What you need to know
- Google has unexpectedly rolled out a second October 2025 update for Pixel phones, including the Pixel 10.
- The small 30MB update mainly brings performance improvements and no new major features or changes.
- It’s possible Google pushed this update early to fix a serious security issue before the November release.
- The major November update is expected to add theme packs, GIF creation in Pixel Studio, and more tools.
Google usually rolls out a software update for its Pixel devices in the first week of every month. While the October 2025 update for Pixel smartphones has already arrived, to everyone’s surprise, the company has started rolling out another update for Pixel phones this month.
The new software update is available for all Pixel devices from the Pixel 7 to Pixel 10 series, with the update weighing around 30MB for Pixel 10 owners. The build number for the latest Pixel 10 series is BD3A.251005.003.W4. The previous update ended with the W3. For Pixel Tablet users, Google seems to have skipped this release.
For those expecting new features, the update doesn’t appear to bring any major additions. Google’s release notes don’t list anything new, but Verizon’s changelog mentions that the “update provides performance improvements for your device.”
It isn’t confirmed, but it’s possible that Google discovered a major security issue with Pixel devices and decided to release a small update early. The company could have bundled these changes with November’s update, but the issue may have been serious enough to push it ahead of schedule.
Surprise Pixel update hints at possible security fix
If you have a Pixel smartphone, you can check for updates by going to Settings > System > Software updates > System update > Check for update. The update appeared automatically on my Pixel 10 Pro, but if you don’t see it yet, you can try checking manually. You can also sideload the OTA file onto your Pixel.
The timing of this update is interesting since we’re only days away from the next major Pixel release. Google has been working on the November update, which is expected to bring theme packs, the ability to create GIFs in Pixel Studio, and more. It’s possible that Google has delayed that rollout and decided to push this smaller security update first — though that’s just speculation for now.
Google is also working on a GPU driver update for the Pixel 10 series, but it’s unclear when that will roll out. For now, it’s best to update your Pixel to the latest version to stay secure.
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