Less than a week after seeding Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3, Google has pushed a minor Beta 3.1 release for compatible Pixel phones. The build fixes the booloping issue that affected Pixel devices with the Desktop Experience developer toggle enabled.
Following soft bricking reports, Google pulled the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3 from its servers within 24 hours of its release. So, users who could not install the update were stuck on the older Beta 2 release, while others who updated ended up with a bootlooping Pixel.
Now, Google has seeded Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.1 with fixes for the bootlooping issue. However, the new build is only for Pixel devices still running QPR2 Beta 2.
For the Pixel 6 family, the Beta 3.1 carries the build number BP41.250916.010, while for all other newer devices, Google is rolling out build BP41.250916.010.A1. So, if your Pixel is enrolled in the Android Beta program and running Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3, check for a new update.
If you have a soft-bricked Pixel, Google has outlined five different options which you can try to revive your Pixel. The best option, Google says, is to “let the system recover itself back to Beta 2 after the system fails to boot a few times.”
Since Pixels use an A/B partition system, the device should fall back to the secondary system partition if it repeatedly fails to boot from the primary partition. In case that does not work, you can sideload Beta 3.1 using ADB. However, this requires you to have previously enabled USB debugging on your phone previously.
These options will not wipe any data stored on your device. But if they fail to work, you’ll have to boot your phone into recovery and do a factory wipe/reset to get your Pixel to boot again.
Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.1 contains no other fixes
Google hasn’t published updated release notes for Beta 3.1, suggesting it includes no additional changes or enhancements beyond what was listed for Beta 3.
Google may drop another bug-fixing Android 16 QPR3 beta build ahead of the stable release of the OS in December.
