Android 17 will finally make cross-device usage easy without interruption: Know about ‘Continue On’ feature
The Continue On feature will support mobile-to-tablet device transitions, allowing users to seamlessly switch from phone to tablet or from tablet to phone.
- May 21, 2026,
- Updated May 21, 2026 4:44 PM IST
At Google’s annual developers event, the tech giant announced an Android version of Apple’s Handoff, dubbed “Continue On” for Android 17. This feature lets users seamlessly continue tasks across multiple devices without restarting. This means you can resume an app session exactly where you left off, but on another device.
Initially, the Continue On feature will support mobile-to-tablet device transitions, so you can seamlessly switch from phone to tablet or from tablet to phone. Know how the feature is expected to work across Android devices.
Must read: Google gives Search a major AI upgrade with Search Agents and Personal Intelligence
How does the “Continue On” feature on Android 17 work?
According to Android’s developer blog post, the ‘Continue On’ feature offers cross-device continuity. The company stated the feature enables “users to start an Android app on one Android device and then transition to another device in their Android ecosystem, continuing the user journey they started.”
However, Google has not listed which apps will support the feature. When you switch between devices, for instance, if you switch from phone to tablet, the taskbar will automatically show you suggestions for that recently used app. The tablet’s taskbar will automatically surface the recently used app from the phone, allowing you to restart the task with a single tap and resume from where you left off.
This feature is said to make multitasking and cross-device usage seamless, particularly for tasks such as reading, web browsing, messaging, productivity workflows, and other unfinished tasks across Android devices from Google.
Currently, the 'Continue On’ feature is available in Android 17 (API level 37) beta, and will likely make a stable release during launch. Apart from this feature, Google has announced several intuitive features for Android 17 with deeper AI integration. One of the most talked about features is said to be “Gemini Intelligence,” which is said to offer a personalised experience.
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At Google’s annual developers event, the tech giant announced an Android version of Apple’s Handoff, dubbed “Continue On” for Android 17. This feature lets users seamlessly continue tasks across multiple devices without restarting. This means you can resume an app session exactly where you left off, but on another device.
Initially, the Continue On feature will support mobile-to-tablet device transitions, so you can seamlessly switch from phone to tablet or from tablet to phone. Know how the feature is expected to work across Android devices.
Must read: Google gives Search a major AI upgrade with Search Agents and Personal Intelligence
How does the “Continue On” feature on Android 17 work?
According to Android’s developer blog post, the ‘Continue On’ feature offers cross-device continuity. The company stated the feature enables “users to start an Android app on one Android device and then transition to another device in their Android ecosystem, continuing the user journey they started.”
However, Google has not listed which apps will support the feature. When you switch between devices, for instance, if you switch from phone to tablet, the taskbar will automatically show you suggestions for that recently used app. The tablet’s taskbar will automatically surface the recently used app from the phone, allowing you to restart the task with a single tap and resume from where you left off.
This feature is said to make multitasking and cross-device usage seamless, particularly for tasks such as reading, web browsing, messaging, productivity workflows, and other unfinished tasks across Android devices from Google.
Currently, the 'Continue On’ feature is available in Android 17 (API level 37) beta, and will likely make a stable release during launch. Apart from this feature, Google has announced several intuitive features for Android 17 with deeper AI integration. One of the most talked about features is said to be “Gemini Intelligence,” which is said to offer a personalised experience.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine