Android 17 is rolling out a new Continue activity menu that allows phones to pass tasks, apps, notifications and files across to other devices. The feature has begun appearing on select handsets ahead of Googlebook pre-orders, offering Android users an answer to the Handoff capability long available to Apple owners.
The menu arrives through Google Play Services rather than a full system update, which points to a gradual server-side rollout. As a result, not every device running Android 17 will see it immediately.
How the Continue activity hub works
The new menu sits inside the existing Cross-device services menu, positioned alongside Call casting and Internet sharing. It first appeared on a Pixel 9 running the stable version of Android 17, and has since been seen on a Pixel 11 Pro XL after installing the September Google Play system update.
Opening the menu reveals four separate toggles: Tasks, Apps, Notifications and Files & media sharing. Each can be switched on independently. Enabling them brings up a permission sheet requesting access to mirror the screen and stream apps, handle notifications and reach photos and media.
Because every toggle operates on its own, users can decide exactly what content crosses between devices. Someone who wants only notification sync, for example, need not also share their photos.
Timing tied to Googlebook and rivals
The Tasks toggle is expected to become the home for Continue On, the feature Google introduced with Android 17 that lets users return to an app on a tablet with a single tap from its taskbar. Googlebook pre-orders are confirmed to open on 21 September, aligning with the wider rollout.
Apple has offered comparable functionality for years through Handoff, which allows a task started on one Apple device to continue on another nearby, provided both use the same Apple Account. It is enabled by default and works across apps such as Safari, Mail and Notes, alongside many third-party apps.
Samsung’s own Continue apps feature is more limited, covering only Samsung Notes and Samsung Internet between Galaxy devices signed in to the same Samsung account. Google’s cross-device services have already reached select Galaxy phones, meaning Galaxy owners could gain a broader handoff tool than Samsung currently provides.
What it means for Android 17 users
The usefulness of Tasks will depend on which apps adopt Continue On. Support relies on individual apps building in the feature, so its practical value will be shaped by adoption rates by the time Googlebooks reach buyers.
The Continue activity menu is currently reaching devices through the September Google Play system update, with each of its four toggles configurable separately.
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Image: phonearena.com
