[Updated] Google Pixel 7 & 7 Pro 'screen flickering' issue troubling a section of users

Here’s the crux of the article in video form

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on December 28, 2022) follows:

Google Pixel is the company’s premium line of Android-based smartphones. These flagship phones have top-tier hardware and a plethora of built-in features that contribute to a fantastic user experience.

These phones also get regular and long-term update support, helping them stay secure for quite some time.

Like any other smartphone, Google’s Pixel line of devices also has its fair share of issues. For instance, we recently covered a story where Google’s Pixel 7 owners were having trouble registering accurate touch on their devices.

According to reports (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) multiple users have been facing screen flickering issues on their Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones.

Several allege that the issue arises when watching an HDR-compatible video or while trying to change the video resolution during playback on any of the well-known streaming media services.

Some experience this problem when the always-on display mode is turned on.

Others claim that the screen flickers when attempting to resize the player window, such as when switching to the mini-player or scrolling down other videos.

For some, the problem is said to occur only while using night mode on their mobile devices. Users don’t seem to have any issues while using their phones in the day when the phone is in light mode.

I’ve been having an issue when charging and using my phone at the same time. The phone seems to get really hot and the I can see screen flicker and kind of like burn in shadowing from screen to screen, vertical lines as well. Very noticeable flicker in photos.
Source

My Pixel 7 Pro’s screen is flickering on the top. Just started happening today, I haven’t dropped it or anything (and I also have a case). Changing the screen resolution from 1440p to 1080p seems to increase the area of flicker.
Source

A Redittor also witnessed the persistent screen flickering issue while surfing the web with a browser app such as Firefox or Chrome.

One had to allegedly reboot their phone in order to stop the flickering problem on the screen.

General troubleshooting steps such as updating the installed apps and operating system or factory resetting the phone have been of little use to those who tried them.

Pixel owners feel annoyed as the issue hampers their viewing experience and also makes it difficult to use the phone for their day-to-day chores.

Since the problem seems to be occurring on multiple occasions, it seems to be more of a hardware-related issue than that of an application update.

Unfortunately, Google has not yet officially acknowledged the issue. It appears that Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro owners will have to wait a while before the ‘screen flickering’ issue is resolved.

Fortunately, we did come across a potential workaround that may help solve the problem for some.

It has been suggested by a Google community forum member that one should try to change the ‘graphics driver preferences’ setting under the Developer options.

Another also suggested disabling the camera app on the Pixel 7 series smartphones. Alternatively, one could get their phone repaired or replaced at an authorized service center in their locality.

That said, we’ll keep an eye on the issue where Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro owners are experiencing ‘screen flickering’ problems and update this article as and when something noteworthy comes up.

05:28 pm (IST): A user claims that their smartphone first experienced a flickering screen issue before developing a ‘green smear’ on the screen.

10:40 am (IST): Some Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users are now reporting (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) that their screen is flickering and suddenly flashes green pixels repeatedly.

According to those affected, the screen slowly flashes green and eventually goes blank, forcing users to restart. However, the issue resurfaces even after restarting the device.

Unfortunately, Google hasn’t yet acknowledged this problem. But luckily, some users affected by this behavior were able to replace their units (1, 2, 3).

09:41 am (IST): One of those affected pointed out that the issue initially starts with the device getting abnormally hot and eventually after a few days green flickering screen shows up.

So, overheating could be responsible for the green hues on the display. However, the support team hasn’t yet acknowledged this problem, so the actual cause is still unknown.

08:50 am (IST): Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3.2 is here and the changelog indicates that the green flashing or artifacting has been fixed.

09:09 am (IST): Some users now reporting (1, 2) that the green flashing issue persists even after installing the Android 13 QPR Beta 3.2 update.

02:45 pm (IST): According to one user, Google support said that the screen flickering issue would be resolved in the upcoming software update.

11:52 am (IST): A Redditor has suggested that disabling AOD works as a temporary solution to prevent the problem from appearing or spreading.

05:47 pm (IST): To further investigate the matter, a Google employee is now asking for some info in this thread:

– Screen record of the issue, for clarity

– Please capture screen record or video of the issue using following steps:

adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/video.mp4

– Subsequently use following command to pull the recorded file:

adb pull /sdcard/video.mp4

01:03 pm (IST): A software update for March 2023 has just been released by Google for eligible Pixel smartphones. The patch also includes various general improvements related to the flickering issue such as:

• Fix for issue occasionally causing display flicker or artifacts in certain apps or conditions *[1]
• Fix for issue occasionally causing instability or playback errors with certain media apps or content *[1]
• Fix for issue occasionally causing video preview to flicker in certain apps *[1]

Source

01:47 pm (IST): According to some fresh reports (1, 2), users continue to face screen flickering issue even after updating to March 2023 patch.

05:02 pm (IST): One of those affected said that the flickering issue got fixed after they removed their case. So, if you are still facing this problem, then you can also try this workaround and see if it works.

NOTE: You can also check the Google Pixel 7 series bugs/issues and updates tracker for more information.

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