- Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro software support ends soon
- Android QPR1 will be the last update for these phones
- They were first launched by Google in October 2021
If you’re using a Google Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, launched in October 2021, then your five years of software updates are coming to an end: Google has confirmed that these devices will not have access to the latest Android QPR2 Beta 1 version.
“Pixel 6 and 6 Pro users will not benefit from this OTA since the device will reach its end of life and the Android 17 QPR1 beta series will be the last for these devices,” Google says in the release notes for the latest beta, via Android Police.
This means there are no more beta updates for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, with the latest stable version of the software officially Android 17 QPR1 expected to be part of the September Pixel Drop. This should happen just before the fifth anniversary of these phones, in October 2026.
As with any end-of-life situation like this, your phone isn’t going to suddenly stop working. However, it will no longer benefit from new features or security updates: the more time passes, the more vulnerable it will be to bugs and malware attacks.
Applications may start to slow down and misbehave, and the recommended solution is to upgrade them as soon as possible. Google is set to unveil the new Pixel 11 series on Wednesday, August 12, so maybe you could treat yourself to one of these handsets.
There’s still life in the old phone
You have several options for what to do with your old phone. Your network operator can recycle it for you and even offer you cash back (check the website for details), but otherwise you can find plenty of third-party services that will do this – just run a web search for them.
You can also reuse your old Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro and turn it into something else. These ideas will all work without requiring regular Android software updates:
- Dedicated e-reader — install the Kindle app (or something similar) on your old phone and you can keep it exclusively for browsing your e-books.
- Car dashboard camera — install and plug your old phone into your car dashboard, install an app like Droid Dashcam and you have a dashcam.
- Alternative webcam — Sticking with cameras, your old phone probably offers higher resolution and better angles than your current webcam. Here’s how to configure it.
- Portable Power Bank — the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro can work as chargers for other phones when connected via USB-C (they can also charge smaller devices wirelessly).
- Wi-Fi extender — If part of your house cannot benefit from Wi-Fi, use your old Pixel as a Wi-Fi repeater for your router via the hotspot option (under Network and Internet in Settings).
- PC Console — With an app like Touch Portal installed, you can get a Stream Deck-like experience for gaming and streaming with your old Android phone.
There’s no excuse for letting it gather dust in a drawer or simply toss it in the trash (and worsen our growing e-waste problem). And you still have a few months to decide what you would like to do.
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