While Google’s Pixel phones enjoy the luxury of timely updates, it is not always an exceptional experience. One example of this is the latest January 2026 security update, which is now frustrating many users rather than improving their experience.
The latest security update was released at the start of the year, but has been rolling out slowly to eligible devices. Some users who did not receive a notification are just now manually updating their Pixel phones or tablets. However, besides the patches that address several security flaws, the firmware appears to be breaking connectivity and essential functionalities on these devices.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Stopped Working
In Google’s community forums and on Reddit, users are reporting significant Wi-Fi issues, such as frequent disconnections from paired WLAN networks.
One Pixel 8 user observed that the connection interrupts roughly every 10 minutes and then automatically switches to cellular data. More perplexing is the report that the Wi-Fi toggle stops working entirely when trying to refresh the connection, and the list of available networks fails to appear.
On the other hand, a Pixel 10 Pro (review) user shared a similar dilemma after the update. According to their account, both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity suddenly stopped working without warning. This was also associated with the camera app behaving strangely and becoming barely usable. A related issue has affected the device’s flashlight, which appears to be in a “turned on” state in the software despite the actual light being disabled.
Camera, bluetooth and wifi dead on my 10 Pro all of a sudden. WTH?!
byu/Kindly_Cress4670 inGooglePixel
Another Pixel 10 user is facing similar device woes. Apart from connectivity tools, the user reported bugs in the Internet settings and noted that the main Settings menu yields no search results. Interestingly, they added that the handset has stopped charging with generic USB supplies, though it remains unclear if this is directly related to the update. Most affected users have attempted soft and hard resets without success; the problems persist even after a full device reset.
Are All Android 16 Running Pixel Devices Affected?
At the same time, it appears the problem is not universal, as it was not present during testing on my Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is running on Android 16 QPR2. It is difficult to narrow down exactly which models have been impacted, but the issue may be widespread. Notably, the January update was shipped to the Pixel 7a and newer generations, including the Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, and the Pixel 10 series.
Google has not yet released an official statement regarding these issues. However, one user commented on Google’s Community forum that support contacted them and confirmed the team is aware of these frictions. We can likely expect a follow-up patch or a fix in the next security update, though no concrete date has been provided.
Do you own a Pixel phone? Have you updated to the January 2026 security update? Share your experiences in the comments below.
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