Pixel phones are about to get my favorite Samsung feature
Pixel smartphones are one step closer to supporting an incredibly useful gesture: double tap to turn off the display. New references to the feature have been spotted by Android Authority within Google's Android 17 Quarterly Platform Release 2 (QPR2) Beta 3, with strings suggesting that the feature is very much in the works.
The news follows a previous Android Authority unearthing of references to double tap to lock within Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 back in June 2025. These initial strings described the feature as working on the lock screen, whereby quickly double tapping on an empty space would turn off the screen without the need to hit the sleep/wake button.
Now, with Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3, double tap to lock appears to be expanded in scope to include the home screen. Much like Samsung Galaxy smartphones (as well as a number of other third-party Android skins), it looks like you'll soon be able to tap twice on an empty part of the launcher to effortlessly turn off your Pixel's display.
Double-tap to sleep is one of my favorite features on third-party Android devices, and so I'm glad to see Google working behind-the-scenes to bring native support for it to the Pixel line. It's one of those features that just makes sense, adding convenience to the everyday operation of using a phone without adding any compromises or friction to the experience.
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 is packed with new additions
Plenty of new features are set to make their way to the Android platform
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 is a surprisingly big release, with plenty of new features in testing aside from the hidden double tap to lock gesture. Most notable of all is a new Quick Settings layout editor, which lets you rearrange the order of Quick Settings tiles, the brightness slider, and the multimedia mini player.
Aesthetically speaking, Android 17 QPR 2 Beta 3 adds additional blur elements to parts of the system (on lock screen notifications, on lock screen shortcuts, and on the fingerprint touch target), while also introducing new color theming options to choose from (a new hue slider and four distinct color styles).
Improved multitasking for foldable phones has also been added into the mix, with a new app handle for windowed applications allowing for easier switching between fullscreen and splitscreen modes on the fly. Plus, bubbled apps can be quickly moved to fullscreen mode via a new context menu entry.
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 is a surprisingly big release, with plenty of new features in testing.
A new protective measure against call forwarding scams is also present, which works by stopping apps from triggering call forwarding USSD codes, and by requiring a user confirmation when dialing USSD codes manually. As ever, various bug fixes and other under-the-hood enhancements are also present within Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3.
Some of these aforementioned features have already been in testing in recent Android Canary releases, but seeing them hit the Beta channel is a good indication that they'll reach stability sooner rather than later. If all goes as planned, Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 is expected to release to the public sometime in December 2026.