How to Tell What Version Android Your Phone Is Running

New Android versions often come with significant benefits in terms of performance, security, and responsiveness. Better power usage and faster operation are also important parts of the equation. For this and many other reasons, it’s vital to keep your phone updated to the latest version.

But what happens when you simply want to check your current Android version before performing an update or purchasing a new gadget? This information is super simple, yet not always easy, to find. This article has got you covered. We provide detailed steps on how to check your current Android version in only a few seconds.

Generic Android Device

Before we start, you should know some general information about how Android names its software versions, so you know what to look for.

There used to be sweet-treat nicknames like Pie or Marshmallow. More recent versions mostly have a more generic name, like Android 10, Android 11, and so on.

You can generally find the information about your Android version by navigating to Settings and entering the Software information page. Here is a detailed, step-by-step instruction on how to do this on your Android phone.

1. Open the Settings app on your Android. It’s the one that looks like a gear icon.
   
2. Tap on the “About phone” or “About device” section. For some versions, you should scroll to the second half of the screen to find this option.
   
3. If you don’t see any of the two options above, hit “System” first, and then repeat Step 2.
4. Navigate to the “Android Version” or “Software Information” section.
   
5. Find the “Android Version” part. The version name and number will be displayed here.
   

Note that on some Androids, the system will show you the version’s name on top of the “About” section in Step 2.

Samsung

All Samsung phones run on an Android system. Much like other smartphone manufacturers, Samsung usually receives one major system upgrade each year. If you aren’t sure about the precise version you are using at the moment, you can quickly check that by following the steps below.

1. Swipe up from your Samsung phone’s home screen.
   
2. Tap on the “Settings” app that looks like a gear icon. You can also find this app on your app list.
   
3. Hit the “Search” icon on top of the menu. It’s a small icon just above your profile picture.
   
4. Search for the following keywords: “Software information.”
   
5. Hit the “Software information” section that appears in the results.
   
6. A new page will appear with basic info about your phone’s model name, number, and more. Scroll down if needed and tap “Software information” again.
   
7. Read the information about your Android version in the “Android version” section.
   

Version List

As previously mentioned, many Android versions don’t have a number as part of their name. They are named after a sweet treat instead. Although this was a common naming pattern for the early Android versions, the newer ones (starting from 10 and up) no longer follow the old naming system.

It’s important that you know the exact version of your system in case you want to contact support, download an app, or see how you can update your smart device.

Important Note: When updating your phone or tablet, make sure your device can support the new version. Sometimes older devices are only manufactured to receive so many updates, and lack the hardware to support the most recent upgrades.

If you want to learn the number of your Android version, you can look for the information below. We entered the versions starting from the oldest to the newest.

• Version 4.0-4.04: Ice Cream Sandwich
  
• Version 4.1-4.3.1: Jelly Bean
  
• Version 4.4-4.4.4 and 4.4W-4.4W.2: Kit Kat
  
• Version 5.0: Lollipop
  
• Version 6.0: Marshmallow
  
• Version 7.0: Nougat
  
• Version 8.0: Oreo
  
• Version 9.0: Pie
  
• Version 10.0: 10
  
• Version 11.0: 11
  
• Version 12.0: 12
  
• Version 13.0: 13
  

At the time of this writing, Android 13 has just been released and may not be available for all devices. So far, Google Pixel phones (Pixel 4 and newer) are the only ones that can test the new operating system before it reaches other phone manufacturers.

Know Your Android Version With Ease

Learning about the exact version of your Android comes with many benefits. You can get better help from customer support, download a suitable app, or get a better upgrade. Learning this important piece of information isn’t rocket science.

With only a few taps of a fingertip, you can find the data you need in your phone’s Settings app. Hopefully, we have answered all your questions regarding the topic.

Which Android version does your smartphone run on? For what reason did you need to look for this information? Share your experience in the comments section below.