Android 17 Introduces Continue On for Seamless App Handoffs Between Devices

Android 17 is introducing a new cross-device feature called Continue On, designed to let users move app activity from one Android device to another without losing their place. At launch, it will support phone-to-tablet handoffs, with Android surfacing the relevant app directly in the tablet’s taskbar so users can resume the same task more quickly.

Google has quietly unveiled one of Android 17’s more practical additions: a new continuity feature called Continue On. The tool is meant to streamline switching between Android devices by allowing users to pick up an app session on a second device right where they left off on the first.

The initial rollout will focus on phone-to-tablet transitions. In practice, that means someone working in an app on their Android phone could then move to a tablet and see that same app suggested in the taskbar, making it easier to continue the task without manually reopening apps or navigating back to the same screen.

Google says the system is designed to work in both directions, allowing supported Android devices to send and receive app sessions. The company has also shown examples involving Google Docs and Gmail, where a document or email thread can reopen on another device in the same state, reducing friction for users working across multiple screens.

One notable detail is that Continue On will not be limited to a single app format. Depending on how a developer implements the feature, the handoff may open in a native Android app on the second device or shift to a web version instead. If the receiving device does not have the required app installed, Android can fall back to opening the task in a browser.

The feature forms part of Google’s broader effort to strengthen Android’s cross-device ecosystem and make it more competitive with Apple’s continuity experience. Continue On is expected to become available with the Android 17 release candidate in the coming weeks.