Android’s August security patch goes live with Pixel Fold and Tablet fixes

It's not quite time for Android 14 yet

Android 14 is expected to make its official debut later this month after a six-month beta program, but that hasn't stopped Google from plugging ahead on its regularly scheduled security patches for Android 13. Today, the August 2023 security update has begun rolling out to all of Google's phones and tablets starting with the Pixel 4a.

Google announced the update on its support forums, noting a build number of TQ3A.230805.001 and a patch level of August 5, 2023. In addition to security enhancements, the new version contains general fixes for bugs such as one that caused Bluetooth keyboards to not connect, as well as device-specific fixes for the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet:

What’s included

The August 2023 update includes bug fixes and improvements for Pixel users – see below for details.

Bluetooth

User Interface

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Device Applicability

Fixes are available for all supported Pixel devices unless otherwise indicated below.

*[1] Included on Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet only

*[2] Included on Pixel Fold only

*[3] Included on Pixel Tablet only

It's worth noting that this could be the last security update for Pixel 4a users. Google's help page for Android update support lists August 2023 as the last month for both security patches and Android OS upgrades for the 4a, so this might even be the last update of any type for the phone (though if history is any indication, it could get one last update later this year to fix any lingering issues).

Google separately published Android's August 2023 Security Bulletin. This document details the vulnerabilities that were patched in the last month and outlines two security patch levels: one with a date of August 1 that applies to Android as a whole, and a separate list of patches for OEM-specific issues dated August 5.

Included in the August 1 set are patches for 12 high-severity CVEs in the Android Framework, along with 11 fixes for the Android System. The latter listed one CVE of critical severity (CVE-2023-21250) that could lead to remote code execution. An additional 20 CVEs were closed in the August 5 patches, with only one (CVE-2023-21629) being deemed critical.

The update is in the process of rolling out now, but Google says it could take up to a week to reach all users, depending on device type and carrier. To see if it's available, head to Settings → System → System updates, then tap the Check for updates button. If you don't want to wait, there's always the manual method of sideloading the OTA or flashing the factory images.

Dallas was the type of kid who would take apart his toys to see what made them tick, and he grew up to become a mechanic for a while. His innate curiosity for how things work led him to a career covering Android in 2014, and that's where he found his true calling. He's rooted every phone he ever owned, although he usually sticks with the stock ROM nowadays. When he's not digging into Android, he's either hiking, watching a Rockets game, or busy raising his young son.