September Pixel Drop Breaks Lockscreen Unlock on Pixel Phones
Google's September Pixel Drop is causing lockscreen unlock failures on Pixel 6 through 10, with users reporting pattern and PIN errors and lag.
Google's September Pixel Drop has left some Pixel owners unable to unlock their phones. Users report that the lockscreen accepts input before a PIN or pattern is finished, producing errors and lockouts.
A Pixel 10 Pro XL owner could not complete a pattern unlock because the screen reset after the first dot. A Pixel 8a user with a PIN lock saw a wrong PIN error after the first digit, and a Pixel 8 Pro owner reported the same problem.
After several failed attempts, the phone locks the user out for a few minutes. One user had to factory reset their device. A reported workaround is a hard restart by holding Power and Volume Down.
Owners of Pixel 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 also report lag after the update. Google's official PixelCommunity support account has contacted affected users, according to reports from gsmarena.com.
The September Pixel Drop had improved the VIP contacts widget, scam detection and added Pause Point to older models.
Quick answers
What is causing the Pixel lockscreen issue?
The September Pixel Drop appears to make the lockscreen accept input before a PIN or pattern is completed, leading to wrong PIN errors and lockouts.
Which Pixel models are affected?
Users of Pixel 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 report lag, while specific unlock failures were reported on Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 Pro.
Is there a workaround for the Pixel unlock bug?
A reported workaround is a hard restart by holding Power and Volume Down. One user had to factory reset their phone.