Google Pixels get their first update of 2026

Google has finally announced the release of the January 2026 update for compatible Pixel phones. The first security patch of the year brings several fixes for display and graphics-related issues, including a much-needed GPU performance improvement for the Pixel 10 series.

Google's security bulletin for the January 2026 release is yet to go live. So, it's unclear what vulnerabilities the release addresses. But even apart from this, the update packs several other Pixel-specific improvements.

Below is Google's full release notes for the Pixel's January 2026 build:

What’s included

The January 2026 update includes bug fixes and improvements for Pixel users – see below for details

Audio

• Fix for noisy ringback tones experienced during Webex calls under certain conditions*[1]

Battery & Charging

• Fix for issue with battery draining in certain conditions*[2]

Display & Graphics

• Fix for issue with AOD flickering under certain conditions*[3]
• Fix for noisy lines flashing on the screen when editing HDR photos in the Adobe Lightroom app under certain conditions*[3]
• General improvements for GPU performance in certain conditions*[3]

Touch

• Fix for issue with touchscreen randomly stops working in certain conditions*[3]

User Interface

• Fix for an issue where deleting a Live Universe wallpaper could occasionally cause the Wallpaper and style app to become unusable until the device is rebooted*[1]​​​​​​

If you own a Pixel 10, Google claims GPU performance improvements in certain conditions. There's a fix for the AOD flickering problem that some users ran into as well.

Google also includes a fix for the Pixel's battery draining higher than usual in certain conditions. This fix applies to all Pixel phones, starting from the Pixel 8 to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

There are no major new features or changes, with Google likely reserving them for the March 2026 Feature Drop.

OTA and factory images live now

The OTA for the January 2026 update should already show up on your Pixel. If not, you can always download the OTA and the factory images from Google's website and sideload the build manually.

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You'll only receive the January 2026 update on your Pixel if it’s on the stable channel. If you’re running the Android 16 QPR3 beta, the update won’t apply to your device.