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First images, now messages: Google Pixel 3 content still vanishing (Update: Fix incoming)
August 23, 2025
Update, November 14 at 4:41 p.m. ET:Google has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix. A spokesperson toldThe Verge, “We recently discovered a bug affecting SMS/MMS on a small number of Pixel 3s and are rolling out a fix soon.”
Original article, November 14 at 8:57 a.m. ET:We’ve heard about theGoogle Pixel 3failing tosave photographs, but it seems visual media isn’t the only thing going missing. According to folks onReddit(viaAndroid Police), SMS Messages are also disappearing.
The issues seem to have appeared (or at least, become more prevalent) following theNovember security update. Some messages simply disappear, while others end up in thewrong threads, and aren’t found in the archive folder either. It’s said to have affected both Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL but it’s unclear if it’s related to Google’sMessagesapp or if it occurs with other SMS apps.
This isn’t an issue that will affect everyone, given apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram are more used for messaging needs these days. But for Pixel 3 owners who rely on SMS with their friends or family, or in their workplace, it’s a significant problem.
However, there looks to be a fix for the time being. As9to5Googlepointed out, uninstalling updates to the Messages app may resolve the issue. To do this, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Messages and then select uninstall updates, accessed via the three-dots menu at the top right of the page. This has,according to one person, saw the messages return.
Pixel owners have also discussed this in theGoogle Product Forumsand an over-the-air fix might not be far off.Android Authorityhas contacted Google to request further information and we’ll update this post should we hear more.
If you’re having another issue with Google’s latest flagship and are looking for a solution, hit up ourGoogle Pixel 3 problemspage at the link.
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