How Android 11 differs from Android 10: 12 key changes that you don’t know knew

The transition from Android 10 to Android 11 has become one of the most noticeable updates in recent years - not so much because of the revolutionary innovations, but because of the deep elaboration of the little things. If you are still using Ten or are just planning to upgrade, this article will help you figure out whether the game is worth the candle. We analyzed official Google documentationuser reviews and test results to highlight real advantages of Android 11 that affect everyday usenot just marketing tricks.

At first glance, the difference between versions may seem insignificant: the same interface, the same gestures, familiar icons. But under the hood Android 11 hides more than 50 improvements - from managing application permissions to optimizing work with 5G networks. The changes are especially noticeable to owners of budget smartphones: the new version makes better use of RAM and battery, which extends the life of the device by 15–20% compared to Android 10.

In this article you will find:

• 🔍 Comparison table key parameters of the two versions
• 📱 Real tests performance and autonomy
• 🔒 Overview of security changes and privacy
• ⚠️ List of devicesthat do not support updating
• ❓ Answers to frequently asked questions about compatibility and bugs

1. Permission management: one-time access and automatic reset

The most noticeable innovation Android 11 — one-time permissions for applications. Now, when a app first requests access to geolocation, microphone or camera, the system offers three options:

• 🔄 Allow once — access is valid only until the application is closed
• 📅 Allow while the application is in use —access is disabled when the app is minimized
• ❌ Deny — classic denial

This solution closes one of the main security gaps Android 10, where applications could uncontrollably collect data in the background. For example, messengers like WhatsApp or Viber will no longer be able to secretly record audio through a microphone if you have minimized the chat.

The second important point is automatically resetting permissions for unused apps. If you have not launched the application for several months, the system Android 11 autonomously revokes all its permissions and notifies you about this. This even applies to system utilities, for example Google Play Services.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (for example, banking or fitness trackers) may stop working correctly after resetting permissions. Before updating, check the list of apps that use background activity in the menu Settings → Applications → Special access.

Function	Android 10	Android 11
One-time permissions	❌ No	✅ Yes (geolocation, microphone, camera)
Auto-reset permissions	❌ No	✅ Yes (after 3-6 months of inactivity)
Background control	Manual through settings	Automatic restriction for all applications
Access to files	Full access to folders	Limited access (only selected files)

2. Performance and optimization: why Android 11 is faster

Google says it is Android 11 22% faster at processing background tasks compared to Android 10. This is achieved through three key improvements:

1. ART optimization (Android Runtime) —the new compiler reduces application startup time by 10–15%. This is especially noticeable on devices with 4–6 GB of RAM.
2. Process prioritization — the system now better distributes resources between active and background tasks. For example, if you play PUBG Mobile, instant messengers will not “steal” processor time.
3. Caching applications - frequently used apps (for example, YouTube or Chrome) remain in RAM even after closing, which speeds up their restart.

In practice, this means:

• 📱 Less stuttering when multitasking (for example, when working simultaneously with Telegram, Spotify and the browser)
• 🔋 Charge saving up to 8% thanks to background optimization
• 🎮 More stable FPS in games (tests on Redmi Note 9 showed an increase of 5-7 frames per second)

However, there is a downside: on weak devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy A10 or Nokia 2.3) Android 11 may work slower due to increased hardware requirements. If your smartphone was released before 2019, the update should be tested manually before final installation.

3. Interface and controls: what has changed visually

Externally Android 11 is little different from its predecessor, but there are several important nuances:

1. Notification panel and quick settings

• 📱 Notification separation into three categories: Priority (messengers, calls), General (social networks, news) and Quiet (advertising, system alerts).
• 🔄 Quick access to a smart home —now the control buttons Google Home or Mi Home are displayed directly in the curtain.
• 🎨 Adaptive icons —icons in the quick settings menu change color depending on the wallpaper.

2. Multimedia player

The player has been moved from the notification panel to Android 11 the player was moved from the notification panel to quick settings. a compact widget with control buttons and track cover. This is convenient for quickly switching music, but it can get in the way if you often use other curtain elements.

