(Pocket-Lint) – With each new version of Android, Google adds a little game hidden in the settings – or something like an Easter egg. With a few swipes and taps, you can find it: if you know how.
The process is broadly similar to recent versions of Android, but usually has something to give you a trip. Here’s how to access and expect these Easter eggs.
The latest, common clock-based game on Android 13. It’s still technically part of the beta program and that means more could be added to it. The process is almost unchanged from previous Easter eggs.
Android 13 Easter eggs
The latest Easter egg is similar to the one found on Android 12. It has a clock, which you rotate to go to the Easter egg: all emoji! Here’s how to do it:
- Open Settings, find ‘About Phone’
- Now scroll to ‘Android version’, tap on it
- Quickly and repeatedly tap ‘Android version’ on the next screen
- You should see a watch now, turn your hand until 1 o’clock
- Your screen will be filled with colorful blobs of different sizes
- Long press on any part of the display, and the blobs are converted to emoji
If you want to change the emoji set, you can long press again and it will change. Like Android 12, there is another part of the Easter egg and it involves color cards or ‘paint chips’. Here’s how to reach them:
- Long press your home screen wallpaper
- Select ‘Widget’ from the pop-up menu
- Tap ‘Android S Widget’ and then drag the ‘Paint Chip’ widget to your home screen
- Resize as desired
As you resize the widget, you will fill the screen with more mini cards of different colors. However, if you tap on the widget, it will turn on the full-screen multi-shade card view. You can tap on any individual color card, and then share with contacts via any medium displayed in the sharing shade.
Android 12 Easter Eggs
As with other Android Easter eggs, for the latest you need to go to your settings and find the ‘About Phone’ screen, then repeatedly tap on the software version. If successful, you’ll get an on-screen watch and you’ll get an Android 12 screen when you move your hand at 12 o’clock. Here’s how to get it:
- Open settings
- Tap “About Phone” then “Software Version”
- Tap “Android Version” repeatedly until you see a watch
- Move your hands until you reach the 12 o’clock position
- The Android 12 screen will now appear
Android 11 Easter Eggs
The latest version of Android has two parts of the Easter egg, as it was in the past. There is another mechanism to take you to the hidden ’11’ logo and then to take you to a playable game. This year, we are seeing the return of the Neko Cat that first appeared on Android Nougat.
Follow the steps below to get started:
- Open Settings then go to ‘About Phone’
- To open a new screen, tap on ‘Android version’
- Now repeatedly tap on ‘Android Version’ on this screen
- A volume dial graphic will be displayed
- Rotate the dial clockwise until it reaches maximum
- Do this three times and you will see a new ’11’ max appear and a small pop up cat emoji will appear at the bottom of the screen
This is of course – a tribute to the famous clip of Spinal Tap documentary where the lead guitarist shows his amp which goes ‘all the way to 11’, so, it’s higher than going to 10.
All you have to do now is add something called “Cat Control” to your shortcuts in the power menu. So, press and hold the power button to get to the control screen.
- Tap on the three dots next to ‘Home’
- Select ‘Add Control.’
- Now find and select ‘View other apps’ at the bottom of the screen
- Choose ‘Cat Control’
- Now tap the checkbox to select water bubbles, bowls and toys.
To get those cat controls to play the game, you go back to your Power menu screen and tap the bottom arrow next to ‘Home’ and select ‘Cat Control’ from the drop-down menu.
To play, you fill it by swiping across water bubbles, tapping on the food bowl or tapping on the toy and they will attract a virtual cat.
Once you have done this, you will play the waiting game and finally, you will get a notification that a cat has arrived, complete with its own cat number.
Android 10 Easter Eggs
The process of Android 10 starts just like other Android Easter eggs. Note that Android 10 was formerly called Android Q, because that’s where it runs.
- Go to Settings> About Phone> Android Version.
- Click the Android version to open that page, then repeatedly click “Android 10” until a large Android 10 logo page opens.
- These elements can be dragged all around the page, but if you tap on them, they rotate, press and hold and they begin to rotate.
- Rotate and drag 1 to 0 to create the Q logo – it will move to the right position when it is in the right place
- Tap the Q logo a few more times and you will open the Nonogram game.
A nongram is a game where you fill in a grid square based on the side guide. Here you will have a side number that will tell you where to put what. It doesn’t fit perfectly with the screen so you may have to rotate your phone to see both axes. Then you can draw – wait for it – Android system icon 8 Yes, it’s not a floppy bird, that’s for sure.
Android P Easter Eggs
Using steps 1 and 2 above, Android P Easter eggs can be accessed just like any other Android Easter egg. This opens a brightly colored P logo. Turning the phone a little will unlock it so it will flash and change color. But there is one more step for pixel owners. If you tap P a few more times, you’ll go to a drawing app so you can write some doodles. Why? Good question.
Android and “Orio” Easter eggs
Your first step, as already mentioned, is to go to the settings menu, scroll down until you reach “About Phone”, tap on it and find “Android Version”. If you press this option more than once, you will find a screen showing the Android O logo on your wallpaper.
Press “O” repeatedly a few times then press and hold and now you will see a black octopus onscreen. You can now drag the octopus around the screen, pick it up, drop it, and randomize it.
Android N “Nougat” Easter eggs
You can go to the Nougat Easter egg just like Orio, but the real game is much more involved. Go to your Settings> About Phone> Android version and activate Easter eggs as usual. Repeatedly tap on the Android version tab until “N” appears on the screen.
Swipe down from the top of the screen to release your Quick Settings toggles and press “Edit”. You will now see a cat face icon labeled “???? Android Easter Egg”. Drag and drop this icon into the main Quick Settings options and place it where you want it. Now, the fun can begin.
Press your Home button and then quickly drag the Settings shade down from the top of the screen again. This time you will see an “Empty Plate” option. Tap it and you’ll see an overlay with four food choices: beets, fish, chicken and treats. Select one, then continue using your phone as usual, and wait.
When this works, you’ll receive a notification saying “A cat is here” with the number of cats listed below. Tapping on a notification reveals a new screen with a cat icon that you can tap once to rename, or long press to reveal sharing options. You can save a full resolution version of the cat photo on your device, or share it on all your social media accounts like every other crazy cat owner. Finally, you will receive a notification that will tell you that a cat has snatched a treat. But that doesn’t always work, which is the core of the game. You will continue to try, using different treats in a cat bait.
Android M “Marshmallow” / Android L “Lollipop” Easter Eggs
Just before the launch of Android L, a huge hit game called Flappy Bird hit the world of mobile apps. It was extremely popular, until the developer pulled it off. Still, it was long enough to inspire Google’s Android Easter eggs.
In these two versions of Android OS, go to Settings> About Phone and repeatedly tap on “Android Version” just like the others. Now tap repeatedly and long press on the displayed logo. Now, a mini game should load. In the game, tap on the screen to help your Android robot get stuck in a lollipop or marshmallow, depending on which version of the operating system you’re running.
Written by Cam Bunton.
