Android Studio is the official IDE for Android development, and includes everything you need to build Android apps.
This page lists new features and improvements in the latest version in the stable channel, Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop. You can download it here or update to it inside Android Studio by clicking Help > Check for updates (Android Studio > Check for updates on macOS)
This is a stable release of Android Studio. Note that patches might contain new minor features and bug fixes. See Android Studio release names to understand Android Studio version naming.
To see what's been fixed in this version of Android Studio, see the closed issues.
To view the release notes for older versions of Android Studio, see Past releases.
For early access to upcoming features and improvements, see the Preview builds of Android Studio.
If you encounter problems in Android Studio, check the Known issues or Troubleshoot page.
Android Gradle plugin and Android Studio compatibility
The Android Studio build system is based on Gradle, and the Android Gradle plugin (AGP) adds several features that are specific to building Android apps. The following table lists which version of AGP is required for each version of Android Studio.
| Android Studio version | Required AGP version |
|---|---|
| Narwhal Feature Drop | 2025.1.2 | 4.0-8.12 |
| Narwhal | 2025.1.1 | 3.2-8.11 |
| Meerkat Feature Drop | 2024.3.2 | 3.2-8.10 |
| Meerkat | 2024.3.1 | 3.2-8.9 |
| Ladybug Feature Drop | 2024.2.2 | 3.2-8.8 |
| Ladybug | 2024.2.1 | 3.2-8.7 |
| Koala Feature Drop | 2024.1.2 | 3.2-8.6 |
| Koala | 2024.1.1 | 3.2-8.5 |
| Jellyfish | 2023.3.1 | 3.2-8.4 |
| Iguana | 2023.2.1 | 3.2-8.3 |
| Hedgehog | 2023.1.1 | 3.2-8.2 |
| Giraffe | 2022.3.1 | 3.2-8.1 |
| Flamingo | 2022.2.1 | 3.2-8.0 |
Older versions
| Android Studio version | Required AGP version |
|---|---|
| Electric Eel | 2022.1.1 | 3.2-7.4 |
| Dolphin | 2021.3.1 | 3.2-7.3 |
| Chipmunk | 2021.2.1 | 3.2-7.2 |
| Bumblebee | 2021.1.1 | 3.2-7.1 |
| Arctic Fox | 2020.3.1 | 3.1-7.0 |
For information on what’s new in the Android Gradle plugin, see the Android Gradle plugin release notes.
Minimum versions of tools for Android API level
There are minimum versions of Android Studio and AGP that support a specific API
level. Using lower versions of Android Studio or AGP than required by your
project's targetSdk or compileSdk could lead to unexpected issues. We
recommend using the latest preview version of Android Studio and AGP to work on
projects that target preview versions of the Android OS. You can
install
preview versions of Android Studio alongside a stable version.
The minimum versions of Android Studio and AGP are as follows:
| API level | Minimum Android Studio version | Minimum AGP version |
|---|---|---|
| 36.0 | Meerkat | 2024.3.1 Patch 1 | 8.9.1 |
| 35 | Koala Feature Drop | 2024.2.1 | 8.6.0 |
| 34 | Hedgehog | 2023.1.1 | 8.1.1 |
| 33 | Flamingo | 2022.2.1 | 7.2 |
Android Studio and Cloud services compatibility
Android Studio includes service integrations that help you and your team make faster progress as you develop, release, and maintain Android apps. This includes Cloud services such as Gemini in Android Studio, Play Vitals, and Firebase Crashlytics. Cloud services are only available on the latest stable channel version of Android Studio, the three most recent previous major versions, and patches associated with those versions. When a version falls outside of that compatibility window, service integrations become disabled and you are required to update Android Studio.
Android Studio versions that are currently compatible with Cloud services
As of the stable channel release of Android Studio Meerkat Feature Drop, all versions of Studio are compatible with Cloud services. Enforcement will begin with Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop.
The following are new features in Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop.