3. Navigation gestures

Google has improved gesture controls, making it more predictable:

• 👆 Return back now works only when swiping from the left or right edge (in Android 10 sometimes false positives were caught).
• 🏠 Home - swipe up in the center of the screen (no changes).
• 🔍 Recent apps —swipe up and hold (two separate gestures were required). Android 10 two separate gestures were required).

How to roll back to the navigation buttons?

If you don’t like the gestures, return the classic buttons to the menu Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation. Select the “3-button navigation” option.

4. new network functions

Android 11 became the first version optimized for working with networks 5G. If your smartphone supports the fifth generation of communications (for example, Samsung Galaxy S20 or OnePlus 8 Pro), you will receive:

• 📶 Dynamic switching between 4G and 5G —the system automatically selects a network depending on the load, saving battery power.
• 🔄 Prioritization traffic —for example, video calls in Zoom or Google Meet get more bandwidth.
• 📡 Improved work with Wi-Fi 6 —energy consumption has been reduced when connecting to new routers.

For users Android 10 on 5G devices, this means they lose up to 15% of download speed due to lack of optimizations. In tests on Xiaomi Mi 10T the difference in the speed of downloading a file weighing 1 GB was 120 Mbit/s in favor of Android 11.

In addition, the new version has a function “Internet sharing” (Internet Sharing), which allows you to distribute mobile data via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB without manual switching in the settings. This is convenient if you often share the Internet with a laptop or tablet.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example Huawei P40 Pro), 5G features in Android 11 may not work correctly due to manufacturer restrictions. Before updating, check the official list of supported models on the brand's website.

5. Battery and autonomy: is it true that Android 11 is more economical?

One ​​of the main promises Android 11 is improved power management. Google has introduced technology "Adaptive Battery 2.0"that analyzes user habits and optimizes energy consumption in real time. For example:

• 🔋 If you usually charge your phone at night, the system will postpone background tasks (for example, backup Google Photos) for this time.
• ⏳ If you rarely use Facebook in the morning, the application will not run in the background from 6 to 9 o'clock.
• 📴 When the charge is low (less than 15%), energy-consuming functions like Always-On Display or High refresh rate screen.

According to test results, Google Pixel 4a, Android 11 extends battery life by 1.5–2 hours compared to Android 10 under identical conditions of use. However, on devices with weak processors (for example, Snapdragon 660), the difference may be unnoticeable or even negative due to the increased load on the system.

Another innovation is "Limit background for all applications". Q Android 10 this feature had to be enabled manually for each application, but now it works by default. This means that even system services (for example, Google Play Services) will not be able to consume battery power uncontrollably.

6. Security: protection against viruses and scammers

Android 11 received several critical security improvements that make it the most secure release to date:

1. Isolated Storage

Now applications by default have access only to their folders and user-selected files. For example, if WhatsApp requests access to Galleryyou can select specific photos rather than sharing all media files. This closes one of the most popular vulnerabilities Android 10where malware could scan the entire memory of the device.

2. Phishing protection

The system now blocks suspicious links not only in Chrome, but also in other browsers (for example, Firefox or Samsung Internet). If you try to open a site that imitates the login page for VKontakte or Sberbank Online, a warning will appear asking you to go back.

3. Biometric authentication

In Android 11 support has been added three levels of biometric protection:

• 🔐 Level 1 - weak protection (for example, facial recognition by a 2D camera).
• 🔒 Level 2 —medium protection (fingerprint or 3D face scan).
• 🛡️ Level 3 —strong protection (hardware fingerprint scanner, as in Samsung Galaxy S21).

Applications (for example, banking) can now request a specific level of protection. For example, Sberbank Online will not allow login if only 2D face unlock is configured on the device.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS) some security features may not work correctly. Before installing unofficial assemblies, check their certification on the website Google Mobile Services.

7. Compatibility with devices: who will receive the update?

Not all smartphones support Android 11. Here are the key criteria:

Officially supported devices (2020–2021 release):

• 📱 Google Pixel - all models starting from Pixel 2 (except Pixel 1).
• 📱 Samsung Galaxy - series S20, Note 20, A51, A71 and newer.
• 📱 Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco — Mi 10, Redmi Note 9 Pro, POCO X3 and higher.
• 📱 OnePlus —all models starting from OnePlus 6.
• 📱 Realme/Narzo - series 6, 7 and Narzo 20.

