Confirm your headset and companion apps list Android 17 as supported, export or enable cloud sync for pairing and app data, update companion and headset apps from Google Play, then run an ordered post-update test: pair, check audio, mic, camera/passthrough and firmware. Keep a spare phone or rollback plan ready.
Time needed about two hours, spread over two sessions (preparation and post-update testing)
- Treat an Android 17 upgrade as a potential breaking change for XR and verify vendor support before updating.
- Pairing tokens and sideloaded apps are the highest risk items; export them or prepare a spare phone.
- Updating companion and headset apps from Google Play before the OS update reduces compatibility gaps.
- Record current app permissions and battery exemptions so you can quickly restore access if the OS revokes them.
- Run an ordered post-update test: pair, confirm connection, play audio, record mic, open passthrough and start firmware.
- If quick fixes fail, collect a bugreport, reproducible steps and screenshots and report to the app and headset makers.
- Your phone charged above 50% and connected to Wi‑Fi for app and OS downloads
- Access to the headset and the companion app with current credentials
- Google account active on the phone to enable system backup and Play Store updates
- A spare phone or willingness to keep your old phone until the upgrade is verified
- Ability to take screenshots and enable Developer options to collect a bugreport
The steps
- Check support statementsOpen the headset maker’s support page and the companion app page on Google Play and save screenshots of any Android 17 compatibility notes or warnings.You should see: You have at least one screenshot showing either an 'Android 17 supported' statement or a vendor warning you can act on.
- Enable app cloud sync or export profilesIn each companion app open its settings and enable account/cloud sync or export pairing profiles where the app offers that option.You should see: Each app shows a confirmation that sync is active or an export file appears in your file manager.
- Save sideloaded APKsExport APKs and any app data you can for sideloaded or beta apps and store them on your backup device or cloud.You should see: You can open the backup folder and see APK files or exported app data ready to reinstall.
- Create a system backupOpen Settings > System > Backup (or your OEM tool), start a backup and verify the last backup timestamp or confirmation.You should see: The system reports a recent successful backup or your OEM tool confirms completion.
- Update companion and headset appsOpen Google Play and update each companion, XR and firmware app so they run the latest releases before the OS update.You should see: Play Store shows each app as up to date and its page reflects a recent version.
- Record permissions and battery exemptionsFor each companion app open Settings > Apps > [app] > Permissions and Battery/Background restrictions and take screenshots of the current states.You should see: You have screenshots showing allowed permissions and whether the app is exempt from background restrictions.
- Prepare a rollback or spare-phone fallbackEither keep your current phone charged and ready to use as a fallback or save your OEM’s rollback instructions and required files.You should see: You have a documented plan: a configured spare phone or a saved link to rollback steps.
- Install Android 17Run the OS update using your phone’s update prompts and let the device reboot into the new build.You should see: Phone boots and Settings > About phone shows the new Android 17 build.
- Pair headset and confirm connectionOpen the companion app or Bluetooth pairing flow and pair the headset, then check the companion app for a connected status.You should see: The companion app displays 'Connected' (or similar) and the headset shows a connection indicator such as an LED or home screen.
- Run audio, mic and passthrough checksPlay media to test audio routing, record a short voice clip to verify mic input, open passthrough/camera to confirm live feed and start any available firmware update.You should see: Audio plays through the headset, the recorded clip shows input levels, the passthrough shows a live view and the firmware update begins with a progress indicator.
Prepare phone for Android 17 XR headset by checking compatibility first
Do not assume Android 17 is harmless for your XR headset. Check the headset maker’s support pages and the Google Play listing for each companion app for explicit Android 17 compatibility notes or warnings, and save screenshots of any required firmware or app versions before you update.
Open the companion app page on Google Play and read recent release notes. Compare vendor statements with GlassesApps device and app pages for a second source. If a maker lists required firmware or an update blocker, delay the OS upgrade until they publish guidance.
- Open headset support and companion app Play Store pages and save screenshots of Android 17 statements.
- Note any required firmware or app version numbers and delay the update if the vendor warns against Android 17.
Back up pairing data, app settings and your rollback plan
Back up anything that prevents automatic reconnection: companion app cloud sync, exported profiles, APKs for sideloaded apps, and a rollback or spare-phone plan. Sideloaded apps are the highest risk because they often lack cloud sync.
Use Settings > System > Backup if your phone supports it. In each companion app enable account sync or export profiles. Save APKs and any export files you can. Prepare a fallback: keep your current device until tests pass or save your OEM’s rollback instructions.
- Enable system backup and verify a recent successful backup exists.
- Export pairing/profiles, save sideloaded APKs, and prepare a spare phone or a documented rollback path.
Update companion and XR apps before the OS upgrade
Install the latest Google Play versions of companion and headset apps before the OS update. App updates often include fixes for new Android releases; updating first reduces mismatches where an old app interacts with changed platform behavior.
Open Google Play, update each companion and headset app, and prefer Play releases over sideloaded APKs. Use the GlassesApps app directory to confirm which apps are official and to find alternatives if a companion app shows no recent updates.
- Update companion and headset apps from Google Play.
- Prefer Play Store releases to sideloaded APKs and check GlassesApps app pages for notes.
Set and check the exact permissions and connectivity XR uses
Record which permissions and connectivity features your headset needs: Bluetooth, Nearby devices, Location for BLE, Camera and Microphone. Android 17 can change permission scopes and battery restrictions; knowing the current settings speeds recovery if the upgrade revokes rights.
