Some Pixel Users Locked Out After September 2026 Update

The September Pixel Drop introduced a revamped Pixel VIPs widget, expanded scam protection to other chat apps through Gboard, and fixed several bugs. But some users found that not everything worked as expected, with reports appearing online of owners unable to access their phones.

A Pixel 10 Pro XL owner on Reddit who installed the update said the phone refused to recognize the pattern unlock they had set up, according to Android Authority. They tried booting the phone in safe mode a few times, cleaning the screen, restarting it, and even connecting a mouse with an adapter, but saw no results.

The only thing that seemed to work was a factory reset, which removes all data from the device. The Pixel 10 Pro XL user said they had now switched to PIN-based unlocking. Another complaint raised concerns about that authentication method as well.

Separately, a Pixel 8a owner appears to have had a similar experience after the September 2026 update, Android Authority reported. Their phone would automatically accept the PIN after only one digit was entered, causing the device to show an incorrect PIN error message. They reportedly got through after triggering the 'Too many attempts' message and waiting for the timer to run out.

Some other affected Pixel owners were less lucky, according to the report, and had to wipe all device data just to get back into their phones. Android Authority said Google is actively reaching out to affected users in those Reddit threads, indicating the company is aware of the issue.

The Android Authority article also said its writer had not seen these issues on a Pixel 6a after the September 2026 update, with the phone recognizing the PIN as it should. That suggests the issue may not be as widespread as some other recent bugs. Google has not officially commented on the reports. Android Authority said it had reached out to the company for comment and would provide an update when it heard back.