Release notes for Android Studio preview

This page lists the new features introduced in Android Studio preview releases. The preview builds provide early access to the latest features and improvements in Android Studio. You can download these preview versions. If you encounter any problems using a preview version of Android Studio, let us know. Your bug reports help to make Android Studio better.

Canary releases contain leading edge features under active development, and are lightly tested. While you can use Canary builds for development, be aware that features might be added or changed. Release Candidates (RC) are the next version of Android Studio, and are almost ready for stable release. The feature set for the next version has been stabilized. See Android Studio release names to understand Android Studio version naming.

For the latest news on Android Studio preview releases, including a list of notable fixes in each preview release, see the Release Updates in the Android Studio blog.

Current versions of Android Studio

The following table lists the current versions of Android Studio and their respective channels.

Version Channel
Android Studio Otter 2 Feature Drop | 2025.2.2 Stable
Android Gradle plugin 8.13.2 Stable
Android Studio Otter 3 Feature Drop | 2025.2.3 RC

Compatibility with Android Gradle plugin previews

Each preview version of Android Studio is published alongside a corresponding version of the Android Gradle plugin (AGP). Preview versions of Studio should work with any compatible stable version of AGP. However, if you're using a preview version of AGP, you must use the corresponding preview version of Studio (for example, Android Studio Chipmunk Canary 7 with AGP 7.2.0-alpha07). Attempts to use divergent versions (for example, Android Studio Chipmunk Beta 1 with AGP 7.2.0-alpha07) will cause a Sync failure, which results in a prompt to update to the corresponding version of AGP.

For a detailed log of Android Gradle plugin API deprecations and removals, see the Android Gradle plugin API updates.

Studio Labs

Studio Labs lets you try out the latest AI experimental features in a stable version of Android Studio, so you can more quickly integrate our AI assistance offerings in your development workflow. For more information, see Studio Labs.

The following are features currently available in Studio Labs.

Feature Description Docs
Compose preview generation Gemini can automatically generate Compose previews, including mock data for preview parameters, for a specific composable or all composables in a file. Generate Compose previews
Transform UI Use natural language to update your app UI directly from the Compose preview panel. Transform UI
Journeys for Android Studio Use natural language to describe steps and assertions for end-to-end tests. Journeys for Android Studio

Android Studio Otter 3 Feature Drop | 2025.2.3

The following are new features in Android Studio Otter 3 Feature Drop | 2025.2.3.

To see what's been fixed in this version of Android Studio, see the closed issues.

Journeys for Android Studio in Studio Labs

In Android Studio Otter 3 Feature Drop, Journeys for Android Studio is moving to Studio Labs as an experimental feature, making it accessible in RC and stable versions of Android Studio through the Studio Labs menu.

For more information, see Studio Labs.

UI development in Agent Mode

Gemini in Android Studio is now more deeply integrated into the UI development workflow directly within the Compose Preview, helping you go from design to a high-quality implementation faster. These new capabilities are designed to assist you at every stage, from initial code generation to iteration, refinement, and debugging, with entry points in the context of your work.

For feedback and issues on these features, file a bug.

Create new UI from a design mock

To accelerate the start of your UI development process, you can now generate Compose code directly from a design mock. In a file without an existing preview, click Generate Code From Screenshot in the Preview panel. Gemini will use the provided image to generate a starting implementation, saving you from writing boilerplate code from scratch.

Generate code from a screenshot in an empty Preview panel.

Example turning design into Compose code.

Match your UI with a target image

Once you have an initial implementation, you can iteratively refine it to be pixel-perfect. Right-click on your Compose Preview and select AI Actions > Match UI to Target Image. This lets you upload a reference design, and the agent will suggest code changes to make your UI match the design as closely as possible.

Example of using "Match UI to Target Image"

Iterate on your UI with natural language

For more specific or creative changes, right-click on your preview and use the AI Actions > Transform UI. This capability now leverages agent mode, making it more powerful and accurate. This upgrade lets you to modify your UI using natural language prompts, such as "change the button color to blue" or "add padding around this text," and Gemini will apply the corresponding code modifications.

Example of using "Transform UI"

Find and fix UI quality issues

Verifying your UI is high-quality and more accessible is a critical final step. The AI Actions > Fix all UI check issues audits your UI for common problems, such as accessibility issues. The agent will then propose and apply fixes to resolve the detected issues.

Entry point to trigger "Fix all UI check issues"

Example: UI post-fixed

You can also find the same functionality by using the Fix with AI button in Compose UI check mode:

"Fix with AI" in UI Check mode

Beyond iterating on your UI, Gemini also helps streamline your development environment.

