Google I/O 2026 start time, countdown clock, and what to expect from this year’s conference
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Google I/O 2026 is finally here, marking the return of Google’s annual developer conference. Every year, the event gives us a closer look at what the company has been working on across software, AI, hardware, and services. While the conference is mainly aimed at developers, it also brings plenty of major announcements for everyday users. If you’ve been waiting for the event to begin, then you’ll be happy to know that it officially kicks off today.
When does Google I/O start today? And where to watch?
According to Google, the opening keynote will start at 10 AM PT. Of course, because of time zone differences, the exact start time will vary depending on where you live. To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of start times for different regions around the world below.
- Los Angeles – 10 AM PT
- New York – 1 PM ET
- London – 6 PM BST
- Berlin – 7 PM CEST
- Mumbai – 10:30 PM IST
- Tokyo – 2 AM JST (May 20)
- Sydney – 3 AM AEST (May 20)
- Auckland – 5 AM NZST (May 20)
The countdown clock above is counting down to the second when Google I/O is due to go live. It will disappear once it expires, so if you don’t see a timer, that means the conference has already started. For those interested, Google will livestream the entire event on its official YouTube channel, making it easy for everyone to watch it. We expect this to be available later as a VOD.
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What to expect from Google I/O 2026
AI will almost certainly be the main focus of the show this year. Google has been heavily pushing its Gemini AI platform recently, and we’re likely going to hear even more during the keynote. There’s a good chance the company will announce updates related to Gemini Intelligence, alongside improvements to Google Search powered by AI. Rumors also suggest Google may reveal Gemini 4, as well as updates to its Veo text-to-video AI model.
Most Android-related announcements have already been shared during the Android Show this time last week, where Google talked about Android 17 features, Gemini integration, and its upcoming Googlebook laptops. As a result, Google I/O 2026 may spend less time on Android itself and more time focusing on AI tools and hardware.
We may also hear more about Google’s plans to merge Android and ChromeOS into one unified operating system for future Googlebook devices. On the hardware side, there’s a chance Google could tease the Google Pixel 11 and the next Pixel Watch, though nothing official has been confirmed yet.
Another big topic expected at the event is Android XR. Google has already shown interest in mixed reality and smart glasses, so we could finally get a better look at upcoming Android XR devices, including headsets and AI-powered glasses.
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