These are the 6 biggest Google Pixel 8 problems (and how to …

The Google Pixel range is generally Android at its best, and if you want the pure Android experience, this is the device you can choose, plus an incredible camera and some of the best toys Google can have . But even a phone made by the makers of Android is not immune to bugs and problems, and the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, while still new devices, already have their fair share of bugs and problems.

While sometimes it’s simply a matter that your particular unit is faulty and needs to be returned, sometimes there are problems that you can fix quite easily. Or at the other end of the scale, you’ll just have to wait for Google to send a solution via software update. Whatever the problem, and whatever the solution, we’ve compiled a list of the biggest current bugs (and solutions, where available) affecting the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Google Pixel 8 has bad battery life

Many users have noticed that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are not lasting as long as their previous Pixel phones. These problems range from the phone having slightly worse battery life than the Pixel 7 Pro, to some particularly worrying cases where the phone would drain the battery during the day, and then start restarting throughout the day.

There’s a big difference between a phone with a disappointingly low battery and a phone with an obviously bad battery, so there are many soft “fixes” and workarounds for this problem.

Solution:

• Lower your brightness. Both the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are very bright, so if your phone’s brightness is consistently high, it will impact your battery longevity. If there is no need to keep it so high, lower it.
• Enable power-saving mode. This will slow down performance and limit brightness, but if your phone isn’t working all day long, it’s a great option.
• Lower the resolution. Higher resolution uses more pixels, and more pixels require more power. Lower the resolution and this will help your battery power.
• If you play games, limit the number of games you play.
• Send it back to Google or whoever you bought it from. This should really only be done in the worst circumstances, for example if the battery is completely discharging within a few hours despite not demanding anything. That may be a faulty battery, and needs repair or replacement.

Poor cell reception/calling connectivity

It doesn’t matter how good the “smart” part of a “smartphone” is if the “phone” part sucks, and a lot of people are complaining that cell connectivity on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro is poor, or just plain flat. -Bad outside. The culprit here could possibly be the modem that Google is using in its Tensor G3 processor, but it’s also possible that the carrier signal is weak in your area. Of course, it’s also possible that it’s a combination of both, especially if you’ve been using the same carrier on a previous phone, and haven’t encountered these issues before. A Reddit user noticed that their cell network connection dropped when their phone connected to Wi-Fi. If this is your case, you may have to wait for a solution from Google.

Solution:

• Change carrier. It may be that a different carrier has better reception in your area, and switching to a new carrier may fix your problems. However, this may not be possible for those on contract.
• Convert to eSIM. One Pixel 8 owner noticed that switching from a physical SIM card to an eSIM improved their connectivity.
• Wait for bug fixes from Google. If some element of the software is to blame, and you don’t mind waiting (and your problems aren’t too bad), waiting for a bug fix from Google may be your best option.
• If the problem is really serious, returning the device to the seller may be your best option.

Slow or unresponsive touchscreen

There seems to be something going on with the Pixel 8 Pro, as some people have noticed that their phone’s touchscreen may be slow to respond or even become unresponsive altogether. We’ve long since passed the era of having extra navigation buttons on our smartphones, so if this continues then not being able to control your phone is truly a death knell. This issue has actually only been reported in the Pixel 8 Pro so far, so it may be due to the new OLED panel Google is using in that phone. One person also noticed that the issue only occurred when charging their phone wirelessly, which is oddly specific, but has been confirmed as an issue by other users.

Solution:

• If your touchscreen is completely unresponsive and you can’t use your phone, you’ll need to send it back to the seller for repair or replacement. You may have to borrow someone else’s phone to make a call.
• If this is a sporadic issue and you’re willing to wait, it’s a good idea to wait for a patch from Google. This could be software-based, and hence would be a big target for Google.

Google Pixel 8 is overheating

By most accounts, this is a problem that isn’t as bad as it was on phones like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7, but some Pixel 8 units are reaching uncomfortable temperatures during use. This is a particularly bad issue to experience, as it not only prevents you from using your phone, but can also cause you real pain. Thankfully, this is unlikely to happen, and as a potential benefit, someone else with a Pixel 8 Pro can use its temperature sensor to tell you how hot your phone is. Oh, sorry, too soon?

This may be something you have to learn to live with. If this becomes a widespread enough issue, Google may release a patch that will reduce processor power, but that’s unlikely to happen unless there are a lot of reports about it.

Solution:

• Use power-saving mode to limit the amount of power used by the processor and the heat generated as a result.
• Keep your phone away from direct sunlight.
• Restart, or do a factory reset. If there is an app running in the background that is using too many resources, it can be fixed by restarting. If the problem persists, consider performing a factory reset – but keep in mind that this will erase all your data from your phone, so be sure to backup your information.

‘Bumps’ on the back of the screen

The displays on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are gorgeous, but some people have noticed distinct bumps and lines on their phone’s screens. Although they may be hard to spot, more than a few Pixel 8 and 8 Pro owners have noticed this issue, and brought it to the attention of the community at large. Although not officially confirmed, it seems that the culprit is several springy “arms” that help hold the display panel in place. These arms appear to be applying pressure to the panel, causing a small amount of distortion. While it’s possible that this is purely cosmetic and won’t cause any long-term harm, many buyers are unconvinced by the idea that such a premium phone would be built so poorly, and are attempting to return their phones. .

Solution:

• There is only one solution here, and that is to return your smartphone if the seller allows it. Otherwise, if you can ignore them, it’s reasonable to expect that there won’t be any permanent damage to the screen over time.

camera app not working

According to some people on Reddit, the camera on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro is amazing, so it’s disappointing that it’s not working. Although most of the complaints so far have only been found in one thread, they are notable enough to be worth mentioning. Very few of these issues are consistent, and many have their own variations on the theme, but the general observation is the same: the camera app simply isn’t working. One user went to a lot of trouble trying common fixes, and nothing was working. Common factors include the main camera app not working although other apps with the camera work, glitches when opening the camera, and strange green lines on the front and rear camera views.

Solution:

• A restart is always worth a try.
• Try a factory reset as described above. Keep in mind that you will lose all your saved data as a result, so be sure to backup what you don’t want to lose.
• If none of these have worked, it’s time to send the device back where it came from. Contact your seller and arrange for return, repair or replacement.