It's an incremental update, but an update nevertheless as Google pushed out Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.1 on Monday. It took place on the same day that Apple released iOS 26.1 Beta 4 for the iPhone. The update is Release number BP41.250916.010 for the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6a, and weighs in at 469 MB. Release BP41.250916.010.A1 is for all other eligible Pixel models and is only 2.64 MB. That difference in heft is because the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a never received Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3. We can assume that the new update merges both Beta 3 and Beta 3.1 for the Pixel 6 line.
Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.1 fixes bootlooping issue on some Pixel models
Pixel users can install the update by going to Settings > System > Software update > System update. Follow the directions to install and update your phone. The update fixes a bootlooping issue that forced Google to recall the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3 release. Those who could not install the Beta 3 update were stuck on Beta 2, like the Pixel 6 series, while others ended up having to deal with the bootlooping cycle. The Beta 3.1 release is only for those phones stuck on Beta 2.
Is your Pixel 6 series phone running better than ever?
Yes. Everything runs better since the original launch.
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No. Everything runs the same.
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MY Pixel 6 series phone runs worse than ever.
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Google later discovered that with the units that were bootlooping, the Desktop Mode developer feature was active before or after the Beta 3 update was installed.
Pixel 6 versus the Pixel 6 Pro. | Image credit-PhoneArena
If your Pixel handset is running through the bootlooping cycle, the update won't help and Google recommends that you "let the system recover itself back to Beta 2 after the system fails to boot a few times." Pixel phones update using an A/B partition system so if the primary partition doesn't install, the phone should attempt to boot from the secondary partition. If this fails to load, you might have to sideload Beta 3.1 using the Android Debug Bridge.
Despite the lack of new Release Notes, those stuck on QPR2 Beta 2 should check out this list of fixes
While none of these options will remove the data on your phone, if they don't work and you're unable to boot up your Pixel device, you'll have to boot your Pixel into recovery mode and do a factory reset to boot up your phone.
Google did not release updated release notes for Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.1. What we can do is reveal the release notes for Beta 3 since the Beta 3.1 update is meant for those models still running Beta 2 which happen to include the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a.
Here are the fixes you can expect to see on the above models once you install the update:
Google Play System Updates were failing to install for some users. (Issue #420748298, Issue #438257102)
Home screen shortcuts appeared as blank gray circles. (Issue #440302367)
The Wallet icon on your lockscreen could sometimes appear with incorrect coloring. (Issue #419061603, Issue #434489536)
Battery charged to 100% when adaptive charging is turned on (Issue #445583926)
The swipe-up gesture from the bottom occasionally stopped working. (Issue #436632152, Issue #445023211)
Your selected theme might not apply on the first attempt. (Issue #440830741)
50MP images captured with the ultrawide or telephoto lens displayed rainbow artifacts. (Issue #422058430, Issue #443250512)
Poor battery life due to excessive CPU usage by the launcher, particularly on foldable devices. (Issue #441741448)
Calls could incorrectly route Bluetooth audio. (Issue #448580013, Issue #448580779)
Users in New Zealand could not access all 6GHz Wi-Fi networks. (Issue #444050891)
The Terminal app would crash if you changed your device's UI font size while it was open. (Issue #412082408)
Users couldn't type special characters like \*, @, or # in the GUI terminal. (Issue #444130818)
Simultaneously swiping lockscreen widgets and the notification shade caused buggy animations and a laggy, unresponsive UI. (Issue #446133358)
The screen sometimes became unresponsive or froze when unlocking the device.
Display freezes and screen noise.
Unexpected device crashes.
The update includes security patch level 2025-10-05 and Google Play Services 25.34.34.
My Pixel 6 Pro is running better than it ever did
Overall, I have to say that my Pixel 6 Pro s running smoothly with some minor hiccups here and there. With the Material 3 Expressive interface updates, this is the best experience I've had with the phone since I purchased it. The only downside I have is with the battery life. Some of the past updates Google has released for the Pixel 6 series have continued to impress. When the phone was first released, the optical fingerprint sensor was slow, laggy, and inaccurate.
An update improved the fingerprint sensor on the Pixel 6 line and since last year's Pixel 9 series, Google switched to the more accurate and speedier ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Thanks Google. Couldn't you have come to the conclusion that an ultrasonic sensor was better before you released the Pixel 6 line? Still, it's all good and after selling a few more pints of blood, I might be able to work my way up to a Pixel 10 Pro XL.
"Iconic Phones" is coming this Fall!
Good news everyone! Over the past year we've been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we're thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months.
"Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips" is a must-have coffee table book for every tech-head that will bring you on a journey to relive the greatest technological revolution of the 21st century. For more details, simply follow the link below!
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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