Some Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3.1 testers still stuck with no stable OTA update to January build

Some Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3.1 testers are still stuck without a stable OTA update to the January build, even though the “no wipe beta to stable” update has reportedly been available for weeks. This problem has been frustrating users, especially since it stems from a simple technical oversight.

The issue started because the December OTA update, which includes Android 15’s first Feature Drop, was finalized with a timestamp older than the QPR1 Beta 3.1 build. This creates a conflict, preventing users from sideloading the stable update or receiving it via OTA. Essentially, their devices see the beta as a “newer” version and reject the stable update.

For many users, the only way forward is to wait for Google to release a proper OTA path or to join the next beta cycle for QPR2. Both options are less than ideal. Some testers have reported error messages like “Error applying update: 7” when trying to sideload the January OTA, while others have expressed their frustration in forums and on social media.

One Pixel 7 user wrote, “Got the same error. God damn it.” Another suggested the only way out might be wiping their device, which has left some users hesitant to make any updates at all. Others are holding out hope for a fix that doesn’t involve wiping their phones or waiting months for the next stable release.

Google hasn’t officially addressed the problem yet, but users are sharing workarounds. Some have suggested waiting for a Beta Exit OTA that doesn’t require a data wipe, though no timeline for this has been confirmed. Others have recommended staying in the beta program and updating to QPR2, though this isn’t an ideal solution for everyone.

The main thread on the Issue Tracker for the bug still remains open, with fresh reports coming in following the release of the stable January update. It’s hard to imagine why Google does things the way it does. Let’s hope that Google sticks to its word the next time around when it promises an easy exit from the beta channel.