Android 操作系统(Android operating system)是世界上使用最广泛的移动设备操作系统。总会有新版本的Android出现，因此您很有可能没有运行最新版本。
你有最新版本吗？我们将向您展示如何检查您拥有的Android版本、最新版本提供的内容、如何更新以及Android的下一步计划。
最新的Android 版本(Latest Android Version)是Android 12
在撰写本文时，Android OS的最新版本是 12，于2021
年10 月 4日发布。(October 4)
当然，除非您运行的是“普通”Android设备，否则您可能在很长一段时间内都无法访问Android 12 。这是因为每个设备制造商都倾向于在Android(Android)之上开发和放置自己的自定义“皮肤” 。例如，三星 Galaxy(Samsung Galaxy)手机有 One UI，小米(Xiaomi)有MIUI，一加(OxygenOS)有OxygenOS(OnePlus)等等，都会导致延迟。
Android 12 的主要功能
与所有主要版本的Android一样，Android 12具有几个关键功能，可以说服您更新或坚持使用您熟悉和喜爱的Android版本。
Android 12 是操作系统的重大改进。图形界面进行了重大改版。系统颜色可以根据您的壁纸自动调整。小部件焕然一新，动画和动作已经现代化。主屏幕上的所有内容都感觉更加精致和优质。
屏幕元素的间距更大，Android 12更好地利用了现代手机的高分辨率屏幕。您还可以截取超出实际屏幕限制的屏幕截图，例如使用可滚动屏幕截图功能滚动浏览整个网页。
Android 12中另一组值得注意的功能与可访问性有关。有一个新的窗口放大镜，一个额外的昏暗模式，适合那些对光敏感或想在黑暗中浏览的人。
根据您的视觉需求，您还可以在整个手机上加粗文本并进行系统范围的颜色调整，包括将手机切换到灰度。
隐私功能使 Android 12 更加符合最新版本的 Apple iOS。当您的麦克风或摄像头正在录制时，会有新的清晰指示器，如果您不希望任何应用访问它们，您可以永久禁用您的摄像头和麦克风。
甜点名称怎么了？
虽然最初的Android版本没有代号，但你可能还记得很长一段时间以来，每个Android版本都以甜点名称而闻名：
- 纸杯蛋糕 (Android 1.5)
- 甜甜圈（Android 1.6）
- 泡芙 (Android 2.0 – 2.1)
- Froyo (Android 2.2 – 2.2.3)
- 姜饼 (Android 2.3 – 2.3.7)
- 蜂窝 (Android 3.0 – 3.2.6)
- 冰淇淋三明治(Ice Cream Sandwich)( Android 4.0 – 4.0.4 )
- 果冻豆 (Android 4.1- 4.3.1)
- 奇巧 (Android 4.4 – 4.4.4)
- 棒棒糖 (Android 5.0 – 5.1.1)
- 棉花糖 (Android 6.0 – 6.0.1)
- 牛轧糖 (Android 7.0 – 7.1.2)
- 奥利奥 (Android 8.0 – 8.1)
- 馅饼（Android 9.0）
对于Android 10（又名“Quince Tart”），Google决定将切换到与 Apple 的 iOS 一样的版本号。
甜点代号并没有消失，但它们不再是操作系统的官方公开名称。例如，Android 11的内部代号是“Red Velvet Cake”。Android 12 的甜点名称是“雪锥(Snow Cone)”！
如何更新到最新版本(Latest Version)的Android
如果您迫不及待想要升级到最新版本的Android，有几种方法可以做到。最省力的方法就是等到您收到手机已准备好进行系统更新的通知。然后，您可以简单地安排更新或立即进行更新，通过Wi-Fi下载更新。
如果要手动检查是否有可用更新，请打开设置(Settings)并选择软件更新。
在旧版本的Android上，您可能必须转到Settings > System > System Update或“关于此设备”或类似的东西。
为什么我无法更新到最新版本(Latest Version)的Android？
您可能很高兴看到新版Android的正式发布日期来了又去，但升级到它的提议似乎不可用。如上所述，大多数Android手机制造商在将其发布到手机上之前都会花时间定制Android。这可能需要几个月的时间，因此您可能必须等待这些新功能。
再说一次，像三星(Samsung)或小米(Xiaomi)这样的公司在他们的定制版Android中添加了一些功能，这些功能不在现有的Android版本中，或者只会在未来的版本中出现。例如，屏幕录制功能仅添加到Android 11中，但三星 Galaxy手机（以及其他手机）在(Samsung Galaxy)Android 11发布之前已有多年。
如果您的手机超过两年，您可能永远不会收到更新手机的选项。与 iPhone 相比， Android(Android)手机的支持周期非常短，当他们将注意力转向新手机时，您可能会发现自己被冷落了。
这种情况正在改变；例如，三星(Samsung)已承诺为其Galaxy S22手机系列至少进行四次Android版本更新。(Android)如果您有库存的Android设备，例如Google Pixel 6或其他Pixel手机，您可以在新的Android版本发布后立即更新。但是，Android可能不支持旧型号，因为它们无法处理新功能。
如果您不更新会发生什么？
如果您不能（或不想）更新到较新版本的Android，您可以继续照常使用手机。几年后，您仍应获得安全更新和错误修复。但是，您可能会发现Google Play 商店中的(Google Play Store)Android应用程序最终会放弃对您的Android版本的支持，从而使您的手机随着时间的推移变得不那么有用。
Android 13 何时可用？
尽管Google尚未给出Android 13 “Tiramisu” 的确切发布日期，但普遍预期它将在 2022 年第三季度末或第四季度初稳定发布。下一次Google I/O活动可能会提供一个确定的日期。除了现有的Android设备外，用户预计将在 2023 年的某个时候
获得Android 13 。
预览即将推出的Android版本
如果您不想等待体验下一个Android版本，您可以尝试为开发人员准备的预览版本。如果您有Google Pixel设备，则可以使用手机上的开发者工具安装开发者预览版。(install a developer preview build)但是，我们不建议任何人在他们的主要设备上执行此操作。
您还可以从 Google 的开发者网站获取预览版本，并在(Developer)Android 模拟器(Android Emulator)中运行它，以了解即将推出的内容。
