What is the latest version of Android?
Android can be confusing. There are a lot of different versions, and many of them still work on devices today. Keeping up with the latest version can be challenging, but don't worry – we've got you covered.
Major Android versions are generally released once a year (although they weren't always that way), with monthly security updates released in between. Occasionally, Google also releases point updates (.1, .2, etc.), although these updates generally come without regularity. Often, more important updates that aren't as important as full-version versions require a specific update – like updating from Android 14.0 to Android 15.1, for example.
Along with each Android version, there is a code name that many people use instead of the version number. Each one is named after candy or any other form of candy, which is for fun more than anything else.
Some other fun notes:
Honeycomb was the only tablets version of Android, and it ran alongside the Gingerbread architecture for phones. Separate phone and tablet operating systems starting with Ice Cream Sandwich were then merged.
Ice Cream Sandwich was the most exciting Android update to date. It not only combined tablet and phone versions of the operating system, but also completely overhauled the look and feel of the system.
Google initially released developer-focused Nexus devices to highlight the power of each Android version. This eventually evolved into the Pixel consumer-centric line of devices we have today.
Android KitKat marks the first time Google has collaborated with a commercial manufacturer to release Android. They did it again for Android Oreo.
The latest version of Android is 15.0
The initial version of Android 15.0 was released on October 19, 2024 on Google Pixel smartphones. It also reaches Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Techno, Vivo, Xiaomi and other devices later this year.
Unlike older versions of Android, this version doesn't have a cute candy name – or any other type of name other than the version number. It's just Android 15. Google still plans to use candy names internally in developments. For example, Android 12 was named "Snow Cune".
As with Android 14 before it, Android 15 includes a number of new user-facing changes and features. The most notable are a new design language called Material You, redesigned widgets, a privacy dashboard, and more.
How to check your Android version
Here's the fun part about Android: how to find out even the simplest information varies not only based on the version of Android your phone is running on, but also on the device manufacturer.
But we'll keep it as simple as possible here. Go ahead and open your phone's settings menu by dragging the notification center down (once or twice, depending on the manufacturer) and then clicking on the gear icon.
From there, scroll to the bottom of the list and click on the "About phone" entry (it may also read "About device"). If your phone doesn't have this option, it's probably running Oreo, which has received a radical overhaul of the settings. In this case, find the "System" option.
There should be an entry for the Android version — again, depending on the device and Android version, it may be different. In Oreo, you can find the version information under the "System Update" section.
How to update to the latest version of Android
The short answer is also an unfortunate one: you may not be able to.
Android updates are handled first by the phone manufacturer – so Samsung is responsible for its updates, LG takes care of updating its phone, etc. The only updates that Google itself handles are for Pixel and Nexus devices.
To see if an update is available for your device, head over to Settings> System> System Update (or similar). Again, this may be in a different place depending on your phone – Samsung puts the System Updates option at the root of the settings menu (Settings> Software Update> Download and Install), for example.
Clicking on this option will check for an update on the device, but there is a good chance that it will not find anything. As soon as an update is available for your phone, it generally notifies you of this fact and prompts you to download and install it in a timely manner.
The only sure way to be sure you get the latest version of Android is to buy from the Pixel font. Google updates these phones live, and they are generally updated with the latest major release and security patches.