How to Launch Apps as Bubbles from Recents on Android 17

Android 17 makes multitasking easier with App Bubbles. You can now launch any app as a floating bubble straight from the Recents screen. This works on Pixel devices running the latest Android 17 builds, including QPR3 Beta 3 and later.

The feature lets you keep apps open in compact windows while you use your main screen. You stay in control and switch between them without leaving your current task. Official Android documentation describes App Bubbles as a way to turn any app into a floating window for lightweight multitasking across phones, foldables, and tablets.

What Are App Bubbles?

App Bubbles turn any app into a small floating window. You can resize, move, or minimize it to a bubble on the edge of your screen. Up to five bubbles can stay active at once. When you expand a bubble, the app appears in a compact overlay that still lets you interact with the rest of your screen.

Previously you started bubbles by long-pressing an app icon on the home screen or in the app drawer. The new Recents option adds another fast path. Google introduced the core feature with the stable Android 17 release and expanded access methods in later quarterly platform releases.

How to Launch a Bubble from Recents

Follow these steps on a device running Android 17:

1. Open the app you want to bubble so it appears in your recent apps list. The app must already be running in the background.
2. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold briefly to open the Recents overview.
3. Find the app card you want. Swipe left or right if you have many recent apps.
4. Tap the app name or the three-dot menu at the top of the card.
5. Select Bubble from the menu that appears.

The app opens as a floating window right away. You can drag the bubble to any edge and tap it to expand or collapse the window. The expanded window supports normal app interactions, including scrolling, tapping buttons, and typing.

You can repeat the process for other apps. The system groups them into a bubble stack when you add more than one. Tapping the stack expands a horizontal bar of bubbles so you can switch quickly.

Managing Multiple Bubbles

Once you have several bubbles active, Android groups them. Tap the main bubble stack to see all of them lined up. You can then:

• Tap any individual bubble to expand that app.
• Drag a bubble out of the stack to place it separately.
• Add a new bubble by opening another app and repeating the Recents steps, or by using the plus icon in the bubble bar on supported devices.

On foldables and tablets the bubble bar sits at the bottom of the screen for easier reach. This makes it practical to keep messaging, notes, and a browser open while you work in a primary app.

Tips for Better Use

Open the app first so it shows in Recents. You cannot bubble an app that is not already running. Close a bubble by dragging it to the bottom of the screen or tapping the close button inside the expanded window. On larger screens the bubble bar appears at the bottom for quicker access. Bubbles work alongside split-screen and picture-in-picture for flexible workflows.

If you do not see the Bubble option, make sure your device is on the latest Android 17 update. The Recents shortcut arrived in QPR3 Beta 3 and is rolling out more widely. Pixel owners can check for updates in Settings > System > Software updates.

Some apps may limit floating windows for security or design reasons. Banking apps or full-screen games sometimes ignore the bubble request. In those cases the menu option either disappears or the app opens in the normal full-screen view.

Practical Everyday Examples

People use App Bubbles in several common situations. While watching a video you can bubble a messaging app to reply without pausing playback. When filling out a form in a browser you can bubble a notes app to copy information. During a call you can bubble a calendar to check an appointment time.

On larger Pixel devices the bubble bar keeps the active set visible. You can glance at the icons and expand only the one you need. This reduces the number of times you open the full Recents overview.

Watch the Basics in Action

Related Reading

For the full set of bubble controls, including starting them from the home screen, see our earlier guide: How to Use App Bubbles for Multitasking on Android 17.

You may also want to review how App Lock interacts with floating windows if you protect sensitive apps.

Conclusion

Launching bubbles from Recents removes one extra step. You can jump from any recent app into a floating window in a few taps. Combined with the home-screen method, App Bubbles give you reliable ways to keep multiple tasks visible on Android 17.

Try it the next time you need to check a message or look up a note while staying in another app. The feature works best when you keep only the apps you use most often in the bubble stack so switching stays fast.

Sources

• Android Developers Blog: Android 17 is Here
• Droid-Life: Android 17 QPR3 Beta 3 features
• Android Authority hands-on coverage of App Bubbles
• Official Android 17 feature summary on developer.android.com