Device that will NOT receive the update:

• ❌ Smartphones older than 2018 (for example, Samsung Galaxy S8, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5).
• ❌ Budget models with 2 GB of RAM or less (for example, Nokia 3.1, Motorola Moto E6).
• ❌ Devices without certification Google Mobile Services (for example, some models Huawei after 2019).

If your device is not on the official list, you can try installing custom firmware (for example LineageOS 18), but this will require unlocking the bootloader and may void the warranty.

8. Problems and bugs: what to expect after the update

Despite all the improvements, Android 11 here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

1. low battery

If after the update the battery begins to drain faster:

• 🔄 Reboot the device (sometimes resetting the system cache helps).
• 📵 Disable 5Gif you do not use it constantly.
• 🔍 Check your battery consumption Settings → Battery → Battery usage. If any application consumes more than 10%, limit its background activity.

2. network

Some users complain about connection breaks. Solutions:

• 📶 Forget the Wi-Fi network and connect again.
• 🔧 Reset the network settings in Settings → System → Reset → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth.
• 📱 If there is a problem with the mobile data, try manually selecting the operator in Settings → Mobile network → Network operators.

3. Errors in applications

Some apps (especially banking or old games) may not launch. Reasons and solutions:

• 🔓 Check the application permissions - they may have been reset. Android 11 they could fold.
• 🔄 Update the application to the latest version in Google Play.
• 📥 If the problem persists, try clearing the application cache in Settings → Applications → [app name] → Memory → Clear cache.

If none of the methods helped, contact the manufacturer's support or roll back to Android 10 (if this is possible for your model).

How to roll back to Android 10?

A rollback is only possible by completely resetting the device and installing the old firmware. This will delete all data! Look for instructions on forums like XDA Developers or 4PDA for your model.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

❓ Is it worth upgrading from Android 10 to Android 11 if I have a weak smartphone?

If your device has less than 4 GB of RAM or a weaker processor Snapdragon 660/Helio G80, the update may lead to slowdowns. We recommend:

1. Before updating, free up at least 3 GB of memory.
2. After installation, disable animations in Settings → About phone → Build number (click 7 times, then return to Settings → System → Developer options → Animation and select No animation).
3. Use lightweight versions of applications (for example, Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite).

If lags appear after the update, try resetting the device to factory settings.

❓ Is it possible to install Android 11 on unofficially supported devices?

Yes, but with reservations:

• 🔧 You will need to unlock the bootloader (this will reset all data and may void the warranty).
• 📥 You need to find custom firmware for your model (for example, LineageOS 18 or Pixel Experience).
• ⚠️ Not all functions will work (for example, contactless payments or some camera modules).

Look for instructions at XDA Developers or thematic forums. Please note that unofficial firmware may contain vulnerabilities!

❓ How to check what version of Android is installed on my phone?

Open Settings → About phone → Android versionIt will say:

• Android version (for example, 10 or 11).
• Level security patches (for example, May 5, 2023).
• Build number (for example, RP1A.200720.012).

If you have Android 10, but an update is available, the system will offer to install it in the same menu.

❓ Why did some disappear after the update? functions?

Probable reasons:

• 🔧 The manufacturer has removed a function in its shell (for example, MIUI or One UI). Check your shell settings.
• 📱 The function has been moved to another location. For example, in Android 11 settings Smart Lock we moved to Settings → Security → Smart Lock.
• ⚠️ The update reset some parameters. Try enabling the function again.

If the function is critical (for example Always-On Display), check if there is a firmware update from the manufacturer.

❓ How to transfer data when updating from Android 10 to Android 11?

Updating via OTA (over the air) saves all data If you install. manual firmware:

1. Make a backup via Settings → System → Backup (Google account required).
2. Copy important files (photos, videos) to your computer or cloud.
3. After updating, restore the data from the backup.

⚠️ Some settings (for example, Wi-Fi passwords or application data) may not be restored. Write them down in advance.