diff --git a/api/current.txt b/api/current.txt
index 435223f36b451..7ace4e031ae24 100644
--- a/api/current.txt
+++ b/api/current.txt
@@ -33179,6 +33179,8 @@ package android.os {
     ctor public Handler(android.os.Handler.Callback);
     ctor public Handler(android.os.Looper);
     ctor public Handler(android.os.Looper, android.os.Handler.Callback);
+    method public static android.os.Handler createAsync(android.os.Looper);
+    method public static android.os.Handler createAsync(android.os.Looper, android.os.Handler.Callback);
     method public void dispatchMessage(android.os.Message);
     method public final void dump(android.util.Printer, java.lang.String);
     method public final android.os.Looper getLooper();
diff --git a/core/java/android/os/Handler.java b/core/java/android/os/Handler.java
index 0417ded829e8c..f5bca04ae1044 100644
--- a/core/java/android/os/Handler.java
+++ b/core/java/android/os/Handler.java
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ public class Handler {
      *
      * Asynchronous messages represent interrupts or events that do not require global ordering
      * with respect to synchronous messages.  Asynchronous messages are not subject to
-     * the synchronization barriers introduced by {@link MessageQueue#enqueueSyncBarrier(long)}.
+     * the synchronization barriers introduced by conditions such as display vsync.
      *
      * @param looper The looper, must not be null.
      * @param callback The callback interface in which to handle messages, or null.
@@ -236,6 +236,43 @@ public class Handler {
         mAsynchronous = async;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Create a new Handler whose posted messages and runnables are not subject to
+     * synchronization barriers such as display vsync.
+     *
+     * <p>Messages sent to an async handler are guaranteed to be ordered with respect to one another,
+     * but not necessarily with respect to messages from other Handlers.</p>
+     *
+     * @see #createAsync(Looper, Callback) to create an async Handler with custom message handling.
+     *
+     * @param looper the Looper that the new Handler should be bound to
+     * @return a new async Handler instance
+     */
+    @NonNull
+    public static Handler createAsync(@NonNull Looper looper) {
+        if (looper == null) throw new NullPointerException("looper must not be null");
+        return new Handler(looper, null, true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create a new Handler whose posted messages and runnables are not subject to
+     * synchronization barriers such as display vsync.
+     *
+     * <p>Messages sent to an async handler are guaranteed to be ordered with respect to one another,
+     * but not necessarily with respect to messages from other Handlers.</p>
+     *
+     * @see #createAsync(Looper) to create an async Handler without custom message handling.
+     *
+     * @param looper the Looper that the new Handler should be bound to
+     * @return a new async Handler instance
+     */
+    @NonNull
+    public static Handler createAsync(@NonNull Looper looper, @NonNull Callback callback) {
+        if (looper == null) throw new NullPointerException("looper must not be null");
+        if (callback == null) throw new NullPointerException("callback must not be null");
+        return new Handler(looper, callback, true);
+    }
+
     /** @hide */
     @NonNull
     public static Handler getMain() {