Weird Pixel Buds bug is causing ANC and transparency toggles to vanish

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Some Pixel Buds owners are reporting an issue with the expanded volume slider menu.
• The toggles for noise cancellation, off, and transparency appear to be missing.
• Users are connecting the bug to the March and April 2026 updates.

Switching between ANC and Transparency

• Touch an earbud and hold until the chime indicates the mode has switched.
• Open the extended volume slider menu (tap the three dots below the volume slider) to view the toggles.

Reported bug

A recent bug appears to have made the second method unusable for some users. Pixel Buds owners are turning to Reddit to report a noise‑control issue. These users claim that the toggles for ANC, off, and transparency modes have disappeared when accessing the controls through the extended volume slider menu.

Timeline & troubleshooting attempts

• The issue was first noticed after the March 2026 update.
• One Reddit user reported that the problem persisted even after:
  • Rebooting devices
  • Clearing cache and data for the Pixel Buds app
  • Removing and re‑pairing the earbuds
  • Adjusting several settings
• The same user noted that the April 2026 update seemed to fix the glitch, only for the problem to re‑emerge later.

Current status

• The primary method of switching modes (touch‑and‑hold) still works, so users have an alternative.
• Android Authority has reached out to Google for comment and will update the article when new information is available.