Pixel 6 Vibration Weak? Here’s What’s Wrong & How To Fix It

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro can sometimes suffer from diminished vibration intensity, but there are a few things that users can try to fix the problem. Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are among the best smartphones that money can buy, but both suffer from several weird bugs. Some high-profile issues include buggy fingerprint sensors, slow 5G speeds, broken auto-rotate functionality and more. Weak haptic feedback is seemingly the latest issue affecting the two devices.

When attending meetings, church services, weddings, funerals, and other occasions, using the vibrate setting instead of the ring for calls, messages and notifications can be beneficial since loud ringtones are strict no-no. In these situations, vibrations are the best option, helping users stay on top of notifications without loud sounds breaking the sanctity of the place or the solemnness of the occasion.

If the haptic intensity on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro seems insufficient, there are a few things users can try to fix it. Firstly, turn the vibration intensity all the way up if it isn’t there already. To do that, go to ‘Settings,’ then scroll down and select ‘Accessibility,’ and then under ‘Interaction Controls,’ select ‘Vibration and Haptics.’ Now select each category (Ring, Notification, Touch feedback, etc.) one at a time, and select ‘High’ in each case to set the vibration intensity at the highest level. Affected users can also try a third-party app like Buzzkill, which lets users adjust vibration intensity and patterns.

Did Google Intentionally Tweak The Haptics?

Many Pixel 6 and 6 Pro users are reportedly experiencing weaker haptics on their devices following the March update. For some, the haptics has become so weak they are missing calls and messages even when the device is in their pockets. This is happening even with the vibration intensity set to ‘High.’ Some of the comments on the forums also suggest that Google might have intentionally changed the vibration levels in the phones through the new update. According to them, the modified haptics pattern includes a soft build-up leading up to peak vibration. Yet others claim that even the peak vibration level is lower than before the March Feature Drop.

Interestingly, Google’s changelog for the March update suggests that it did work on the haptics as part of an attempted ‘bug fix.’ According to the changelog, the update includes a “Fix for issue causing weaker haptic feedback in certain conditions.” Unfortunately, if all the complaints are anything to go by, the ‘fix’ has only made the situation worse. Google isn’t saying anything on the matter, but hopefully, it will acknowledge the issue and roll out a permanent fix sooner rather than later.

Source: Google, Buzzkill/Google Play Store