You should always update your smartphone to take advantage of the latest security patches…or maybe sometimes you should wait just a little bit?
According to user reports on forums such as Reddit, some Pixel owners are claiming that they are locked out of their devices after installing the September 2026 Pixel update.
Users with Pixel devices ranging from the Pixel 10 Pro XL to the Pixel 9a to the Pixel 8 Pro have reported a lockout issue on Reddit after downloading the September OS update.
"I updated my Pixel 10 Pro XL to the latest September 2026 update, and since then I've been completely locked out of my phone due to a really strange issue with the pattern unlock," shared one user on Reddit with a Pixel 10 Pro XL. "Whenever I try to draw my unlock pattern, the line disappears immediately after connecting the second dot. All nine dots reset as if I've lifted my finger, regardless of which dot I start from. It's literally impossible to complete the pattern."
Some other Pixel users claim that their phone immediately displays "PIN is wrong" after they enter just the first digit of their PIN.
According to other users, the lock screen issue eventually triggers an emergency countdown timer after inputting the PIN number incorrectly too many times. However, one user on Reddit claims that the issue seemed to resolve itself after waiting out the timer, and that their Pixel phone finally accepted their PIN number.
Unfortunately, this hasn't worked for all Pixel owners. Some users have been forced to factory reset their devices just so they can keep using their smartphone, according to the user complaints shared online.
Google is apparently aware of the issue. Android Authority reports that the company has been reaching out to users who claim to be experiencing the problem on Reddit. However, the company has yet to address the issue publicly and has yet to release an update that fixes whatever the issue may be.
It should be noted that unless a fix is released that addresses whatever issue is causing the problem, Google cannot unlock your Pixel phone remotely, as the device is encrypted. So, unfortunately, those forced to factory reset their Pixel have lost photos and other files that weren't backed up or stored elsewhere. If you find yourself in this situation, you may want to wait until Google provides an answer to this specific problem before resetting the device.
Mashable highly recommends that users back up their devices before installing any update, even minor ones. Personally, I have automated updates turned off on my device specifically to avoid issues like this and to make sure there's always a recent backup before manually updating.
