For years, Android's floating "bubbles" only worked with chat apps. You could pop out a Messages conversation, but you couldn't do the same with Maps, a calculator or a YouTube video. Android 17 changes that. Its new App Bubbles feature lets you turn almost any app into a small floating window that sits on top of whatever you're doing, so you can check something quickly without leaving your game, video or navigation.
Google released Android 17 to Pixel phones (Pixel 6 and newer) in June 2026, and other manufacturers are now shipping their own Android 17 builds. This guide shows you how to create, manage and close app bubbles, based on Google's official Pixel Help instructions.
What you need
- A phone, foldable or tablet running Android 17. On Pixel devices, check Settings > System > Software updates.
- Google says bubbles work on all Pixel phones with Android 17, including the Pixel Fold. Phones from other brands may put the option in a slightly different place, depending on their launcher.
How to open an app as a bubble
- Go to your home screen or the all apps screen.
- Touch and hold the icon of the app you want to float, for example Maps or Calculator.
- In the menu that appears, tap Bubble.
- The app opens in a floating window on top of your current screen. Repeat these steps for other apps if you need them. When you have more than one bubble, Android groups them together.
You can keep up to five bubbles open at once. If you lose track of one you used recently, tap More in the bubble stack to find recent bubbles.
How to expand, collapse and close bubbles
- To expand a bubble, tap its floating icon.
- To collapse it, tap the icon again or tap anywhere outside the bubble window. It shrinks back to a small icon at the edge of the screen.
- To close a bubble, touch and hold it, then drag it onto Close at the bottom of the screen.
- To get rid of every bubble at once on a large screen, touch and hold the bubble bar and drag the whole bar onto Close.
Bubbles on foldables and tablets
On larger screens, such as the Pixel Fold or Pixel Tablet, Android 17 adds a dedicated bubble bar that keeps your floating apps docked in one place. You can also create bubbles straight from the taskbar:
- Swipe up slowly from the bottom of the screen to open the taskbar.
- Touch and hold an app in the taskbar.
- Drag the icon to the left or right edge of the screen and let go. The app opens as a bubble.
- To move the bubble bar, touch and hold it and drag it to a new position.
On a Pixel Fold you can also open a bubble on top of a split-screen view, which effectively gives you three apps at once. If you use the taskbar a lot, pin it: open the taskbar, touch and hold the divider line and turn on Always show Taskbar.
Practical ways to use app bubbles
- Navigation plus booking: keep Google Maps floating while you read a hotel confirmation email.
- Shopping: keep a calculator bubble open to compare prices in different stores.
- Gaming: watch a walkthrough video in a bubble without closing the game.
- Work: keep notes or a to-do list next to a video call or document.
Common problems and fixes
- There is no "Bubble" option when I long-press an icon. Check that your phone actually runs Android 17. If it's a non-Pixel phone, your manufacturer's version of Android may not include the feature yet or may name it differently. Look in your phone's own release notes.
- I can't open a new bubble. You may already have five open. Close one by dragging it onto Close, then try again.
- The bubble keeps covering important content. Collapse it by tapping outside the window. On a foldable or tablet, drag the bubble bar to a different spot.
- I can't find the taskbar on my Fold. The taskbar appears when you swipe up slowly from the bottom of the inner screen. A fast swipe takes you home instead.
Bottom line
App Bubbles is one of the most useful everyday changes in Android 17 because it removes the constant back-and-forth between apps. It takes a few seconds to learn: long-press, tap Bubble, and drag to Close when you're done. If you own a Pixel or a phone that has already received Android 17, it's well worth trying today.