在不受支持的(Unsupported)设备(Devices)上获取新的 Android 版本(New Android Versions)
如果您的手机制造商已放弃对您设备的Android更新，您始终可以选择在手机上安装自定义ROM。这意味着擦除工厂系统映像并用第三方制作的映像替换它。
这是更新不再接收更新但可能具有运行新版本Android的合格硬件的手机或平板电脑的绝佳方式。但是，您可能会面临一些不利因素，例如丢失该设备的制造商特定功能。例如，如果您有一款精美的可折叠手机，那么不适用于该手机
的定制ROM不太可能支持折叠功能。(ROM)
使用自定义ROM刷机并不适合胆小的人，但是如果您按照步骤来根设备(root your device)，安装自定义恢复软件( custom recovery software)，最后刷入自定义 ROM( a custom ROM)，您应该可以通过它。
我想回到(Back)旧版本的Android
获得最新版本的Android很棒，但有时您可能会觉得自己更喜欢以前的方式，或者您的手机上可能存在重大错误，直到补丁到来之前您无法忍受。
可以回滚到以前的Android版本，但不能使用官方方法。相反，请查看我们的降级到较旧 Android 版本(downgrading to an older Android version)的指南。
What Is the Latest Version of Android?
The Android operating system is the most widespread mobile device operating system in the world. There’s always a new version of Android around the corner, so there’s a good chance you’re not running the latest version.
Do you have the latest version? We’ll show you how to check what version of Android you have, what the latest version offers, how to update, and what’s next for Android.
The Latest Android Version is Android 12
At the time of writing, the latest version of the Android OS is 12, released on October 4, 2021.
Of course, unless you’re running a “stock” Android device, you may not have access to Android 12 for quite some time. This is because each device manufacturer tends to develop and put their own custom “skin” on top of Android. For example, Samsung Galaxy phones have One UI, Xiaomi has MIUI, OnePlus has OxygenOS, and so on, which causes the delay.
Key Features of Android 12
Like all major versions of Android, Android 12 comes with several key features that will either convince you to update or stick with the Android version that you know and love.
Android 12 is a major refinement of the operating system. The graphical interface has received a major facelift. System colors can automatically adjust based on your wallpaper. Widgets have a new look, animations and motions have been modernized. Everything on the home screen feels more polished and premium.
On-screen elements are more spaced out, and Android 12 takes better advantage of the high-resolution screens that modern phones have. You can also take screenshots that extend beyond the actual screen limits, such as an entire web page as you scroll through it using the scrollable screenshot feature.
Another notable set of features in Android 12 relates to accessibility. There’s a new window magnifier, an extra dim mode for those with light sensitivity or who want to browse in the dark.
Depending on your vision needs, you can also bold text across the entire phone and do system-wide color tweaking, including switching the phone to grayscale.
Privacy features bring Android 12 more in line with the latest version of Apple’s iOS. There are new clear indicators when your mic or camera is recording, and you can permanently disable your camera and mic if you don’t want any apps to access them.
