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Google Releases Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 With Call‑Forwarding Protections

The build is in Pixel beta testing and early adopters report home‑screen, widget and touchscreen regressions that testers are troubleshooting.

Overview

  • Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 is available to enrolled Pixel testers and via downloadable images for eligible models from the Pixel 6a through the Pixel 10 family, Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet.
  • The update adds visible UI changes including a Quick Settings layout editor, more granular theming, expanded blur effects and a new app handle for easier split‑screen control on foldables.
  • Google added a security change that prevents apps from programmatically sending USSD call‑forwarding codes and that shows an OS‑level confirmation when users manually dial those codes to reduce social‑engineering scams.
  • Soon after rollout users reported Pixel Launcher problems such as a blinking home screen, disappearing wallpaper, failures to add widgets and occasional touchscreen issues and some affected users used factory resets or toggling Android’s private space as temporary workarounds.
  • QPR2 is a quarterly platform update distributed through the Android beta channel and Google plans a later stable QPR2 release, so testers should expect further fixes and Google guidance for developers on handling blocked USSD flows.