Android 16 January update rolling out: Pixel 10 GPU improvements, battery fixes, more

The year in updates is getting underway with the January 2026 security patch for Android 16 QPR2 on the Pixel 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, 8 Pro, 8a, 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold, 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Of note are three updates to Display & Graphics just for the Pixel 10 series. There are “General improvements for GPU performance in certain conditions” along with an Adobe Lightroom fix for “noisy lines flashing on the screen” when editing HDR photos.

There’s also a fix for the Pixel 10 series always-on display flickering, while Google has addressed the touchscreen randomly not working “under certain conditions.”

The Pixel 8 and newer also benefit from a fix for the “battery draining in certain conditions.”

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There is just one security issue resolved in the Android 16 January patch dated 2026-01-05.

Global

Pixel 7a:                BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel Tablet:         BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel Fold:            BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 8:                  BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 8 Pro:           BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 8a:                BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 9:                  BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 9 Pro:           BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 9 Pro XL:      BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 9 Pro Fold:   BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 9a:                BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 10:                BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 10 Pro:         BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 10 Pro XL:    BP4A.260105.004.E1 Pixel 10 Pro Fold: BP4A.260105.004.E1

EMEA

Pixel 9:                    BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 9 Pro:             BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 9 Pro XL:       BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 9 Pro Fold:    BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 10:                  BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 10 Pro:           BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 10 Pro XL:     BP4A.260105.004.A2 Pixel 10 Pro Fold:  BP4A.260105.004.A2

Japan

Pixel 9a:                  BP4A.260105.004.C2 Pixel 10:                  BP4A.260105.004.C2 Pixel 10 Pro:           BP4A.260105.004.C2 Pixel 10 Pro XL:     BP4A.260105.004.C2 Pixel 10 Pro Fold:  BP4A.260105.004.C2

Verizon

Pixel 9a:                  BP4A.260105.004.B2

Use the following device key to interpret the Pixel’s Android 16 January update changelog:

*[1]  Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold

*[2]  Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold

*[3] Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Audio

Fix for noisy ringback tones experienced during Webex calls under certain conditions*[1]

Battery & Charging

Fix for issue with battery draining in certain conditions*[2]

Display & Graphics

Fix for issue with AOD flickering under certain conditions*[3] Fix for noisy lines flashing on the screen when editing HDR photos in the Adobe Lightroom app under certain conditions*[3] General improvements for GPU performance in certain conditions*[3]

Touch

Fix for issue with touchscreen randomly stops working in certain conditions*[3]

User Interface

Fix for an issue where deleting a Live Universe wallpaper could occasionally cause the Wallpaper and style app to become unusable until the device is rebooted*[1] Add 9to5Google as a preferred source on Google Add 9to5Google as a preferred source on Google

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