Android 16 Causing Unresponsive Navigation Buttons & Gestures on Pixel Phones

Google officially rolled out Android 16 stable for eligible Pixel devices this week. The update offers fresh features, performance tweaks, and the first touches of Expressive Material Design 3 to the UI. However, it appears the ROM has delivered an unwelcome surprise to many, leaving them literally stuck in their tracks. Multiple users of Google Pixel devices running Android 16 are reporting a bug where gestures and navigation buttons are becoming unresponsive or getting stuck.

Google Pixel phones’ navigation gestures & buttons unresponsive or getting stuck in Android 16

Reports are rapidly surfacing across social platforms like Reddit and X/Twitter about the frustrating issue that’s making basic phone navigation a real headache. Imagine trying to go back in an app, swipe home, or tap a navigation button, and absolutely nothing happens. That’s precisely the issue many Google Pixel owners are facing: their navigation gestures and buttons are becoming unresponsive or getting stuck, sometimes for several seconds, after updating to Android 16.

“[Navigation] buttons are completely unresponsive or there are delays of over 30 seconds. My 8 Pro has become almost unusable,” says a redditor. “Pixel 9 Pro. Not a 3-Button navigation issue, but swiping to go back stops working intermittently. It’s driving me crazy, especially with apps that no longer provide a back button in their UI,” reports another. “Swiping gestures are either not registered or behave super weirdly,” adds an affected user.

Delays of up to 30 seconds

Users describe scenarios where a simple swipe to go back doesn’t register. There are also cases where the home button simply refuses to work. According to some Reddit reports, this lag can last for up to 30 seconds, turning everyday phone use into a test of patience. What makes it even more annoying is that the problem isn’t a one-off event. It can reappear multiple times throughout the day, disrupting your workflow and causing frustration.

While it doesn’t appear to be an issue affecting all Pixel phones, there are enough reports to make it notable. Even Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii is experiencing something similar. Whether you prefer gesture navigation or the classic three-button setup, this Android 16 navigation bug is causing a stir for many.

What’s next? Reporting the bug

As of now, Google has not officially acknowledged this bug. This means it’s crucial for affected users to make their voices heard. If you’re experiencing these unresponsive or stuck navigation buttons and gestures on your Android 16-powered Pixel phone, the best course of action is to submit a bug report directly from your device’s Settings menu. This will help draw the attention of the Mountain View giant and speed up the arrival of a fix.

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