Gemini in Android Studio's Agent mode
Gemini in Android Studio's Agent mode is a new AI feature designed to handle complex, multi-stage development tasks that go beyond what you can experience by chatting with Gemini. To use Agent mode, click Gemini in the sidebar and then select the Agent tab. You can describe a complex goal, like generating unit tests or fixing errors, and the agent formulates an execution plan that spans multiple files in your project. The agent suggests edits and iteratively fixes bugs to reach the goal. You can review, accept, or reject the proposed changes and ask the agent to iterate on your feedback.
Rules in Gemini
Rules in Gemini let you define preferred coding styles or output formats within the Prompt Library. You can also mention your preferred tech stack and languages. When you set these preferences once, they are automatically applied to all subsequent prompts sent to Gemini. Rules help the AI understand project standards and preferences for more accurate and tailored code assistance. For example, you can create a rule such as "Always give me concise responses in Kotlin."
To set up a rule, go to Android Studio > Settings > Tools > Gemini > Prompt Library > Rules and edit the text in the editor. Use the drop-down to store rules at the IDE level or the project level:
- IDE-level rules are private to yourself and can be used across multiple projects.
- Project-level rules can be shared among teammates working on the same project.
To share prompts across the team you must add the
.ideafolder to the version control system.
Embedded XR Emulator
The XR Emulator now launches by default in the embedded state. You can now deploy your application, navigate the 3D space and use the Layout Inspector directly inside Android Studio.
XR project template
Android Narwhal Feature Drop introduces a new project template specifically designed for Jetpack XR. This provides a solid foundation with boilerplate code to begin your immersive experience development journey right away.
Embedded Layout Inspector for XR
The embedded Layout Inspector now supports XR applications, which lets you inspect and optimize your UI layout within the XR environment. Get detailed insights into your app's component structure and identify potential layout issues to create more polished and performant experiences.
16 KB page size support
Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop adds improved support for transitioning to 16 KB page sizes. To help you navigate this transition smoothly, Android Studio now offers proactive warnings when building APKs or Android App Bundles that are incompatible with 16 KB devices. Using the APK Analyzer, you can also find out which libraries are incompatible with 16 KB devices. To test your apps in this new environment, a dedicated 16 KB emulator target is also available in Android Studio alongside existing 4 KB images.
Transform UI with Gemini
You can now transform UI code within the Compose Preview environment using natural language directly in the preview. To use it, right-click in the Compose Preview and select Transform UI With Gemini. Then enter your natural language requests, such as "Center align these buttons," to guide Gemini in adjusting your layout or styling, or select specific UI elements in the preview for better context. Gemini will then edit your Compose UI code in place, which you can review and approve, speeding up the UI development workflow.
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Compose preview navigation improvements
Compose preview interaction is now more efficient with the latest navigation improvements. Click on the preview name to jump to the preview definition or click the individual component to jump to the function where it's defined. Hover states provide immediate visual feedback as you mouse over a preview frame. Improved keyboard arrow navigation eases movement through multiple previews, enabling faster UI iteration and refinement.
Compose preview picker
The Compose preview picker is now available. To try it out, click any @Preview
annotation in your Compose code.
Child recomposition in Layout Inspector
Layout Inspector supports Child recomposition counts. You can now see recomposition counts even if the composable that is recomposing is collapsed under a parent in the component tree. When you see the child recomposition counts increase, you can open up the tree and find where the recompositions are happening.
New setting to disable Automatic Sync
Android Studio now offers a setting to switch from the default Automatic Sync mode (e.g. Sync runs automatically when a project is opened) to a new Manual Sync mode with reminders. The default behavior is still Automatic Sync. To switch to Manual Sync go to File (Android Studio on macOS) > Settings > Build, Execution, Deployment > Build Tools and set Project Sync mode to Manual Sync with reminders as the Project Sync mode.
Partner Device Labs available with Android Device Streaming
Partner Device Labs are device labs operated by Google OEM partners, such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, vivo, and others, and expand the selection of devices available in Android Device Streaming. This service is in Beta and is available in the latest Canary releases of Android Studio. To learn more, see Connect to Partner Device Labs.
K2 mode by default
Android Studio now uses the K2 Kotlin compiler by default. This next-generation compiler brings significant performance improvements to the IDE and your builds. By enabling K2, we are paving the way for future Kotlin programming language features and an even faster, more robust development experience in Kotlin.