Is Your Pixel Display Flickering After The March Update? Try This Workaround
Google's March Pixel update is filled with loads of new features, and also a handful of bugs, apparently. Complaints are piling in over glitching display brightness, as well as audio and haptics that have seemingly developed a mind of their own. Rest assured Google is on the case with a fix for some if not all of the new issues. In the meantime, we have an temporary solution for the brightness glitch.
As likely the last major Android 15 update before 16 rolls out in a few months, the recent March update was welcomed with open arms for some notable feature drops. To name a few: Scam Detection in the Phone/Messages app (that proactively flags what it thinks is suspicious messaging commonly used by scammers), Connected Camera capability (for users to connect a GoPro or Pixel 6 to a Pixel 9 to livestream video from different angles), a proper Linux terminal app, and Pixel Screenshot on the Pixel 9 Work Profile (which automatically suggests screenshots to add to your Collections).
However, the update has also brought along its unfortunate share of bugs. Two of the most prolific ones that have popped up center around the display brightness and haptics strength. Pixel owners have experienced varying screen brightness that either seem to flicker or dim randomly. So far this issue occurs only during certain video playback, although some folks claim that the brightness issue spans every built-in or third-party video app they used.
The haptics system hasn't been spared either. Many users are seeing stronger haptics than before (though some of you might call it a "feature"), while others are complaining about the opposite—where vibrations are now weaker than before.
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Another growing problem potentially caused by the March update has been audio-related issues. Some users are reporting random (and sudden) volume increase when listening to music OR when transitioning from listening to music to watching video. This apparently happens when EQ is turned on. You can see a compiled list of issues here.
We're quite sure Google is aware of all of this and should be working on a patch. Of course, do know that the next update may or may not address the problem you might have right away. For now, however, we have a temporary but quick workaround that can bypass the brightness issue. It assumes that the Pixel variable refresh rate has gone bonkers, so locking the refresh rate to 60 Hz seems to do the trick. To do so, click Settings > Display > turn off Smooth Display.
