Google’s March Pixel drop may be causing issues for some Pixel phone users. Some users of Google’s Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro have reported display-related issues following the March 2026 update, with complaints largely centred around the Always-on Display (AOD) freezing. Users have reported that their phones become unresponsive while on the lock screen or AOD, frequently requiring a force reboot to regain control, suggesting that the problem affects multiple devices.
While some devices recover after a few seconds, others stay stuck until manually restarted, according to complaints posted on sites like Reddit, an Android Police report said. In certain cases, the freezing extends beyond AOD to the lock screen, disrupting basic functionality.
How Pixel March Drop is causing problems for some users
While the problem is most commonly reported on the Pixel 10 series, some users have also flagged similar behaviour on the Pixel 9 lineup, the report noted. However, the absence of widespread reports from Pixel 8 or Pixel 7 users suggests that the issue might only affect the newer models.
Currently, there is no confirmed fix. Some users have attempted troubleshooting steps such as factory resetting their devices, but these measures have not resolved the issue.
The only temporary workaround appears to be disabling the Always-on Display feature entirely or restarting the phone periodically to reduce the chances of freezing.
This is not the first time Pixel 10 users have faced issues with the Always-on Display. Similar complaints emerged shortly after the device’s launch and resurfaced again following the Android 16 QPR2 update in December 2025. The issue now appears to have returned after the latest Quarterly Feature Drop.
The recurrence of the same bug across multiple updates suggests an ongoing problem that has not yet been fully addressed. It also raises concerns about software stability, especially when updates are expected to improve performance and fix known issues.
In addition to the display problem, some users have also noted changes to the Recent Apps interface after the March update. The update reportedly removes options such as directly saving images to Google Photos or launching a Google Lens search from the recent apps screen.
Google has not yet issued an official statement on the issue. For now, affected users may have to rely on temporary workarounds while waiting for a future update that addresses the problem.
