Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The April update is now available for Pixel devices.
- The update fixes security vulnerabilities and bugs, but does not include new features.
- Google says an over-the-air rollout has begun. Factory and OTA images are available, as well.
The next update for your Pixel phone is here. The April 2026 security patch is now live for Pixel devices, bringing with it a number of bug fixes. The update should be rolling out to your phone over the air sometime this week, but you can install it manually right now, if you’re really eager.
Google announced the rollout today in a Pixel help forum post. The update, coming to eligible Pixel phones running Android 16 starting today, includes remedies for app and game crashes and patches for security vulnerabilities, along with some smaller fixes.
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Pixel phones going back to the Pixel 6, as well as the Pixel Tablet, are slated to receive today’s update over the air in the coming days. According to the latest Android Security Bulletin, the update patches a number of high-severity security vulnerabilities, plus one marked as critical.
The update doesn’t bring any new features, however. The last feature update for Pixel phones was March’s Pixel Drop, which introduced features like AI-generated icon packs, SpongeBob SquarePants-branded software themes, and updated At a Glance functionality. We’re expecting the next Pixel Drop in June.
If you want to get the latest security patch on your own Pixel and you know your way around ADB, Google’s made the both full OTA images and factory images available. Given the update doesn’t include any new features, though, most users are likely better off waiting for the update to land on its own. Google says you can expect the update “over the next week.”
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