Google rolls out the September security update for the Pixel 5a and others

The Pixel 5a gets its first security update.

What you need to know

• Google has released the September security update for Pixel smartphones.
• The update brings the newest Pixel 5a up-to-date with the latest security fixes.
• The update will roll out in waves depending on carrier and region.

Google has begun pushing out the September security patch for its Pixel smartphones, marking the first security update for the newly launched Google Pixel 5a.

The update doesn't appear to be any notable features or fixes to the devices outside of addressing system vulnerabilities in the kernel and updating media codecs. And while the update is rolling out to older devices like the Pixel 3, there's unfortunately no mention of the EDL Mode bug that users have been experiencing.

For more on the September Android Security Bulletin, you can view the details on the Android Open Source Project website.

The update is rolling out globally to devices from the Pixel 3 to the Pixel 5. The new Pixel 5a is receiving the update in the U.S. and Japan, which are incidentally the only two countries where the device is available. Google says the update will roll out in phases "depending on carrier and device," and that users should receive a notification when it's available.

The security update comes as Android 12 nears platform stability with the recent rollout of Beta 4.1. The final version is expected to arrive by the end of September, with the release candidate arriving much sooner. Some of the best Android phones are participating in the beta program, with companies like OPPO already teasing the release of their Android 12-based updates.

For anyone with a Pixel smartphone, you can always attempt to force the update by checking in the settings, but you may not have to wait very long for it to arrive on your devices.

Battery king

Google Pixel 5a

$449 at Google

It goes on and on

The Google Pixel 5a is an affordable smartphone with amazing battery life that doesn't seem to end. It comes with a pair of great cameras, 5G connectivity, and will be among the first to get Google's newest software updates.