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Plug in an external display and watch the cursor disappear? That was one of the quirks Google promised to fix, and the company is rolling out a new beta that tackles it along with a handful of other annoyances.
Small fixes, visible relief
Android 17 QPR1 Beta 4 is now seeding to eligible Pixel devices, with the Pixel 6a leading the charge. The release follows roughly three weeks after Beta 3, which itself landed shortly after The Android Show: I/O Edition 2026. Not every Pixel is included this time — the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have not received the new build.
Firmware details matter to power users. The Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro are getting build CP31.260522.006.A1. All other supported Pixels receive build CP31.260522.006.
So what’s fixed? Google’s changelog highlights a number of practical, user-facing bugs. A mouse pointer that vanished on external displays is addressed. The camera now behaves more politely: the screenshot shutter sound should no longer play when your phone is set to silent. Video recording gets smoother too — the update resolves frame drops and jitter when panning at 5x zoom. There are additional under-the-hood fixes that aim to tidy up stability across the platform.
Beta updates are not just about new features; they are about making daily use less frustrating. This release feels like that kind of cleanup: small in scope, but meaningful when you actually rely on these functions.
Will everyone notice the difference? If you use external displays, shoot zoomed video, or take screenshots on silent, yes. For others, this is a quieter maintenance patch that clears some of the rough edges ahead of the broader rollout.
Google appears to be lining up the stable Android 17 release soon, so this beta looks like one of the final polishing rounds. If you’re enrolled in the Beta program and own a supported Pixel, check for the update in your system settings. If you’re still on a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, patience is required — the build hasn’t reached those phones yet.
Source: gsmarena
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