One of the reasons someone owns a Google Pixel phone is because it gets what is arguably the best level of software support in Android. Samsung has definitely claimed to be the king of updates, but Google is still the fastest most months when it comes to new Android security patches and big Android version updates. If you own a Pixel phone, you tend to be the first to test out what’s new in Android.
Unpacking everything I just said there, owning a Pixel phone directly means you get updates quickly and the new Android version first. There can be a touch of variation in the times each month, but for the most part, you’re first. You also get Pixel Feature Drop updates that often include new features exclusive to Pixel phones before rolling out to other devices.
There’s a certain cadence to all of this, so let’s break it down further.
How long will my Google Pixel receive updates?
Okay, since updates are a big part of owning a Google Pixel phone, how long will you get them for? It depends on the phone, but right now, newly released Pixel phones will see some level of support for at least 5 years.
Starting with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Google changed its level of support by offering 3 years of Android version updates along with 5 years of security updates. Before that, from Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL up to Pixel 5a (5G), Google offered 3 years of Android version updates and 3 years of security updates.
The Pixel 4 line has indeed received updates, as have the Pixel 3a, Pixel 3, Pixel 2, and original Pixel lines. Google is still (currently) providing updates to Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7a.
Below you’ll find the month and year that Google plans to stop providing updates to each Pixel phone.
| Google phone | Version updates | Security Updates |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel 7a | May 2026 | May 2028 |
| Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro | October 2025 | October 2027 |
| Pixels 6a | October 2024 | October 2026 |
| Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro | July 2025 | July 2027 |
| Pixel 5a | August 2024 | August 2024 |
| Pixels 5 | October 2023 | October 2023 |
| Pixel 4a (5G) | November 2023 | November 2023 |
| Pixels 4a | August 2023 | August 2023 |
| Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL | October 2022 | October 2022 |
When will my Pixel phone be updated?
Now that you know how long your Pixel phone will see updates for, you might be wondering when exactly those updates will appear each month. What I can tell you is that Google used to keep to a strict schedule on this, but has since allowed itself a bit of wiggle room. However, for most months, we expect the following:
- Monthly security updates: Google likes to release monthly Android security updates for its Pixel phones on the first Monday of every month. If that Monday is a holiday, they will release the update the next day. This used to be an official release schedule, but Google recently removed references to it. However, you should see updates regularly on the first Monday of the month.
- Android version updates: For larger Android version updates, Google tends to release them once a year. Over many years, this meant a stable Android version update from August to September. They stole one in October which was later than usual. Android 10 and Android 11 were released in September, and Android 9 and Android 13 in August. Android 12 was the extravagant in October.
When monthly or larger version updates arrive, they will show up over-the-air as an update that you can initiate yourself by going to Settings > System > System Update. We’re pretty good at telling you once these updates are live and ready to be installed.
When are Pixel Feature Drops released?
Pixel Feature Drops are a combination of big quarterly updates from Google that come with new software features for Pixel phones. The big Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) update typically fixes dozens and dozens of bugs, while Google also introduces new features through apps like Google Messages, Photos, Maps, Search, and the camera Pixel phones get before anyone else.
The schedule for Pixel Feature Drops is quarterly and happens 3 times a year. We tend to get a stable Android release in August or September, followed by the first QPR update in December, another in March of the following year, and then June. The cycle then starts all over again with the next version of Android.
For Android 12, that meant a feature drop in December 2021, a second drop in March 2022, and a final drop in June 2022. For Android 13, we saw a first QPR drop in December 2022 and a second drop in March 2023 The June 2023 drop should come any minute.
That’s it – now you should know exactly when you will receive updates on your Google Pixel phone.
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