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Robert Triggs \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
TL;DR<\/p>\n
The upcoming Android 16<\/a> update for Pixel devices may not bring any major UI changes, but it will finally introduce a long-awaited feature: Auracast support. Auracast<\/a>, the marketing name for broadcast audio, is a feature of the Bluetooth LE Audio<\/a> standard that allows devices to start or listen to nearby audio streams. Although Google announced that Android 16 will bring Auracast support to its latest Pixel devices, the feature is currently missing if you install the beta. Here\u2019s how to enable Auracast on your Pixel device running the Android 16 beta.<\/p>\n To provide some context, Google announced back in March that Pixel 9 owners could stream Auracast broadcasts directly to their hearing aids<\/a>. This capability requires the Pixel 9 to be running the Android 16 beta and paired with LE Audio compatible hearing aids. Although Google highlighted Auracast\u2019s accessibility benefits, the feature extends beyond hearing aids, supporting any audio device compatible with LE Audio broadcasts.<\/p>\n Despite Google\u2019s earlier announcement that Auracast would be supported on Pixel 9 devices running the Android 16 beta, the feature isn\u2019t actually enabled in the current Android 16 Beta 4<\/a> release. After factory resetting and updating my own Pixel 9 to this beta, the \u2018Audio Sharing<\/a>\u2018 page was nowhere to be found in Settings. While it\u2019s unclear why this settings page is hidden by default, I do know how to make it visible.<\/p>\n To activate Audio Sharing on your Pixel device, you need to first enable Developer Options<\/a>. Then, navigate to Settings > System > Developer options<\/strong> and scroll down until you find \u201cEnable Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast UI preview<\/strong>.\u201d Toggle this setting on, and then reboot your phone. Once your phone boots back up, go to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences<\/strong>, where you\u2019ll find the \u201cAudio sharing<\/strong>\u201d page.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Left: The “Enable Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast UI preview” in Developer Options.<\/p>\n Middle: Android 16’s connection preferences once “Enable Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast UI preview” is enabled.<\/p>\n Right: The audio sharing page in Android 16.<\/p>\n Now, you can start an audio broadcast by connecting an Auracast-compatible headset and toggling the \u201cshare audio<\/strong>\u201d option from this page or the Bluetooth panel. To prevent unwanted listeners from joining your broadcast, you can set a password for it. If you\u2019d rather listen in on a broadcast, tap the \u201cfind an audio stream<\/strong>\u201d button to scan for nearby streams.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Left: When an Auracast-enabled headset is connected, the Bluetooth panel shows a “share audio” button.<\/p>\n Middle: The audio sharing settings page when “share audio” is enabled.<\/p>\n Right: The dialog that appears when you start an audio stream.<\/p>\n If Android doesn\u2019t allow you to start or listen to nearby broadcasts even with an Auracast-capable audio product connected, ensure that Bluetooth LE Audio is enabled for that specific device. For many audio products, you might need to manually enable LE Audio through the Bluetooth device details page. Alternatively, you can toggle \u201cbypass Bluetooth LE Audio Allowlist<\/strong>\u201d in Developer Options to force Android to automatically enable Bluetooth LE Audio for any audio product that supports it.<\/p>\n Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n The Bluetooth device details page on a Pixel 9 when an Auracast-capable headset is connected.<\/p>\n Lastly, if you don\u2019t see the \u201cEnable Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast UI preview\u201d toggle in Developer Options, it means your Pixel device doesn\u2019t support Auracast. Currently, Auracast is supported on the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. While devices such as the Pixel 7 series, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8a, and Pixel 9a do technically support Bluetooth LE Audio, they don\u2019t support Auracast, so this toggle won\u2019t appear for them. The Pixel 6 series doesn\u2019t support LE Audio at all, meaning it doesn\u2019t meet the prerequisites to use Auracast and therefore won\u2019t show the toggle either.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the \u201cEnable Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast UI preview\u201d toggle is actually present in the latest Android 15<\/a> stable release for Auracast-capable Pixel devices. This means you technically don\u2019t need to install the Android 16 beta to use the Audio Sharing feature. Given Google\u2019s announcement, you might expect Audio Sharing to be enabled out of the box in the Android 16 beta, but perhaps that will be the case with the upcoming Android 16 stable release. We\u2019ll have to wait and see, as Google is expected to roll out the stable Android 16 update next month.<\/p>\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/How_to_enable_audio_sharing_in_Android_16_on_Pixel.jpg\"\/ "\\"How")
<\/p>\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/How_to_start_an_Auracast_broadcast_in_Android_16_on_Pixel.jpg\"\/ "\\"How")
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