For each companion app open Settings > Apps > [app] > Permissions and take screenshots of allowed permissions. Check Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi state and hotspot settings. If your OEM exposes battery exemptions, mark the companion app as exempt from aggressive background restrictions.
- Screenshot app permissions for Bluetooth, Nearby, Location, Camera and Microphone.
- Confirm Wi‑Fi, hotspot settings and exempt companion apps from background battery limits where available.
Short post-update test checklist you must run immediately after installing Android 17
Run this ordered test while you still have time to switch to a fallback. Pair the headset, confirm the companion app shows connected, check audio and mic, open passthrough or camera, start any pending firmware updates, and verify captions or translation features.
Do the tests in sequence so you know which step first fails and why. If a test fails, try the quick fixes in the troubleshooting section before collecting logs.
- Pair headset and confirm 'Connected' in the companion app.
- Play audio and confirm headset output; record a voice clip to confirm mic input.
- Open passthrough/camera and confirm a live feed; start any firmware update and confirm progress.
- Check captions or translation features to confirm accessibility paths still work.
What actually fails in practice and how you notice it
Common failures after an OS upgrade are lost pairing tokens, revoked permissions, companion app crashes and BLE scanning failures. You usually detect a single clear symptom: no audio, no mic input, blank passthrough, or the companion app reporting 'Disconnected'.
Examples: the OS shows Bluetooth paired but the app reports 'Disconnected' because pairing tokens were cleared. A blank camera feed usually means Camera permission was revoked. Repeated app crashes point to API incompatibility with Android 17.
- Pairing token loss: app prompts to re-pair though Bluetooth shows connected.
- Permission reset: headset paired but camera or mic produce blank or muted output.
- App crash: companion app closes on launch or fails with an error dialog.
- BLE scan failure: background scanning no longer runs because permissions or battery rules changed.
Quick fixes, logs to collect and how to report problems so developers can act
Reboot, re-approve permissions, reinstall the companion app, clear app data and re-pair; these steps fix most issues. If they fail, collect a bugreport and report it to the app developer and the headset maker with exact repro steps and supporting files.
Immediate actions: reboot phone and headset, clear app cache or data, reinstall from Google Play and re-pair. To collect logs enable Developer options and take a bug report or capture an adb logcat. When you report include phone model, Android 17 build, headset model and firmware, app version, exact steps, screenshots and the bugreport.
- Try reboot, clear cache/data, reinstall the app and re-pair.
- Collect a bugreport and include models, builds, app version, exact steps and screenshots when you report.
Where this usually goes wrong
- Companion app reports 'Disconnected' though Bluetooth shows pairedThe app lost its locally stored pairing token or app data was reset during the upgradeClear the app cache, reopen the companion app and run the pairing flow again; if that fails reinstall the app and re-pair.
- Passthrough camera shows a blank screen or black feedCamera permission was revoked or the app lacks camera API compatibility under Android 17Open Settings > Apps > [app] > Permissions and allow Camera; if the feed remains blank reinstall the app and collect a bugreport.
- No microphone input reaches headset featuresMicrophone permission was reset or the app is blocked by background battery restrictionsRe-grant Microphone and Nearby device permissions, exempt the app from battery optimisation, then restart the app and test again.
- Companion app crashes on launch after updateThe app uses deprecated platform APIs incompatible with Android 17Reinstall the app; if crashes persist capture a bugreport and report to the app developer and headset maker with exact repro steps.
The checklist
- Check support statements
- Enable app cloud sync or export profiles
- Save sideloaded APKs
- Create a system backup
- Update companion and headset apps
- Record permissions and battery exemptions
- Prepare a rollback or spare-phone fallback
- Install Android 17
- Pair headset and confirm connection
- Run audio, mic and passthrough checks
Frequently asked questions
Will Android 17 delete my headset pairing data?
Not usually, but it can if the companion app stores tokens in local app data that the upgrade clears. If the companion app keeps tokens server-side you will usually reconnect without re-pairing; if tokens are local you will be asked to pair again. Export or enable cloud sync before updating when the app provides that option.
What if my sideloaded XR app stops working after Android 17?
Sideloaded apps are more likely to break because they may rely on older platform APIs or lack Play Store compatibility flags. Replace the sideloaded APK with a Play Store release if one exists, or reinstall and re-grant permissions. If it still fails, collect logs and use a spare phone until the developer issues a fix.
Can I roll back Android 17 if XR features stop working?
A rollback path depends on your phone maker; some publish official rollback instructions or factory images, others do not. Before you update, check your OEM support site for rollback guidance and keep a spare phone ready if rollback is not straightforward.
Which permissions are most likely to need re-approval for XR?
Bluetooth and Nearby devices, Camera for passthrough, and Microphone are most likely to be reset. Also check Location if your headset uses BLE scanning and remove battery restrictions on the companion app so it can run required background tasks.
How long should I wait after Android 17 is released to upgrade?
If you rely on your XR headset daily, wait until the headset maker or the companion app explicitly lists Android 17 as supported or until you can test the upgrade on a spare phone. If you can tolerate brief downtime, update sooner but follow the checklist and keep a fallback ready.
Find apps that work on your glasses
Every app in the directory lists the glasses it runs on, how it works on each, and the official source that proves it.