Software program updates are alleged to introduce new options whereas bettering the soundness of the working system. Often, nonetheless, extra bugs and glitches can slip by the cracks. That is the case with the newest Pixel replace: Whereas Google added a variety of new options to Android and patched 43 safety vulnerabilities, customers who’ve put in it are complaining of unusual glitches on their Pixel telephones.
March 2025 Pixel drop glitches: Brightness, vibrations, and extra
First up, as noticed by 9to5Google, some Pixel customers are experiencing brightness variations whereas utilizing their telephones—with out touching the brightness settings themselves. The difficulty appears to be restricted to video playback, the place the brightness will dip or flicker at random. This consumer studies it occurs in nearly each video app they use, together with Netflix, Prime Video, VLC, or Google’s built-in participant. 9to5Google confirmed the bug on a Pixel 9, although the brightness glitch occurred inconsistently.
Along with this brightness glitch, you might also expertise modifications together with your system’s vibrations. This thread represents a variety of experiences with the difficulty: Some customers are complaining that haptics are a lot stronger than they have been earlier than the replace, with one consumer describing the change as a “spring as a substitute of a thump.” However, one other consumer says the vibrations of their Pixel at the moment are weaker than they have been earlier than. Regardless, many appear to really feel vibrations are “completely different” following the replace.
These are the bugs which have made probably the most buzz on boards for the reason that Pixel Drop. Nonetheless, there might be different points that are not fairly as widespread. One r/GooglePixel consumer rounded up the bugs they’ve skilled thus far, and, along with the brightness bug, they’re additionally experiencing audio points, together with a difficulty with EQ settings, and an issue the place tune quantity is way louder than video quantity. That final level would make it fairly annoying to leap between, say, Spotify and Netflix: Stranger Issues will launch too quiet, and will make your brightness go berserk.
repair the brightness glitch on Pixel telephones
Whereas Google is probably going engaged on patches for the most important bugs from the newest Pixel drop, there’s presently a workaround for the brightness glitch: drop your telephone’s refresh price. It seems that flickering and dimming issues solely happen right now when watching movies with 120Hz. Drop the refresh price to 60Hz, and the brightness points seem to dissipate.
To vary the refresh price, head to Settings > Show, then disable the toggle subsequent to Easy Show.
