Google looking into screen flickering bug when viewing HDR content on Netflix and other apps on Pixel phones

Pixel phone users, especially those with the Pixel 9 series, are dealing with a pesky problem. Their screens flicker when they watch HDR content on apps like Netflix. This started popping up after a recent update. One user affected user described it as: “Netflix brightness will strobe to incredibly low back to whatever setting. I have. Changed all the display settings to try a fix. Nothing seems to work.” Frustration is mounting as people try to enjoy their shows without this annoying glitch.

The issue isn’t just with Netflix. Another user pointed out, “It’s not just happening when using Netflix. I have the same problem when playing videos with MX Player too.” That suggests something bigger might be going on with how these phones handle HDR after the update. HDR, or High Dynamic Range, brings a wider range of brightness and color to the screen. It’s supposed to make everything look better, but right now, it’s causing headaches for some Pixel owners.

I wasn’t able to reproduce the bug on a Pixel 7a running on the March 2025 update nor on a Pixel 8 on the latest Android 16 beta build. So it’s unclear whether this is actually a Pixel specific bug or if other Pixel devices are affected too.

People have been experimenting with fixes. One trick that worked for some was turning off subtitles. A user said, “Disabling the subtitles worked for me.” Another user had luck with a different tweak: “I fixed my problem with disabling the adaptive brightness on my display so maybe that works for you too.” But these aren’t magic bullets.

Some users tried similar steps and came up empty. Someone noted, “Tried clearing cache, storage and reinstalling. Also turned off adaptive brightness without no luck.” Clearing caches or restarting phones hasn’t helped much either.

Luckily, it seems Google might be investigating the bug already. A product expert on the support forums said:

The Pixel team is actively looking into reports from some Pixel users about changes to screen brightness due to viewing High Dynamic Range (HDR) content. Meanwhile, depending on the viewing app, please adjust your view settings to watch the content in Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).

So what’s causing this mess? The update seems to have thrown a wrench into how Pixel phones process HDR. It could be a software bug struggling with the demands of richer visuals. Users aren’t happy about it. Some feel let down by the brand. One person vented, “Regret buying a pixel phone, everytime there is some issue or the other from the beginning of buying the phone.” Others are just tired of waiting — nearly a month has passed without a full fix.

For now, you can try turning off subtitles or adaptive brightness. Switching to SDR is another option. But many are crossing their fingers for Google to roll out a real solution soon. They want their Netflix binges back to normal, flicker-free.