Android 16 is causing lock-screen issues on some Pixel phones – here’s what we know – 1v1 Video Chat & LIve Streaming & Influencer Subscription

By David Nield

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Google Pixel Phones
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Android 16 is causing lock-screen issues on some Pixel phones – here’s what we know

David Nield

7 July 2025

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Issues are affecting phones including the Pixel 9 Pro XL
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Some Pixel owners are reporting Android 16 lock-screen issues
They say the screen can be laggy and unresponsive
So far, Google hasn’t issued any official advice about the issue

The official Android 16 rollout got underway last month, with the best Pixel phones first in line for the update – but it appears that the software is causing lock-screen issues for a significant number of Pixel owners.

A variety of problems have been reported, as per 9to5Google. These include the lock screen not waking up when tapped, and not responding to a press of the power button, as well as fingerprint ID issues and extreme variations in brightness.
“I’ve been experiencing a significant and frustrating delay when trying to wake my phone,” writes one user on the Pixel Phone Help forums. “I often have to press multiple times before the phone finally reacts. This issue is occurring one to two times daily.”

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For that particular user, there was a fix: booting into Safe Mode (see here) and then rebooting normally. If you’re experiencing something similar then that fix is worth a try – but even with a possible workaround available, it’s not something Google will be pleased to see.

Trouble waking up

Android 16 launched in June (Image credit: Google)
“Has anyone else noticed issues where the screen does not wake up when tapping the screen or trying to use lift to wake?” asks another user on Reddit. “Also pressing the power button has a long delay waking up the screen.”
That user reports that their issues are with a Pixel 9 Pro XL, and that the problem has been logged with Google. If you are having difficulties with Android 16, the Google Help portal is a good starting point for getting some assistance.
As yet, Google hasn’t said anything officially about the issues – perhaps because the bugs being reported are so numerous and so varied. The types of problems being mentioned are the sort that could well be fixed with a future Android 16 software update.

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It’s tricky to assess how widespread these issues are right now – they’re definitely affecting some Pixel users, but not all Pixel users. Even if only a small number of people are hit though, it’s disappointing that we’re still seeing bugs like this after several months of beta testing.
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David Nield

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Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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