Google signals a future update will tackle Pixel pocket dialing and accidental taps

Google just quietly marked one of the longest-running Pixel complaints as fixed in its issue tracker. The company says accidental touch prevention is coming in a future software release, potentially ending years of pocket dialing nightmares for Pixel owners.​

The update comes from a Google engineer’s comment on November 29, stating, “The issue has been fixed and watch out for future releases.” It’s a brief message, but it’s the first concrete sign that Google is addressing a problem that’s plagued Pixel phones since at least the Pixel 6 era back in 2021.​

Here’s the catch: the December 2025 Pixel update rolled out just days ago with over 100 bug fixes, and this feature wasn’t included. That means “future releases” likely points to January 2026 at the earliest, or possibly a later feature drop.

For context, Pixel users have been complaining about this for years. We’re talking about phones that randomly call emergency contacts from inside pockets, turn on airplane mode, activate the flashlight, and even send WhatsApp messages without anyone touching the screen. The issue tracker thread where Google posted the fix notice actually references one of our own articles from 2022 that documented how widespread the problem was.

What makes this particularly frustrating is that other Android manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus have had “pocket mode” features for years. These use proximity sensors to detect when a phone is in your pocket and disable touch input accordingly. Google just… didn’t include anything similar.​

The workarounds users have been forced to use are pretty annoying. Disabling “Tap to check phone” helps, but it means losing a convenient feature you shouldn’t have to sacrifice. Some people have had to turn off nearly all their lock screen features just to stop their phones from going rogue in their pockets.​

Reddit threads show this problem has affected every Pixel generation from the 6 through the 9 series (and probably the 10 too), with reports continuing through 2025. If Google’s fix actually works when it finally arrives, it’ll be a relief for anyone who’s accidentally called 911 or their boss while their phone was just sitting in their jeans.​

We’ll keep an eye out for which update actually delivers this fix. Pixel owners have been patient long enough.

Thanks for the tip, Hehedejcmuse!