. Click the Finish button. Android Studio will download some important components. This might take some time. If you see the UAC prompt, click the Yes button.
Step 15: Once done, click on the Finish button.
Step 16: You will now see the Welcome to Android Studio dialog. Here, Click on the configure (gear) icon and then select AVD Manager from the list.
Step 17: Doing so will launch the Android Virtual Device Manager window. Here, click on the Create Virtual Device button.
Step 18: Here, select a phone or tablet from the category list. Select a phone from the list. If selecting Tablet, we recommend Nexus 10.
Click the Next button.
Step 19: On the System Image window, select R from the list and then click the Download link next to it.
Step 20: Select Accept and then click Next. Android Studio will now download the Android 11 (R) image from Google. The image size is about 1.1 GB.
Once done, click the Finish button.
Step 21: Clicking the Finish button will bring you back to the following window. Here, you need to select R from the list and then click the Next button.
Step 22: On the Verify Configuration screen, click the Finish button.
Step 23: You will now get Your Virtual Devices window. Here, click the (green) play button next to the entry to launch the emulator.
Step 24: The emulator might take a while to start the Android 11 or Android R. It requires a huge amount of system resources. So we advise you to kill other programs while running Android Studio. We suggest you check the Performance tab in Task Manager to see the resources usage and end programs if required.
Using the Emulator to try Android 11
Step 1: Launch Android Studio.
Step 2: When you get the following dialog, click on the configure (gear) icon and then click AVD Manager. This will open Your Virtual Devices window.
Step 3: Click on the play button next to the entry (or double-click on the entry) to start the emulator.
Step 4: Android 11 might take a while to boot up and running. While using the Emulator, click on the more icon (…) on the tools menu to access the Emulator settings.
Step 5: To shut down Android, click on the power icon. To turn off the Emulator, click on the close icon.
Uninstall Android Studio from Windows 10
Step 1: Type Appwiz.cpl in the Start/taskbar search field and hit the Enter key to open Programs and Features window.
Step 2: Right-click on the Android Studio entry and click the Uninstall option.
