Pixel 10’s May update blocks Android downgrades, recovery issues remain unresolved

• Google’s May 2026 update for the Pixel 10 series blocks downgrades to older Android versions by updating the bootloader.
• Users say devices can become unrecoverable if they enter certain recovery modes without access to Google’s internal tools.
• The issue has been raised for years, but Google has yet to provide a solution for affected users.

Google has rolled out the May Pixel update, bringing with it a change to the Pixel 10 series that prevents users from downgrading their devices to older Android versions. This was expected to happen, and now it’s officially in place.