2021 is officially underway and Google is wasting little time getting its first security update of the year out to Pixel owners. The company has released the January 2021 security patch, which not only brings plenty of security fixes, but also has a few bug fixes in-tow.
Unlike the December update, which included a “Feature Drop” with features for older Pixel handsets, this update is a bit different. The latest Pixel update just focuses on improving the security of your device, along with providing bug fixes for issues that have been plaguing device owners. As Google usually does, it provided a list of everything being improved in this latest Pixel update.
| Category | Improvements | Device(s) |
| Audio | Further tuning & improvements for volume level of system sounds | Pixel 5 |
| Audio | Fix for issue causing speaker in certain scenarios | Pixel 4a 5G |
| Display / Graphics | Further improvements for auto-brightness in certain lighting conditions | Pixel 4a Pixel 4a 5G Pixel 5 |
| Display / Graphics | Fix for issue causing intermittent restarts in certain apps | Pixel 3 / XL Pixel 3a / XL Pixel 4 / XL Pixel 4a Pixel 4a 5G Pixel 5 |
| Sensors | Further improvements for auto-rotation response in certain device orientations | Pixel 3 / XL Pixel 3a / XL Pixel 4 / XL Pixel 4a Pixel 4a 5G Pixel 5 |
| Telephony | Fix for issue preventing calls on certain MVNO networks | Pixel 3 / XL Pixel 3a / XL Pixel 4 / XL Pixel 4a Pixel 4a 5G Pixel 5 |
What phones are eligible for this update?
You’ll notice a couple of devices that are omitted from the list below. That’s because official support for the Pixel 2 and 2 XL ended in December. This means that those devices will no longer see security updates or official patches, so it might be time to consider upgrading. Nevertheless, these are the devices that are receiving Google’s first Pixel update of 2021.
- Pixel 3 XL
- 3a XL
- 4 XL
- Pixel 4a
- 4a 5G
- Pixel 5
This update is also available for owners of the Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5 who are subscribed to Verizon.
How to update Google Pixel
If you are new to the Pixel 5 and want to manually check for an update, it’s a pretty straightforward process. Most of the time, you’ll receive a notification when an update is available. But if Google is rolling out an update in waves, you may need to try to ‘force’ the update.
- Open the Settings app on your Pixel 5.
- Scroll down and tap System.
- Tap Advanced to expand the menu.
- Select System Update.
- Tap Check for Update.
It may take a few times for the update to appear on your Pixel device. Google tries its hardest to make these updates available for Pixel owners as soon as they are released. However, the servers can get backed up from time-to-time, ending up in longer wait times.
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