androidpixeltutorials

Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1: Install and Fixes on Pixel

Install Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1 on Pixel: build IDs, OTA steps, Beta 6 bug fixes, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold Face Unlock note.

October 3, 2026 Yum News

Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1 is the late-September Pixel preview that follows Beta 6 by five days. Google published both drops on the QPR2 release notes. Beta 6 (24 September 2026) lists six user-visible fixes. Beta 6.1 (29 September 2026) adds two builds and one known issue: Pixel 11 Pro Fold users may have to re-enroll Face Unlock.

If you already ran Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5, this is the next OTA on the same track, not a new API release. QPR2 still uses a minor SDK (API 37.2) with no planned behavior changes for most apps.

Android phone held above a desk

What Beta 6 and Beta 6.1 are

QPR means Quarterly Platform Release. Android 17 already shipped. QPR2 is the next quarterly slice, delivered to AOSP and to Pixel phones as a Feature Drop once it goes stable. Google ships beta images so you can test apps before that drop.

Official metadata from the release notes:

Build	Date	Build IDs	Security patch	Play services
Beta 6	24 September 2026	`CP41.260831.007`	2026-08-05	26.28.33
Beta 6.1	29 September 2026	`CP41.260831.007.A3` and `CP41.260831.011`	2026-08-05	26.28.33

Emulator support for both drops is x86 (64-bit) and ARM (v8-A). The security patch level on the notes table is still 5 August 2026. Do not treat these betas as the September Android Security Bulletin.

9to5Google reports the 6.1 split as CP41.260831.011 for Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold, and CP41.260831.007.A3 for the other enrolled devices. Confirm the string on your phone after install. Google’s notes list both IDs without a per-model table.

Supported Pixel devices

The Get Android 17 QPR 2 page lists OTAs and downloads for:

Pixel 6a
Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a
Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold
Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a
Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a
Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 10a
Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are not on that list. Check android.com/beta before you enroll a daily driver.

Install Beta 6.1 over the air

Enrollment is the supported path. Google says you usually do not need a data wipe to move onto the QPR2 beta, and still recommends a backup first.

Back up photos, messages, and anything that is not already in the cloud.
On a desktop browser, open g.co/androidbeta and sign in with the Google account on the Pixel.
Enroll that device. Opt in only if you accept preview bugs.
On the phone, open Settings → System → Software update (some builds say System update).
Download and install. The phone reboots.
Open Settings → About phone and match the build to CP41.260831.007.A3 or CP41.260831.011.

If you were already on Beta 5 or Beta 6, the same enrollment should offer 6.1 without a new join step. Wait for the OTA rather than flashing an older image over a newer bootloader.

Leaving the program can require a factory reset once you are past the window where a stable build is equal to or newer than your beta. The Get page says you can opt out without a wipe for a limited time after you apply a stable release, until you take the next beta.

Flash a system image or use the emulator

Developers who need a known image can use the Android Flash Tool preview for QPR2 Beta 6.1 or the Pixel downloads listed from the Get page. A factory flash wipes data unless you explicitly keep userdata and the tool allows it.

For app tests that do not need a personal phone:

Install Android Studio and open Tools → Device Manager.
Create a virtual device from a supported Pixel definition.
Download the Android 17 system image named CinnamonBun.
Start the emulator and install your app.

Generic system images are also available for Treble devices. Use them to find framework bugs, not as a daily Pixel replacement.

Laptop and phone used for app testing

Fixes listed for Beta 6

Google groups the user-visible fixes under Beta 6, dated September 2026. Beta 6.1 does not add a second fix list. These are the six items on the notes page:

Letterboxed content leaked through the status bar during activity transitions. (Issue 493438057)
The screensaver showed a blank screen while charging. (Issues 516262713 and 526560397)
Pixel 9 Pro Fold rebooted when third-party apps initialized the camera viewfinder. (Issues 555960820, 558564487, 554763027, and 559421409)
Locked apps in Recents could not be dismissed with a swipe. (Issue 555579953)
A kernel crash rebooted the device when third-party apps asked for camera and microphone together during biometric identity checks. (Issue 557712189)
Scrolling could crash, reboot, or hang the device. (Issue 559054323)

If a foldable camera preview or a locked Recents card was your Beta 5 complaint, Beta 6 is the build that claims those fixes. Re-test on 6.1 rather than assuming every unit picked up the patch.

Known issue on Beta 6.1

The notes page has one known issue for Beta 6.1: Pixel 11 Pro Fold users may have to re-enroll Face Unlock.

If Face Unlock fails after the update, open face unlock settings and enroll again. Keep a PIN or pattern that you can type. Do not file this as a new platform regression until you have tried re-enrollment. Other models are not named in that note.

Call-forwarding USSD still applies

QPR2 restricts programmatic call forwarding. This is a platform change for the whole beta track, not a Beta 6.1-only patch.

TelephonyManager.sendUssdRequest() no longer runs call-forwarding codes such as *21# with only the CALL_PHONE permission.
Background attempts get USSD_ERROR_NOT_ALLOWED.
Codes typed in the system dialer show an OS confirmation dialog before they run.
Non-forwarding USSD, including many balance checks and mobile-money codes, is documented as unaffected.

If your app sets forwarding, handle the error callback. For flows that are not an exempted role, Google says to use ACTION_DIAL so the user confirms in the dialer. Test that path on 6.1 before QPR2 ships stable.

After you install

Confirm the build string under About phone.
On a Pixel 11 Pro Fold, lock the device and try Face Unlock. Re-enroll if it fails.
Open a third-party camera app on a Pixel 9 Pro Fold and start the viewfinder.
Lock an app, open Recents, and swipe it away.
Charge the phone with the screensaver on and confirm it is not a blank panel.
Scroll a long feed for a few minutes and watch for reboots.
File leftovers in the Android Beta Feedback app or the issue tracker with the exact build ID.

Conclusion

Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1 is the 29 September 2026 Pixel preview on builds CP41.260831.007.A3 and CP41.260831.011. Install it from the Android Beta for Pixel program, then check Face Unlock on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The six fixes Google lists sit on the Beta 6 notes: status-bar letterboxing, a blank charging screensaver, Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera reboots, locked Recents cards, a camera-plus-mic kernel crash, and scroll hangs.

Use the release notes as the source of truth. Pair this drop with the Beta 5 install guide if you need the earlier fix list.