I’m sad that the Pixel’s best new feature is going away in less than two months

The Android 16 QPR3 update and the Pixel Drop that arrived alongside it brought plenty of new features to our Pixels.  The ability to finally remove the At a Glance widget, reverse the order of the navigation buttons, adjust the brightness of the flashlight, and more.

Sadly, the best feature Google has ever added to its phones exists on borrowed time. That’s right, on May 1, 2026, less than two months after the QPR3 update was released, Google’s SpongeBob themes will go away, and I couldn’t be more upset.

Adding personality to your home screen has always been lacking on Pixels compared to other Android phones. Theme packs aren’t what we’ve been asking for — I’m sure we’d all prefer support for the thousands of icon packs available on the Play Store — but I think these theme packs are a step in the right direction.

I’ve been a SpongeBob fan since the show started in 1999, when I was three years old. To me, these theme packs are something I didn’t know I needed. They let me inject my phone with the rambunctious personality of my favorite invertebrate, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted that until I got it.

The problem is that I won’t have it for long. Just like the Wicked themes from last year, these SpongeBob theme packs exist on a timer. On May 1, they go away forever. If you already have them downloaded, they’ll remain functional. But if you get a new phone or factory reset your device, they’ll be gone, and you won’t be able to get them back.

Sure, there are apps that can capture the wallpapers for you, but to my knowledge, there isn’t a way to keep the ringtones, alarm sounds, GIFs, or the icons that tie it all together. With that timer ticking, the SpongeBob themes feel like less of a gift and more of a cruel tease.

I understand there are probably legal reasons around licensing deals that explain why these themes will expire. But having a good reason doesn’t make the situation any less frustrating, especially when you think about the kids who might be using them.

Theme packs are available on all Tensor-powered Pixels, including the Pixel A-series phones, and I know plenty of parents who have handed down their older Pixels or bought the A models for their kids. If this 30-year-old fan is disappointed and saddened at the thought of losing these themes, I can only imagine younger fans will be even more attached to them.

If Google is going to do more of these themes, and I expect it will, I hope it can do something to make the themes stick around. Otherwise, it’s difficult to get excited about something that will get ripped away from you.

I knew I should’ve named her Debbie.