Android 16 Beta Update Fixes Galaxy Watch 8 Pairing Issues on Pixel Devices
CHICAGO — If you recently bought a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Watch 8 Classic and were frustrated by issues pairing it to your Pixel running the Android 16 Beta, there’s good news: Google has fixed the bug in its latest Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3 update.
Early adopters of the new Galaxy wearables discovered that the Galaxy Wearable app crashed when trying to download the Watch Manager plugin, halting the pairing process completely. But with the July 22 release of Beta 3, the process now completes smoothly.
“After installing the update, our Pixel 9 Pro Fold successfully switched a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic paired on a Galaxy S25 over, without a complete reset,” reports 9to5Google.
The Bug: Wear OS 6 Meets Unfinished Android 16
The issue emerged with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.1, where devices like the Pixel 8a and Pixel 9 Pro Fold failed to complete the plugin installation needed for pairing. The result: the Wearable app would crash, and users were left in an endless reboot-and-retry cycle.
This glitch specifically affected devices running beta versions of Android 16 — making it a cautionary tale for users who opt into pre-release software while using the latest hardware.
What’s New With Galaxy Watch 8 and Wear OS 6
The Galaxy Watch 8 series, which launched alongside One UI Watch 8 and Wear OS 6, introduced a redesigned interface with stacked tiles, smoother navigation, and an upgraded SoC. The Classic model in particular has drawn praise for its comfort and premium feel — despite divided opinions on the cushion case design.
These watches are the first devices to ship with Wear OS 6, and early reviews point to better performance, improved animations, and more intuitive UI elements.
What Pixel Users Need to Know Now
If you’re on Android 16 Beta and had trouble pairing your Galaxy Watch 8, simply install QPR1 Beta 3 and retry the setup. Users are now reporting successful pairing without needing to factory reset or manually sideload plugins.
However, if you’re still planning to buy the watch, the safest bet is to use a public build of Android rather than beta software — at least until the stable version of Android 16 is fully released later this year.
Have you updated to Android 16 Beta 3? Share your Galaxy Watch 8 experience with us at ChicagoMusicGuide.com.