While there’s always the solution of using Android developer tools, a Mac or PC, and a USB cable to load the update directly, there’s also an easier option without a PC. If you have an eligible Pixel device and are tired of seeing the software update screen saying there’s nothing new, here’s a trick to force the update to appear.
Join the Android Beta Program
The first step is to sign up for Google’s Android Beta program, which has allowed adventurous Pixel owners (as well as developers) to try out the new software all summer long. However, since the final version of Android 13 is now available, if you sign up today, you won’t get a beta version. It will be the same version of Android that Google will slowly roll out to everyone.
Go to the Android Beta Program website on any device with a browser (including your phone) and sign in to the same Google Account that your phone uses. At the top there is a button to “see eligible devices”. Tap that and the page will scroll down to where you’ll hopefully see the Pixel phone. Then you can press the “Opt” button to join the beta. A window will appear and you will have to agree to the terms and conditions of the program and then tap Confirm and Register.
You can join the beta program from your phone or any device with a web browser. Screenshot: Dan Seifert / The Verge
Install the update
Now that your phone is enrolled in the beta program, go to the Settings app on your phone, scroll down to System, tap on it, and then tap on System Update. The Android 13 update should appear immediately. Press the button that appears to install it.
Leave the Android Beta Program
Once you’ve installed the update (which may take a while, depending on your internet connection and how many apps you have installed on your phone), you can then go back to the Android Beta site and click the “Uninstall” button on the device icon to unsubscribe from the program. Google provides a warning that if you’re currently running beta software and you leave the beta program, an update will be delivered to your phone that will wipe its data and restore it to a stable version. But since the version of Android 13 you just installed is the stable version, that won’t happen here.
And that’s all. you’ve skipped whatever arbitrary queue Google put on you and are now running Android 13 software. Note that this only works until Google releases a new beta version, which it’s expected to do in September. At that point, if you exit the beta program after installing this build, your phone will be wiped and reverted to the stable version of Android 13. We have mostly noticed that this process is necessary for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones. It looks like if you have a Pixel 4 or 5, the update is more readily available. Just keep in mind that there’s no going back when you update to Android 13 on the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro — you can’t roll back to Android 12 in the future.
