How to Access Android Easter Eggs: Android 12, 11, 10, Pie and more

This page was translated using AI and machine learning.

(Pocket-lint) – With each new version of Android, Google adds some kind of little game – or easter egg – hidden in the settings. With a few swipes and taps, you can find it: if you know how.

The process is broadly similar on recent versions of Android, but there is usually something that trips you up. Here’s how to access those Easter eggs and what to expect.

The latest, Android 12, is a simple clock based game. It’s still technically part of the beta program and it could mean more are being added to it. The process is pretty much unchanged from previous Easter Eggs.

Android 12 Easter Egg

Like pretty much every other Android Easter Egg, the latter requires you to go to your settings and find the ‘about phone’ screen, then repeatedly tap on the software version. If successful you get an on-screen clock and when you move the hands to 12 o’clock you get the Android 12 screen. Here’s how to access it:

1. Open settings
2. Press “About phone” then “Software version”
3. Press “Android version” repeatedly until you see a clock
4. Move the hands until they are in the 12 o’clock position
5. Now the Android 12 screen appears

That’s all there seems to be at the moment. In the past – by the time an official release arrives – there are more additions to make it more of a game. So far, in the final beta, it hasn’t.

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Android 11 Easter Egg

There are two parts to the Easter Egg in the latest version of Android, similar to what it was in the past. You have the process to bring you to the hidden “11” logo, then another process to bring you to a playable game. This year we see the return of the Neko Cat which first appeared in Android Nougat.

Follow the steps below to get started:

1. Open the settings then go to “About phone”
2. Tap Android Version to open a new screen
3. Now repeatedly tap on “Android version” on this screen
4. A volume dial graph will appear
5. Turn the dial clockwise until it reaches its maximum
6. Do it three times and you will see a new maximum “11” appear and a little cat emoji will appear at the bottom of the screen.

This is – of course – a tribute to the famous clip from the mock documentary Spinal Tap where the lead guitarist shows his amp that goes “up to 11”, ergo, it’s louder than those that go to 10.

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Now what you need to do is add something called “Cat Controls” to your shortcuts in the power menu. So, hold down the power button to enter the control screen.

1. Tap the three dots next to “Home”
2. Choose “Add controls”
3. Now find and select “See other apps” at the bottom of the screen
4. Choose “Chat controls”
5. Now tap the checkbox to select the water bubbler, food bowl and toy

To access these chat controls for playing the game, you return to your power menu screen and press the down arrow next to “Home” and choose “Chat Controls” from the drop-down menu.

To play, you slide on the water bubble to fill it, tap the food bowl or tap the toy, and they will attract a virtual cat.

Once you have done this you play the waiting game and eventually you will receive a notification to say that a cat has arrived, with its own cat number.

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Android 10 Easter Egg

Android 10’s process starts exactly the same as other Android Easter Eggs. Keep in mind that Android 10 was previously called Android Q, because that’s where it happens.

1. Head to settings> about phone> Android version.
2. Click on the Android version to open this page, then click “Android 10” repeatedly until a large Android 10 logo page opens.
3. These elements can all be moved around on the page, but if you tap them they will rotate, hold and they will start to rotate.
4. Rotate and drag the 1 into the 0 to create the Q logo – when it’s in the right place, it will snap into position
5. Press the Q logo several times and you will open the nonogram game.

A nonogram is a game where you fill in squares on a grid based on the guide on the side. Here you will have numbers on the side that will tell you what to put where. It doesn’t quite fit the screen, so you might have to rotate your phone to see both axes. You can then draw – wait – the icons of the Android system. Yeah, he’s not a flashy bird, that’s for sure.

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Android P Easter Egg

Android P Easter Egg can be accessed in the same way as other Android Easter Eggs, using steps 1 and 2 above. This opens up a brightly colored P logo. A slight twist of the phone unlocks it so that it flashes and changes color. But there is an extra step for Pixel owners. If you press the P a few more times, it’ll take you to a drawing app, so you can doodle a few doddles. Why? Good question.

Android O Easter Egg “Oreo”

Your first step, as already mentioned, head to the settings menu, scroll down until you reach “About phone”, tap on it and search for “Android version”. If you press this option multiple times, you will get a screen showing the Android O logo on your wallpaper.

Press the “O” several times, then hold it down and you should now see a black octopus on the screen. Now you can drag the octopus around the screen, pick it up, drop it, play with it.

Android N Easter Egg “Nougat”

You can access the nougat Easter egg the same way you can access Oreo, but the game itself is much more complex. Activate the Easter egg normally by going to your settings> about phone> Android version. Press the Android Version tab repeatedly until the “N” appears on the screen.

Swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal your quick settings and tap “Edit.” You should now see a cat face icon with the tag “Android Easter Egg”. Drag and drop this icon into the main quick settings options and place it wherever you want. Now the fun can begin.

Press your home button, then swipe the quick settings shadow from the top of the screen again. This time you should see an “empty plate” option. Tap on it and you’ll see an overlay with four food choices: Bits, Fish, Chicken, and Treat. Select one, then continue to use your phone normally and wait.

When this works, you will receive a notification saying “a chat is here” with the chat number listed below. Tapping on the notification brings up a new screen with a chat icon that you tap once to rename or long press to show sharing options. You can save a full resolution version of the cat image to your device or share it on all your social media accounts like all the other crazy cat owners. Eventually, you will receive a notification informing you that a cat has caught one of the treats. But it doesn’t always work, which is kind of the point of the game. You have to keep trying, using different treats to bait a cat.

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Android M “Marshmallow” / Android L “Lollipop” Easter Eggs

Just before Android L launched, a hit game called Flappy Bird hit the mobile app world. It was extremely popular, until the developer took it down. Still, it was long enough to inspire Google’s Android Easter Eggs.

In these two versions of Android operating system, go to settings> about phone and repeatedly tap “Android version” in the same way as the others. Now tap multiple times and long press on the logo that appears. Now a mini-game should load. In the game, the idea is to touch the screen to help your Android robot avoid getting stuck on lollipops or marshmallows, depending on which version of the operating system you are using.

Written by Cam Bunton. Originally published on July 21, 2016.