Will Your Pixel Phone Receive the September Android 16 Update?
Google’s September update for Pixel phones fixes major bugs, boosts stability, and improves security. Available for Pixel 6 and above running Android 16.
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Google has started distributing its September 2025 security update to Pixel smartphones, with availability expanding gradually over the coming weeks. The update is limited to Pixel 6 and newer models running Android 16.
The rollout is strictly a security patch release and is separate from Google’s latest Pixel Drop, which adds new features to Pixel phones and other Pixel hardware.
Pixel owners will receive a notification once the September patch becomes available for their device. Users who prefer to install the update manually can navigate to Settings > Security and privacy > System and updates > Security update to check for availability.
On the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the update is approximately 73MB, though file size will vary by device.
Key Fixes and Improvements in the September Patch
The September release addresses multiple performance, stability, and security concerns across Pixel devices. Below is a summary of the updates:
* Audio: Resolved call audio quality issues under certain conditions.
* System Performance: Fixed occasional system slowdowns and instability; overall stability improvements.
* Battery and Charging: Corrected inaccuracies in battery health reporting.
* Biometrics: Enhanced fingerprint recognition speed and accuracy.
* Bluetooth: Improved connectivity reliability and performance.
* Camera: Boosted camera stability and general functionality.
* Display and Graphics: Fixed black screen transitions during webpage browsing in certain scenarios.
* Framework: Addressed keyboard responsiveness failures and power button malfunctions when connected to Android Auto. Adjusted secondary language visibility in Quick Settings.
* Kernel: General stability refinements.
* System Stability: Fixed crashes affecting the Pixel Launcher and improved UI transition performance.
* Telephony: Improved network stability and call performance.
* User Interface: Fixed crashes tied to Quick Tap gestures, navigation gesture bugs, and unresponsive touch inputs. Resolved errors with long screenshots and Quick Settings behavior.
Only devices running Android 16 are eligible for this update. Google recommends installing the patch as soon as it becomes available to ensure system security and performance.