What Happened to the Dessert Names?
Although the first Android versions didn’t have code names, you may remember that for a long time, each Android version was known by dessert names:
- Cupcake (Android 1.5)
- Donut (Android 1.6)
- Eclair (Android 2.0 – 2.1)
- Froyo (Android 2.2 – 2.2.3)
- Gingerbread (Android 2.3 – 2.3.7)
- Honeycomb (Android 3.0 – 3.2.6)
- Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0 – 4.0.4)
- Jelly Bean (Android 4.1- 4.3.1)
- KitKat (Android 4.4 – 4.4.4)
- Lollipop (Android 5.0 – 5.1.1)
- Marshmallow (Android 6.0 – 6.0.1)
- Nougat (Android 7.0 – 7.1.2)
- Oreo (Android 8.0 – 8.1)
- Pie (Android 9.0)
With Android 10 (aka “Quince Tart”), Google decided that it would switch over to version numbers just like Apple’s iOS.
The dessert code names haven’t gone away, but they are no longer the official public name of the operating system. For example, Android 11’s internal codename is “Red Velvet Cake.” Android 12’s dessert name is “Snow Cone”!
How to Update to the Latest Version of Android
If you’re raring to go and want to upgrade to the latest version of Android, there are a few ways to do it. The one that requires the least effort is simply waiting until you receive a notification that your phone is ready for a system update. Then you can simply schedule the update or proceed with it immediately, downloading the update over Wi-Fi.
If you want to check whether an update is available manually, open Settings and select software update.
On older versions of Android, you may have to go to Settings > System > System Update or “About This Device” or something similar.
Why Can’t I Update to the Latest Version of Android?
You may have been excited to see the official release date for the new version of Android has come and gone, but the offer to upgrade to it doesn’t seem to be available. As mentioned above, most Android phone makers take the time to customize Android before releasing it on their phones. This can take a few months, so you may have to wait for those new features.
Then again, companies like Samsung or Xiaomi add features to their custom version of Android that isn’t in the stock Android release or will only come in a future version. For example, a screen recording feature was only added to Android 11, but Samsung Galaxy phones (among others) have had this for years before Android 11’s release.
If your handset is older than two years, you may never receive the option to update your phone. Android phones have a notoriously short support cycle compared to iPhones, and you may find that you’re left out in the cold as they turn their attention to new handsets.
This is changing; for example, Samsung has committed to at least four Android version updates for its Galaxy S22 phone range. If you have a stock Android device such as the Google Pixel 6 or other Pixel phones, you can update as soon as a new Android version drops. However, Android may not support older models because they can’t handle new functionality.
What Happens if You Don’t Update?
If you can’t (or don’t want to) update to a newer version of Android, you can keep using your phone as usual. You should still get security updates and bug fixes for a few years. However, you may find that Android apps from the Google Play Store eventually drop support for your Android version, making your phone less useful over time.
When is Android 13 Available?
While Google has not given a firm release date for Android 13 “Tiramisu”, general expectations are that it will have a stable release late in Q3 or early in Q4 of 2022. The next Google I/O event will likely provide a firm date. Except for stock Android devices, users can expect to get Android 13 sometime in 2023.
Previewing Upcoming Android Versions
If you don’t want to wait to experience the next version of Android, you can try the preview builds meant for developers. If you have a Google Pixel device, you can install a developer preview build using developer tools on your phone. However, we don’t recommend that anyone do this on their primary device.
You can also grab a preview build from Google’s Developer site and run it in an Android Emulator to get a taste of what’s to come.
Getting New Android Versions on Unsupported Devices
If your phone manufacturer has abandoned Android updates for your device, you always have the option of installing a custom ROM on your phone. This means erasing the factory system image and replacing it with one made by a third party.
This is an excellent way to update a phone or tablet that is no longer receiving updates but may have competent hardware to run new versions of Android. However, you may face some downsides, such as losing manufacturer-specific features for that device. For example, if you have a fancy foldable phone, it’s unlikely that a custom ROM not meant for that handset would support folding functions.
Flashing your phone with a custom ROM is not for the faint-hearted, but if you follow the steps to root your device, install custom recovery software, and finally flash a custom ROM, you should get through it.
I Want to Go Back to an Older Version of Android
Getting the latest version of Android is great, but sometimes you may feel like you prefer the way things used to be, or perhaps there are significant bugs on your phone that you can’t live with until a patch arrives.
It is possible to roll back to a previous version of Android, but not using official methods. Instead, check out our guide on downgrading to an older Android version.