To accelerate your setup, you can:

  • Generate Compose Preview: This feature is now enhanced by the Gemini agent to provide more accurate results. When working in a file that has Composable functions but no @Preview annotations, you can right-click on the Composable and select Gemini > Generate [Composable name] Preview. The agent will now better analyze your composable to generate the necessary boilerplate with correct parameters, to help verify that a successfully rendered preview is added.

    Entry point to generate Compose Preview
  • Fix Preview rendering errors: When a Compose Preview fails to render, Gemini can now help you debug. Use the agent to analyze the error message and your code to find the root cause and apply a fix.

    Using "Fix with AI" on Preview render error

Manage multiple conversation threads with Gemini

You can now organize your conversation with Gemini in Android Studio into multiple threads. This lets you switch between multiple ongoing tasks and search through your conversation history. Using separate threads for each task also improves response quality by limiting the scope of the AI's context to only the topic at hand.

To start a new thread, click New Chat The New Chat plus sign.. To see your conversation history, click Recent Chats. The Recent Chats word
bubble.

A list of recent chat topics.
See all the topics you've previously chatted about.

Your conversation history is saved to your account, so if you have to sign out or switch accounts you can resume right where you left off when you come back.

Use a local model

Android Studio Otter 3 Feature Drop lets you choose the large language model (LLM) that powers the IDE's AI features.

Android Studio Gemini chat window showing the model picker with options for Gemini and a local model.
Model picker in Android Studio.

The model must be on your local machine, which is advantageous if you have limited internet connectivity or restrictions regarding the use of AI models, or you just want to experiment with open-source research models.

A local model offers an alternative to the LLM support built into Android Studio. However, Gemini in Android Studio typically provides the best Android development experience because Gemini is tuned for Android and supports all features of Android Studio. With Gemini, you can choose from a variety of models for your Android development tasks, including the no-cost default model or models accessed with a paid Gemini API key.

Support for local models requires installation of an LLM provider such as LM Studio or Ollama on your local computer along with a compatible model of your choice.

Use a remote model

Android Studio enables you to use remote models to power its AI features.

To use a remote model, configure a remote model provider in Android Studio's settings. Provide a name for the provider, the API endpoint URL, and your API key. After you've configured a provider, you can select the remote model from the model picker in the AI chat window.

Settings dialog containing a form for entry of remote model provider information.
Enter the remote model provider information.

For details, see Use a remote model.

Find and review changes using the changes drawer

You can now see and manage changes made by the AI agent using the changes drawer. When the agent makes changes to your codebase, see the files that were edited in Files to review. From there, you can keep or revert the changes individually or all together. Click an individual file in the drawer to see the code diff in the editor and make refinements if needed. With the changes drawer, you can keep track of edits made by the agent during your chat and revisit specific changes without scrolling back through your conversation history.

Multiple files with proposed edits in the changes drawer.
See all the files that the agent has proposed edits to in the changes drawer.

Note that if you have the agent set to ask you to edit files, you need to Accept a change for it to show up in the changes drawer. Hence, you need to select Don't ask to edit files for multiple files to show up in the changes drawer at once. You can toggle this setting at any time in Agent Options .

Options to accept, reject, or ask about changes.
Accept a change to add it to the changes drawer.

Automatic Logcat retracing

With Android Studio Otter 3 Feature Drop and AGP 9.0, Logcat automatically retraces stack traces when R8 is enabled (minifyEnabled = true).

Because code processed by R8 can change in various ways, the stack trace no longer refers to the original code. For example, line numbers and the names of classes and methods can change. Previously, to debug with the original stack trace, developers had to use R8's retrace command-line tool.

With AGP 9.0, Android Studio automatically retraces stack traces so that you can see the original stack trace directly in Android Studio, with no extra work, improving the debugging experience when R8 is enabled.

Support for remote MCP servers

Starting with Android Studio Otter 1 Canary 3, you can connect to remote MCP servers using Android Studio. With a remote MCP server, the Gemini in Android Studio agent can access external tools and resources, and you don't have to do as much work installing and maintaining the server yourself. For example, you can connect to Figma's remote MCP server to connect to Figma files without installing Figma's desktop app. To learn more about how to add an MCP server, see Add an MCP server.

Quickly add a screen to your app using the Figma remote MCP server.


Connect to the Figma remote MCP server in Android Studio.

Device interaction tools

AI agents in Android Studio now have access to tools to deploy an application to the connected device, inspect what is currently shown on the screen, take screenshots, check Logcat for errors, and interact with the running application through adb shell input. This lets the agent help you with changes or fixes that involve re-running the application, checking for errors, and verifying that a particular update was made successfully (for example, by taking and reviewing screenshots).

Device interaction tools in Android Studio