A peculiar wallpaper bug is currently affecting some Pixel devices that are running Android 15 stable and Android 16 beta. This issue presents visual glitches during wallpaper selection, making it difficult for users to reliably switch between recently applied wallpapers in the Pixel Wallpaper & Style menu. The menu traditionally allows users to easily navigate between their five recently used wallpapers, with more options available in a nested menu.
However, it appears that the initial selection of five wallpapers is broken. While I can switch between the first three wallpapers seamlessly, any attempt to select either of the last two results in being pushed back to the previously chosen wallpaper. A fellow user, Dallas Thomas, has reported that they can only select the currently active wallpaper.
Interestingly, after conducting further analysis, it seems that even though the visual indication suggests that the wallpaper change fails, the system is actually applying the new wallpaper behind the scenes. This creates a disconnect between the user interface and the true status of the wallpaper. Additionally, if trying to revert to the original wallpaper, the system mistakenly identifies the “original” wallpaper as still being active, leading to a lack of response when selected.
This issue is reported across Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 devices running both Android 15 stable and Android 16 beta, while Pixel 7 devices appear unaffected. Looking ahead, there is anticipation surrounding Android 16 Beta 4, which is expected to be released soon. This update may address the wallpaper issue, as there have been indications of improvements in the Wallpaper & Style app.
However, Google has previously removed the ‘Beta’ label from the stable version of the app, which continues to experience glitches. We will monitor the situation and test the new build once available, and we have contacted Google for further information on this matter. Updates will be provided as they come in.
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