If you have recently picked up a Google Pixel 10 or updated your older Pixel device to the stable Android 16 QPR2 release, you might have noticed something startling. A growing number of users are reporting a loud, random “popping” or static noise emitting from their speakers, an issue that seems to have slipped through the cracks of the beta testing phase.
While the reports are just now gaining traction among the wider public following the stable rollout, this is a bug we have been tracking for months, dating back to the QPR2 beta cycle in late 2025.
The issue manifests as a sharp, loud crackle or static “pop” from the device’s speakers. It doesn’t seem to matter if the volume is low or the phone is in silent mode; the pop cuts through regardless.
According to a recent Reddit thread, the problem is affecting the brand-new Pixel 10 series, the Pixel 9 series, the Pixel 8 series, and even some Pixel 7 units. The common denominator appears to be the recent Android 16 QPR2 update.
Users describe the trigger as random, though it frequently occurs when switching between apps, opening games, or when the OS attempts to play a notification sound over existing audio. One Pixel 10 Pro user described it as feeling like “the speakers are being overloaded for a split second,” while another noted it happens specifically when “opening a game mode.”
One user, clearly fed up, remarked, “I hate this, happens to me on my Pixel 9 Pro too. The popping is extremely loud and it’s really cringe when it happens in a silent room.” Another disappointed buyer added, “I’ve had this on my P8P… it hasn’t happened on my iPhone. I definitely won’t be getting another Pixel.”
Some users even went as far as replacing their hardware under warranty, only to find the “pop” persisted on the new unit, confirming this is almost certainly a software-level glitch introduced in the latest Android build.
We saw this coming in October 2025
While these reports are flooding in now that the stable update is live, the bug actually reared its head months ago. In fact, our own in-house Pixel 8 unit began exhibiting this exact behavior back in October 2025, immediately after installing Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.2.
At the time, my colleague Dwayne Cubbins noted the anomaly, describing it as a “random loud static sort of noise” that lasted for less than a second. His experience mirrors the fresh reports we are seeing today almost perfectly:
“The Pixel 8, after this QPR2 Beta 3.2 update, seems to be making a random loud static sort of noise for less than a second. At least when there’s audio beginning to play or end. It happened first when I was scrolling on X, and then just now when watching a Reel on Instagram.”
Dwayne even attempted to flag the issue to the community, commenting on the official release thread for Beta 3.2. Unfortunately, the report seemingly went unnoticed, likely because it was a sporadic bug that was difficult to reproduce consistently at the time.
It appears that what was once a rare quirk in the beta channel has graduated to a widespread annoyance in the stable channel. The prevailing theory among users is that the audio driver is glitching when handing off tasks, specifically when a short-duration sound (like a UI click or game chime) interrupts or overlaps with an active audio stream, causing the speakers to “glitch out” before resetting.
With the stable Android 16 QPR2 now on millions of devices, including the flagship Pixel 10 series, Google will likely be forced to address this sooner rather than later. For now, there is no known permanent fix other than hoping the next monthly patch silences the static sound for good.
Are you hearing loud pops on your Pixel device after the latest update? Let us know in the comments.