Google’s new flagship phone, the Pixel 8 Pro, has been officially available for about a week, and while it’s received fairly high marks from most reviewers, a curious issue has arisen for some users.
According to multiple online reports, some devices have a problem where the always-on display text takes on a pink or yellow hue instead of the white color it should be. The issue doesn’t seem to affect the whole display, just the top or side areas. When the screen is unlocked, everything appears normal again.
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The problem has appeared on both the new Android 14 release and on the QPR1 Beta version of Android 14, which seems to indicate an issue with the phone itself and not the software. Some users have speculated the cause could be tied to the 8 Pro’s variable refresh rate OLED — a feature not found on the regular Pixel 8, which would also indicate a hardware flaw. The issue also seems more common in very dark environments and after a few seconds of being locked when the screen switches into low refresh mode.
The wallpaper or color scheme choice doesn’t seem to affect the miscolored text.
I’m a Pixel 8 Pro owner and I tried to replicate the problem by locking my phone in a totally dark closet. I did notice the screen flicker after a few seconds as the refresh rate dropped, and the text did seem slightly off-white. But I don’t think I would have thought anything of it had I not read these reports, and my screen didn’t appear as bad as some of the photos I saw online. So, it does certainly appear to be a problem that only affects certain phones.
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Google hasn’t officially acknowledged the issue, so there’s no way to know whether it’s a hardware or software issue for sure. Either way, several users reported that the issue was bad enough that Google offered a replacement device. So, whatever the issue, it doesn’t look like there’s much of a fix at the moment.
If you’re encountering the yellow/pink text problem, it’s probably best to reach out to Google to see what your next step should be. It’s entirely possible this is indeed a software issue that can be fixed with an update, but if Google is willing to offer a new device, it’s probably best to take them up on it.
It’s worth noting that a few users report receiving a replacement device that’s also affected.
