Ahead of the highly anticipated stable launch in September, Google is initiating the rollout of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 to its Pixel devices today. This update is part of the Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs), which are designed to deliver more substantial changes compared to the regular monthly bug fixes. Historically, QPRs have been noted for their stability and are released as betas rather than developer previews. Google officially states that these updates are “suitable for general use,” and Android 16 QPR1 is expected to officially launch in September.
This month's update addresses several critical issues, enhancing the overall user experience on Pixel devices. Here are some of the key fixes included in this release:
Resolved an issue related to RTOS task list corruption that was causing unexpected restarts (Issue 420999948, Issue 426316038). Fixed the launcher not fully displaying (Issue 428088033, Issue 428405658, Issue 429817851). Addressed notification display issues affecting various aspects of user notifications (Issue 421792538, Issue 422749237, Issue 420418750, Issue 428896474). Improved the media player functionality in the notification pulldown, which was not displaying correctly (Issue 419184923, Issue 421879049, Issue 421810067, Issue 423172198, Issue 422560004, Issue 424116279). Fixed a full phone restart issue stemming from class loader problems (Issue 427676713). Resolved kernel issues that were causing restarts (Issue 408888279, Issue 409949346, Issue 409960197, Issue 410624610, Issue 407373090, Issue 430095518). Addressed a bug causing the camera to be non-functional at startup, displaying a black screen (Issue 421870862, Issue 420725698). Corrected the status bar icons that were missing corner padding (Issue 419573315, Issue 419134909). Fixed the notification shade message folding issue that was breaking functionality (Issue 421366916).For users experiencing any issues, the Android Beta Feedback app is readily available on all Pixel devices. Users can easily access it from the app drawer or through Quick Settings to report bugs directly to the Google issue tracker. Additionally, the Android Beta community is active on Reddit, providing a platform for users to share their experiences and feedback.
The Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 (BP31.250610.004) comes equipped with the July 2025 security patch and is available for a wide array of Pixel devices, including:
Pixel 6 Pixel 6 Pro Pixel 6a Pixel 7 Pixel 7 Pro Pixel 7a Pixel Tablet Pixel Fold Pixel 8 Pixel 8 Pro Pixel 8a Pixel 9 Pixel 9 Pro Pixel 9 Pro XL Pixel 9 Pro Fold Pixel 9a Android EmulatorMost users will opt to install the update via the Android Beta Program. However, it is also possible to flash or sideload the update manually. The on-device OTA update for a Pixel 9a is approximately 529 MB.
