What do the numbers under Google Pixel quick settings mean?

A lot of information is accessible through your quick settings panel on your Google Pixel phone. This is where you can see your notifications, network connection, Pixel screen brightness, modes, alarms, and even your Google Wallet. The idea is that you can use these sliders and toggles as utility shortcuts. But if you expand your quick settings panel by swiping down, a set of numbers with a few letters may appear below the pills. These values ​​represent your Android build number or build ID. It provides quick information about your device without the need to check your settings.

The Android build number indicates which version of Android you are using; The first two letters identify the operating system version of your device. Android 17, for example, has CP. The next two letters/numbers constitute the code or family branch. The middle string of numbers is the date code (related to the security patch); the first two are the year, followed by the month and date of your installed software. The trailing digits are the incremental ID, which may be unique to the version released on that date and may indicate whether there are variations between global and carrier-locked phones.

Having the Android build number handy is sometimes useful, since you will know exactly which version of the software you are using, in case you want to know if you are using a stable version or a beta version, or if you prefer to save it for reference elsewhere. When you see the build number, you can interact directly by long-pressing it. From there, you can choose to share the text directly through your apps or through the quick share option. You’ll probably be interested in copying it directly if you’re reporting a bug on a specific beta or release.

That being said, the Android build number does not appear in the Pixel’s quick settings by default. You need to enable developer mode to view it. If you find the Android build number distracting, you can turn off Developer Mode in your settings. To do this, open your Settings, scroll down and tap “System”, then go to the Advanced heading and choose “Developer Options”. At the top of Developer Options, tap “Use Developer Options” to turn it off. Once you do that, the numbers below the quick settings panel should disappear. You can return to the “About Phone” menu and tap “Build Number” seven times to re-enable Developer Mode if you want to revisit it or take advantage of the many benefits that Developer Settings offers.