According to several consistent reports, the Pixel 4a 5G suffers from touch reliability issues after last month’s software update. Other than ticks that don’t register, those using 3-button navigation are mostly affected.
Update 2/1: The February security patch is rolling out with a fix for this issue. Google explains how there are “further fine-tuning and touch experience improvements” on the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. This update will be fully available in the next few days. Those who want to sideload should note the three different builds depending on your (US) provider.
Update 1/15: Google updated its original December confirmation to explain how “Improvements for this issue will be available in the February software update on Pixel phones.”
Original 1/12: The problem (via Android police) appears to have been introduced with the December security patch – as there were no issues before that update or at launch. Taps on buttons and other UI elements at the edges of the screen are not always registered and must be pressed multiple times for them to be recognized. It is not a hardware issue as finger gestures are consistently recognized in one shared video.
This is especially problematic for those using 3 button navigation. The ‘back’ button is mostly affected for those who don’t use gesture navigation due to the old system or accessibility reasons. Meanwhile, problems also arise with fullscreen apps with corner or edge buttons.
Google acknowledged on December 23 that this was a problem and said that a “fix will be included in an upcoming software update.” However, it was not addressed by the January patch and there has been no further communication since then. The company offers two tips to improve touch recognition:
- When you tap icons on the edge of the screen, tap the center of the button or the side of the button / icon farthest from the edge of the screen.
- Instead, use the tip of your finger or thumb when you tap icons, including the navigation buttons at the bottom of your screen. This will help improve touch recognition.
In the meantime, the only real solution is to roll back your phone to the November security patch. It’s a tedious process, but it’s one of the few solutions for 3-button navigation users plagued with touchscreen issues on their Pixel 4a 5G.
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