Google Pixel nav bar position occasionally changes to right side after March update, issue under investigation

Some Google Pixel owners are facing a peculiar software bug following the March update, causing the navigation bar to inexplicably shift to the right side of the screen. This disorienting glitch mimics the navigation bar’s placement in landscape mode, even while the phone is held in portrait orientation.

Reports of the issue (1,2,3,4,5) have surfaced across various Pixel models, suggesting it is not device-specific. While the exact cause remains unknown, the glitch seems to occur most frequently when switching between recent apps. A Google product expert within the Pixel community has acknowledged the problem, escalating it for further investigation. However, there’s currently no indication of when an official fix will be released.

While most reports point to a faulty March update, a Pixel 8 Pro user claims to have experienced this nav bar issue since at least the January update, implying the bug might have been present and unaddressed in multiple software releases.

Frustrated users have discovered a few temporary workarounds. Some report success after repeatedly enabling and disabling the transparent navigation bar setting within the developer options menu. Others have found that changing their phone’s font size temporarily resolves the issue whenever it appears, so you might want to try your luck.

While these workarounds offer some relief to those affected, they highlight the inconvenience caused by this persistent bug. Pixel owners rightfully expect a seamless user experience, and this navigation bar glitch disrupts that expectation. Thankfully, the escalation of the problem to Google devs signals that a proper fix is likely in development, providing hope for a resolution in the near future.