Google released the Pixel 10 Pro device in August 2025. This smartphone comes with numerous amazing features, including a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED screen. As amazing as the phone is, it also has its issues. One problem many Pixel 10 Pro users are currently experiencing is the annoying flashing 3 dots glitch. These dots are easy to miss because they only appear under certain conditions. They show up mostly on the home screen and lock screen, especially during calls.
Pixel 10 Pro Flashing 3 Dots Glitch is Not New
Many users experiencing the flashing 3 dots glitch are linking the issue to recent software updates. But is this bug really caused by recent updates, as many claimed?
According to PiunikaWeb, this Pixel 10 Pro flashing 3 dots glitch is not new. Instead, it’s more of an ongoing problem with pixel phones. A deep dive into the matter reveals that the glitch is likely caused by the phone’s part that detects how close your face is. Yes, the proximity sensor, as well as the ambient light sensor, may be the actual culprit.
Over the years, a similar issue affected many Google Pixel devices, including:
- Pixel 8 Pro
- Pixel 8
- Pixel 8a
- Pixel 7
- Pixel 7 Pro
For instance, in May 2025, a Pixel 8 Pro user reported seeing “strange 3 dots” on the device screen. The user further added that the dots were barely visible. In May 2024, a Pixel 7 user said he saw three small dots on display.
With these old reports, we can all agree that this issue isn’t surfacing because of some new software updates, as users reported. Instead, it’s more of a recurring behavior that Google needs to address for the new users.
Google’s Explanation for Old Pixel Users
So far, Google has not addressed this annoying Pixel 10 Pro 3-dot flashing glitch. However, the company has already mentioned the basic story with the glitch. In Google’s official documentation, the Support team said the visible white dot experienced by Pixel 5 users is the phone’s proximity sensor. The team added that this sensor can blink or stay solid. Furthermore, the team says the sensor, available on all Pixel smartphones, is always active during calls. But this happens when the phone is near the face or when the screen is locked.
This explanation aligns with what many users are experiencing today. The only difference is that Pixel 10 Pro users aren’t just seeing one dot but three flashing dots. The explanation is more closely related to the current issue when you compare the new reports with Google’s own hardware documentation.
The hardware diagram page shows that the proximity and ambient light sensor location is not the same for all models. The sensor sits to the right of the top speaker in some pixel models. For others, it sits to the right of the front-facing camera. For older Pixel models, the sensor is available on the front of the camera. This explains why many users are seeing the flashing dots in different positions on their screens.
These explanations only prove that the Pixel 10 Pro flashing 3 dots glitch is not software-related. Since it’s a recurring issue, we hope Google comes out to update its support documentation for all Pixel phones, not just the Pixel 5.
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