Pixel November update bugs: camera freezes, odd pocket touches

Pixel camera not working after the update

The most serious complaint is a frozen camera. Some users see a black patch where the viewfinder should be, in every app that uses the camera, not just the main one. A factory reset reportedly does not help. A Reddit user, Albamen13, suggests a stopgap: turn the camera off for five seconds, then wait about five minutes before turning it back on. Several others in the thread say it worked. The official PixelCommunity account on Reddit has also noticed the thread.

Accidental touches, AOD and lock screen problems

Another bug hits more people. Phones wake up and register touches in a pocket even with Tap to Wake switched off. It seems to happen only in the first four seconds or so after locking, and more than half a dozen users confirm it. The workaround is dull but works: wait about five seconds before pocketing the phone.

One Pixel 9 Pro Fold owner says the notification drawer often stays half-dropped after locking, so a faded drawer shows instead of the always-on display (AOD). Their inner screen also no longer lights up when unfolded until they press the power button. A Pixel 10 Pro XL owner cannot change the lock screen clock style, even after a reboot.

Notifications are acting up too. One user says closing the drawer now takes three swipes instead of two, or two instead of one when it is empty. Others describe a sluggish drawer and a home screen swipe-down that no longer opens the shade.

Desktop Mode glitches

Desktop Mode, which turns the phone into a desktop-style interface on an external monitor, has problems as well. Audio over HDMI through a USB-C dock now plays from the phone speakers. The icon dock disappears when the phone screen auto-locks, and full-screen windows hide the dock without using the freed space.

Google has not commented in the reports, but the Reddit team's attention suggests a fix may come.