Characteristic Drops are normally Google’s most fun updates, however the December iteration left many Pixel customers desirous to roll again. Those that use
Materials You
themed icons in darkish mode had been shocked to see their house screens inverted to mild mode upon putting in the replace, however there was a straightforward sufficient repair. Besides that did not put issues again precisely the best way they had been, and on the time, we thought that the brand new look was meant conduct. Fortunately, it seems this wasn’t the case.

Associated
Bug within the December Pixel Characteristic Drop turns darkish icons mild after updating
Fortunately, there is a easy repair
For some background, the December Pixel Characteristic Drop most actually had a bug with house display icons. Everybody who had beforehand enabled themed icons was proven the sunshine mode variations of those icons after the replace — even when they’d darkish mode enabled.
Fortunately, customers rapidly found that going into the Wallpaper & model app and toggling forwards and backwards between the out there Materials You themes brought on the sunshine mode icons to show darkish once more. Besides, even then, the icons had been surprisingly lighter than they’d been beforehand.
On the time, proof instructed this was meant conduct. Google had beforehand been noticed tweaking the distinction of its Materials You themes whereas the replace was in improvement, so the prevailing principle in December was that these washed-out darkish mode icons had been the brand new regular.
January’s Pixel replace involves the rescue
After putting in the January 2025 Pixel safety replace, we will affirm that the darkish mode icons have reverted to their authentic, darker state. The bug the place icons confirmed up of their mild mode state after updating can also be gone.


Themed darkish mode icons on the December replace (left) vs. the January replace (proper)
Google acknowledged this repair in its launch notes for the January 2025 safety patches, saying it had resolved an “challenge with Pixel launcher themed icon coloration show in sure situations.” However we weren’t certain if this utilized to the sunshine mode glitch, the lighter icons, or each. Fortunately, the reply is “each” — stability has lastly been restored and all is correct with the world once more.

Associated
Google drops the primary Pixel replace of 2025 with a repair for themed icons
The January 2025 safety patches are right here