Google rolled out Android 16 QPR2 for Pixels earlier this week, bringing several features and changes. It also included a barrage of bug fixes. But, as is typical with any major Pixel update, it also introduces some issues of its own. Several Pixel 10 owners report flickering issues on the Always-on Display after installing the update.
Reports are flooding in from Pixel 10 owners on Reddit about the display flickering while the Always-On Display is active (via Android Authority). For some, the flicker occurs even when the phone displays the screensaver when on a wireless charger. Other users are noticing even weirder glitches, like the screen going black for a second during unlock.
The bug appears to only affect Pixel 10 units running the December update, at least based on the reports on Reddit.
It’s unclear how widespread the issue is, and there doesn’t appear to be a workaround yet. So, for now, if you are bothered by the flickering bug on your Pixel’s Always-on Display, your only option is to turn it off. If anything, it should at least help boost the phone’s runtime.
Given the lack of widespread reports, don’t expect Google to release a mid-month fix. Even at the earliest, it will likely bundle the fix with the January 2026 security patch.
The Android always-on screen situation is already ridiculous, and such bugs only make matters worse.
Pixel 10’s display woes continue
This is not the first display or lock screen-related bug that Pixel 10 owners have faced since its launch. Within days of the phone’s debut, Pixel 10 users reported screen issues, such as a color bar randomly appearing on the display.
Google rolled out a fix within a couple of weeks. However, that did not fully resolve the bug, as many Pixel users reported seeing a “fuzzy display” even in October.
If you are a Pixel 10 user, you will likely find these repeated display issues frustrating. At this point, all you can do is wait and hope for Google to deliver a permanent fix.
