Android 16’s broken back button is driving me crazy — but there’s finally a fix – 1v1 Video Chat & LIve Streaming & Influencer Subscription

Tom’s Guide

Search Tom’s Guide

View Profile

Newsletters

Best Picks

Entertainment

Prime Day Deals
Switch 2 Restock

Galaxy Z Fold 7
Wordle Today

Best Mattress
Best laptops

Recommended reading

Google Phones
Live Updates just arrived on Android 16 — but it’s not quite finished yet

Google Phones
Google just launched Android 16 — plus a bunch of other useful software upgrades

Android Phones
Android 16 redesign revealed in massive leak — how real is it?

I timed how long it took to update to iOS 26 vs Android 16 — and the results shocked me

OnePlus Phones
Android 16 public beta released for OnePlus 13 — and I wouldn’t download it

I just spent my first 48 hours with iOS 26 — here’s what happened

Android Phones
Android 16’s new design is getting expressive and reactive — here’s what’s changing

Android Phones

Google Phones

Android 16’s broken back button is driving me crazy — but there’s finally a fix

Tom Pritchard

26 June 2025

The one change I’ve noticed in Android 16 is being fixed

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Bangla Press / Shutterstock)

If you’ve upgraded your Pixel to Android 16 already, you may be having the same problem as me: inconsistent back button performance. As frustrating as this is, there is a fix on the way, and it’s already available in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.1.

The update itself is just 5MB, and was announced over on Reddit. As you might expect for an update this size, the release notes are not particularly long. The update includes a fix for the “Approve” button in Device Admin settings, which has been transparent and invisible, while also stopping lockscreen sounds from playing when they’ve been switched off. Niche, but still pretty important to have.
The other two updates are the ones that should be more relevant to the majority of Android 16 users. They’re fixes to stop the launcher crashing when you swipe up from the bottom, which has happened to me a couple of times, and the aforementioned back button problems.

You may like

Live Updates just arrived on Android 16 — but it’s not quite finished yet

Google just launched Android 16 — plus a bunch of other useful software upgrades

Android 16 redesign revealed in massive leak — how real is it?

As frustrating as it was to have the launcher crash on me, I never actually realized that was a bug at the time. I just assumed my phone was too hot, and I needed to do a better job of keeping it from overheating. The back button issue was the one that was getting on my nerves.

Android 16 needs to have a working back button

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)
I’ve argued before that the back button is arguably Android’s best legacy feature, and something that iPhones have never been able to successfully copy for some reason. The worst part about the bug was the inconsistency of it too, since the gesture would only stop working some of the time — and without warning.

The worst part about the bug was the inconsistency of it too, since the gesture would only stop working some of the time — and without warning.
It initially had me wondering whether it was an app issue, and that devs had done something that screwed with the way software worked on Android 16. But no. Not only did it keep happening, it also kept happening in different kinds of apps.
The web browser is the one that stuck out the most, since I could always use the built-in navigation buttons. But when it happened in WhatsApp, I had to exit the app and start over again to get where I needed to be.

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
But the public QPR 1 update isn’t going to be arriving for a little while, so what does this mean for non beta users like myself? Well Android Police believes the fix will come with the July security update, which should be here within the next couple of weeks.
Frankly, the sooner it happens the better. I’m getting real tired of having to navigate the web like I’m on a desktop machine.
More from Tom’s Guide

Google Pixel 10 may not get this important performance upgrade — and I don’t get why
I tried the new CarPlay with the iOS 26 beta — and Apple just solved my biggest issue with infotainment interfaces
iPhone 20 could bring back true full-screen phones — but I still miss the ones we had 6 years ago

$495 at Amazon

$599 at Google Store

See more Phones News

Tom Pritchard

Social Links Navigation
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom’s Guide’s UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It’s long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Live Updates just arrived on Android 16 — but it’s not quite finished yet

Google just launched Android 16 — plus a bunch of other useful software upgrades

Android 16 redesign revealed in massive leak — how real is it?

I timed how long it took to update to iOS 26 vs Android 16 — and the results shocked me

Android 16 public beta released for OnePlus 13 — and I wouldn’t download it

I just spent my first 48 hours with iOS 26 — here’s what happened

Latest in Google Phones

Too good to be true! Pixel 9 drops to $249 ahead of Prime Day

Google Pixel 10 may not get this important performance upgrade — and I don’t get why

Google Pixel 11 could finally catch up to Samsung and Apple on performance — here’s how

Google could be planning its own take on Samsung’s Now Bar — what we know

I can’t believe Google is making such a big deal out of Pixel VIPs — it’s the most disappointing new feature in years

Live Updates just arrived on Android 16 — but it’s not quite finished yet

Latest in News

Alexa+ reviewer pans new AI: ‘If this is Amazon’s version of intelligent, I’m low-key scared for the future’

ChatGPT was down — Here’s what happened during the quick OpenAI outage

Apple CarPlay Ultra stalled — these brands now say they’re out

Over 40,000 security camera feeds found exposed online – here’s how to protect yours

‘Emily in Paris’ season 5 cast news confirmed by creator: Who’s in and who’s out?

How to watch CMA Fest 2025 online, on TV and stream Shaboozey, Keith Urban and more from anywhere