Google's January Pixel update breaks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Rajesh started following the latest happenings in the world of Android around the release of the Nexus One and Samsung Galaxy S. After flashing custom ROMs and kernels on his beloved Galaxy S, he started writing about Android for a living. He uses the latest Samsung or Pixel flagship as his daily driver. And yes, he carries an iPhone as a secondary device. Rajesh has been writing for Android Police since 2021, covering news, how-tos, and features. Based in India, he has previously written for Neowin, AndroidBeat, Times of India, iPhoneHacks, MySmartPrice, and MakeUseOf. When not working, you will find him mindlessly scrolling through X, playing with new AI models, or going on long road trips. You can reach out to him on Twitter or drop a mail at rajesh@androidpolice.com.

Google took its time in widely pushing out the January 2026 update to compatible Pixel phones despite announcing it in the second week of the month. Unfortunately, the update seems to be causing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity problems on some Pixels, with no workaround or fix in sight.

Several Pixel owners have taken to Reddit and Google support forums to voice their frustration. They report that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are not working at all, with neither feature turning on (via 9to5Google). Worse, a restart or a factory reset does not appear to resolve the issue, not even temporarily.

The bug may pose a problem for users with limited access to mobile data, effectively leaving their Pixel stuck in a near-airplane mode state.

The problem appears to affect all supported Pixel models, including the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro/XL. While it doesn’t seem to impact every Pixel device that installed the January 2026 update, the issue appears to be fairly widespread.

If you’re facing a similar issue on your Pixel, there’s unfortunately not much you can do. There are no easy workarounds, with reinstalling the latest public build appearing to be the only option that has worked for a handful of users. That would require sideloading the build manually through ADB and require access to a computer — a process that demands a bit of technical know-how.

If you haven't installed the January 2026 build on your Pixel yet, you might want to hold off for now.

Beyond Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues, some Pixel users are reporting additional problems. This includes the search function in the Settings menu being completely broken, the Network & Internet option failing to load, excessive idle battery drain, and even the camera not working.

Another Pixel update, another round of problems

The official Made by Google account on X has acknowledged the problem, but there's no clarity on when the company will roll out a fix to resolve the connectivity woes and other issues.

This isn’t the first time a routine monthly security update has caused more problems for Pixel users than it has solved. If anything, such issues after a software update are typical in the Pixel world.