targetingsecurity
PendingIntent mutability is mandatory
Apps targeting Android 12 must specify FLAG_IMMUTABLE or FLAG_MUTABLE for every PendingIntent.
What to doAdd the flag; use immutable unless the system must fill in extras.
API 31 · S
Android 12
Material You dynamic colour
The story
Google introduced Material You, a design language that adapts the system to the user's wallpaper.
The problem
Privacy exposure was invisible, and apps could start activities and use exact alarms without restraint.
Android 12 added the Privacy Dashboard, microphone and camera indicators, approximate location, the splash screen API, and mandatory PendingIntent mutability.
Privacy became visible, and the launch experience became the system's.
What shipped
- Material You dynamic colour
- Privacy Dashboard
- Approximate location
- Microphone and camera indicators
- Splash screen API
Platform internals
What changed underneath the APIs. These are the changes this site's architecture modules explain in depth.
- Bluetooth permissions split into the nearby-devices family
- Exact alarm permissions
- Foreground service launch restrictions
What developers had to deal with
- PendingIntent mutability flag is mandatory when targeting 31
- Exact alarms need SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM
- Splash screen API
- Foreground service launch restrictions from the background
- android:exported is mandatory when targeting 31
- Bluetooth scan/connect permissions
Behaviour changes
The full archive has every recorded change with its migration advice.
targetingpermissions
Exact alarms need a permission
SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM is required for exact alarms, and it may be denied by default on some devices.
What to doCheck the permission and fall back to inexact alarms, or use USE_EXACT_ALARM only for alarm-clock use cases.
targetingui
Splash screen API
The system shows a splash screen for every app, and the custom splash-screen APIs are deprecated.
What to doAdopt the SplashScreen API and the new starting-window behaviour.
targetingbackground
Foreground service launch restrictions
Apps cannot start foreground services from the background, with a small set of exemptions.
What to doStart services while visible or use WorkManager or expedited jobs.
targetingsecurity
android:exported is mandatory
Every component with an intent filter must declare android:exported explicitly.
What to doAdd android:exported to every component with an intent filter.
targetingconnectivity
Bluetooth permissions are split
BLUETOOTH_SCAN and BLUETOOTH_CONNECT replace the old Bluetooth and location permissions for nearby devices.
What to doRequest the new nearby-devices permissions and remove the location workaround.
targetingprivacy
Approximate location is an option
Users can grant only approximate location, so apps must handle coarsened results.
What to doRequest fine location only when needed and handle approximate grants gracefully.
targetingui
Splash screen and activity transitions change
The system controls the launch animation, so custom launch themes behave differently.
What to doUse the SplashScreen API instead of a launch activity.
all appsprivacy
Microphone and camera indicators
The system shows an indicator whenever an app uses the microphone or camera, and a toggle can disable them.
What to doHandle the case where the sensor is blocked by the user's privacy toggle.
all appsprivacy
Clipboard access toast
Reading the clipboard shows a toast to the user.
What to doRead the clipboard only in response to a user action.
all appssecurity
Untrusted touch events are blocked
Touches from windows with insufficient trust (for example overlays) are blocked from passing to apps.
What to doDo not rely on overlay windows for touch pass-through.
Permissions introduced here
ACCESS_BLOBS_ACROSS_USERSunknownBIND_COMPANION_DEVICE_SERVICEunknownBLUETOOTH_ADVERTISEdangerousBLUETOOTH_CONNECTdangerousBLUETOOTH_SCANdangerousHIDE_OVERLAY_WINDOWSunknownHIGH_SAMPLING_RATE_SENSORSnormalMANAGE_MEDIAsignature|appop|preinstalledMANAGE_ONGOING_CALLSsignature|appopREQUEST_COMPANION_PROFILE_WATCHnormalREQUEST_COMPANION_START_FOREGROUND_SERVICES_FROM_BACKGROUNDnormalREQUEST_OBSERVE_COMPANION_DEVICE_PRESENCEunknownSCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARMsignature|privileged|appopSTART_FOREGROUND_SERVICES_FROM_BACKGROUNDunknownUPDATE_PACKAGES_WITHOUT_USER_ACTIONnormalUSE_ICC_AUTH_WITH_DEVICE_IDENTIFIERsignature|appopUWB_RANGINGdangerous
Where this sits
Release 31 of 37 API levels, by date
- Headline features
- 5
- Architecture changes
- 3
- Developer changes
- 6
- Sources cited
- 6
Kernel
This release shipped on Linux kernel versions 5.4, 5.10. Kernel versions vary by device.