The 6 best new features in Android 14

Google announced the first developer preview of Android 14 in February 2023. Since then, the operating system has received several developer and beta builds, focusing on fixes. errors and improve overall stability.

By October 2023, Android 14 is finally ready for general release. It brings a number of changes towards behavior and privacy for a better experience. Here are the best new Android 14 features coming to your phone.

1. Customize the lock screen

One of the most important changes for users on Android 14 is the ability to customize the lock screen. You can adjust the clock style, shortcuts, fonts, and wallpapers to get a new look.

So you can use your favorite emoji as your phone's home screen wallpaper, while the lock screen will use a different image. There are many watch styles to choose from and you can also use different colors and sizes for the watch.

Android 14's lock screen customization feature seems to be inspired by iOS 16. And while Google's implementation is good, it still falls short of what Apple offers on the iPhone and iPad. You still can't place widgets on the Pixel's lock screen, though this may change with a future Android release. Additionally, Google should add a Photo Shuffle option similar to Lock Screen in iOS.

2. Flash notifications

An important new accessibility feature in Android 14 is flash notification support. If you have trouble determining when your phone rings, you can set up flash notifications to get visual support.

Go into Settings > Accessibility > Flash notifications and you'll find the option to flash the camera or screen light whenever there's a new notification or an alarm sounds.

3. Automatic PIN confirmation

When setting up a new device running Android 14, the operating system will actively encourage you to set a 6-digit PIN. This is already possible on Android 13 - it's just that the operating system now pushes you to use the safest option.

Additionally, after entering the correct PIN, your phone will automatically unlock. You will not have to press the Enter key to confirm your action. Please note that automatic PIN confirmation is only available when using a PIN of 6 digits or more.

There are many ways to reset your Android phone's passcode, so go ahead and try the 6-digit PIN without worrying about what will happen if you forget it.

4. Integrate Health Connect

Android 14 has built-in Health Connect support, allowing for easy sharing of your fitness data across various apps. It acts as a central place to store all your health data, including heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, etc.

Third-party apps can request this data from Health Connect, and you can manage it all from one centralized location to ensure it's not misused. All your collected health metrics are securely encrypted on your phone for privacy reasons.

Health Connect is available as a standalone app on the Play Store. But with Android 14, Google is integrating it directly into the operating system. You can find Health Connect in Settings > Privacy on Pixel phones running Android 14.

5. Non-linear text scaling

Another important new accessibility feature in Android 14 is non-linear text scaling. Now, you can scale the font size by 200%, but since the scaling will be non-linear, it won't cut off UI elements or look too weird. This outstanding accessibility feature will help people with vision problems.

If you already use TalkBack on your Android phone, non-linear text scaling could be an important new accessibility feature.

6. Custom actions in Share Sheet

With Android 14, Google is allowing third-party apps to add custom actions to the native Share Sheet. This will allow developers to use the operating system's native Share Sheet without needing to build their own custom implementation. All app-specific actions will appear at the top of the Share Sheet.

Since the share menu is a central part of Android, this change will result in a much better user experience.

David Pac

Update 19 October 2023