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Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
TL;DR<\/p>\n
Android 17 Beta 4 shipped last week with minor behavior changes that could make mouse and trackpad navigation easier.
\nSplit screen arrangements can now be resized using large buttons that move the windows between 50:50, 70:30, and 90:10 ratios.
\nThere\u2019s a new \u201cX\u201d button on biometric authentication dialog windows that should make it easier for cursor users to exit them.<\/p>\n
Google released the last scheduled Android 17 beta<\/a> last week, calling the fourth beta \u201cthe near-final environment\u201d for the upcoming operating system release. In fact, the company is already shifting gears toward Android 17 QPR1, seeding the first beta<\/a> for that release this week. However, as testers continue to play around with Android 17 Beta 4<\/a>, we\u2019re continuing to learn more about the behavior changes users can soon expect from the final Android 17 release.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s Mishaal Rahman spotted a few user-facing tweaks to Android 17 Beta 4 in a post<\/a> on X (formerly Twitter). Specifically, these minor updates aim to improve navigation, and Rahman suspects they could come in handy for mouse and trackpad users. Android 17 Beta 4 makes it easier to resize split screen app pairs using physical up or down arrows. Tapping the grab handle now reveals two arrows that can be used to move an app up or down in a split screen arrangement.<\/p>\n The new arrows shift split screen app pairs between 50:50, 70:30, and 90:10 ratios. While the grab handle still works for adjusting split screen ratios, the arrows could particularly help with multitasking when a mouse or trackpad is connected. The large arrow buttons are easier for a cursor to locate compared to the smaller grab handle.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/p>\n That\u2019s not the only Android 17 Beta 4 modification that might have been made with mouse and trackpad users in mind. Rahman also spotted a new biometric authentication dialog style with an \u201cX\u201d button in the top-right corner of the window. Clicking or tapping this button expectedly closes the window.<\/p>\n Currently, you can exit biometric authentication dialogs by using Android\u2019s universal back gesture. However, as Rahman surmises, a clear \u201cX\u201d button should make it easier for mouse and keyboard users to get out of a biometric authentication window.<\/p>\n The final Android 17 Beta 4 tweak is a minuscule one \u2014 copied text in the Android keyboard overlay is now previewed in white instead of black. Unlike the other changes, this has nothing to do with cursor navigation, but it is a nice change for legibility.<\/p>\n Google hasn\u2019t explicitly said that these changes are being made to improve mouse and trackpad support, for what it\u2019s worth. That being said, these Android 17 Beta 4 behavior changes seem to benefit those navigating the operating system with a cursor more than those using their finger. We\u2019re still waiting for Android 17\u2019s stable release<\/a>, and until that happens, all these beta changes are unconfirmed and might not make the final build.<\/p>\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\"\/ "\\"google"){kind=icon}
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