Google has rolled out the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3.1 update, and Pixel fans will be happy to know it’s packed with fixes for some long-standing bugs. 
This Quarterly Platform Release, also known as the Pixel Feature Drop, comes with 24 specific patches aimed at improving stability, performance, and UI consistency across Pixel devices.
The update addresses a wide range of issues – from device instability related to Wi-Fi network handling, crashes in the Context Hub due to memory leaks, and missing pinned apps or search bar on the home screen, to notification overlap glitches, misaligned Quick Settings on foldables, and random reboots. Improvements also include better media player behavior on the lock screen, cleaner transitions after exiting full-screen apps, smoother video call audio switching, and fixes for Bluetooth crashes and audio buffer memory bugs that could cause call disconnections.
Other refinements tackle visual inconsistencies like status bar misalignment, black translucent bars after leaving full-screen apps, and gaps in the notification shade. Problems with widgets failing to load, input freezes during typing, screen flickers when launching apps, and system crashes during media transfers have also been resolved.
If you’re running Android 16 QPR1 Beta on a Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, or newer, you can grab the update by going to Settings > System > Software updates > System update and following the on-screen instructions.
Next month, the official Android 16 QPR1 release – likely the September Pixel Feature Drop – will land. Beta testers will then face a choice: opt out of the Beta Program and return to the stable build without a device wipe, or stay enrolled and jump straight into Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, which kicks off testing for the December Feature Drop.