The Google Pixel 6a is a compact midrange A-series phone. Google announced it on May 11, 2022, and it went on sale on July 28, 2022. The US launch price was $449, and in Germany it launched at €459. Google has since removed the phone from its store, and the Pixel 7a replaced it.
Design and display
The Pixel 6a shares the camera bar design of the Pixel 6 series. It has an alloy frame and a 3D thermoformed composite back. The body measures 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm and weighs 178 g. An IP67 rating covers dust and water resistance.
The 6.1-inch OLED display has a 1080 x 2400 resolution at 429 ppi. It refreshes at up to 60 Hz and supports an always-on mode. Gorilla Glass 3 protects the front. Google sold the phone in Chalk, Charcoal and Sage, though availability varied by region and channel.
Performance
Inside is the Google Tensor, the same chip used in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. It has two Cortex-X1 cores at up to 2.8 GHz, two Cortex-A76 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores. The Mali-G78 MP20 handles graphics. A Titan M2 coprocessor adds hardware security.
There is one memory option: 6 GB of LPDDR5 RAM with 128 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The phone has no microSD slot, so storage cannot be expanded.
Cameras
The rear setup has two cameras. The 12.2 MP main camera uses a 1/2.55-inch sensor with an f/1.7 lens and optical stabilization. A 12 MP ultrawide camera with a 114-degree field of view sits beside it. Super Res Zoom reaches up to 7x, but there is no telephoto lens.
The rear cameras record 4K video at up to 60 fps. The 8 MP front camera records 1080p video at 30 fps.
Battery and charging
The battery has a typical capacity of 4,410 mAh. Wired charging reaches up to 18 W, and Google does not include a charger in the box. The phone has no wireless charging.
In July 2025, Google began a mandatory battery update for certain units. Those units lose some capacity and charging performance after 400 charge cycles, which reduces a potential overheating risk. Google ran a support program for affected owners, and that program ended on July 8, 2026.
Software and updates
The Pixel 6a launched with Android 12. Google first promised five years of security updates. It later said this group of phones gets updates for five years. That period starts from the first US Google Store sale in July 2022.
Other features include stereo speakers, an under-display optical fingerprint reader, NFC and Bluetooth 5.2. The phone supports Wi-Fi 6E, except in Taiwan, Japan and Singapore. It uses one nano-SIM plus an eSIM. A mmWave model was sold through Verizon and the Google Store.
Should you buy the Pixel 6a?
The Pixel 6a is no longer produced, and Google no longer sells it in its store. Its successor is the Pixel 7a. Buyers who want a compact phone with IP67 protection may still consider it. However, its update support is close to ending, and its screen stays at 60 Hz. Certain units also have reduced battery capacity after the 2025 update.
