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Will GrapheneOS support the Pixel 11?

Checked against the makers' own pages · Last reviewed October 15, 2026

What Google released

Google announced the Pixel 11 series on Aug. 12, 2026: the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. In the US they started at $899, $1,099, $1,299 and $1,899, and Google said they would be "on shelves at the Google Store and our retail partners on August 20."

All four use Google's new Tensor G6 chip, which Google calls "our fastest, most powerful chip yet." Google says the Pixel 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL also have a new Titan M3 security chip. (Titan is Google's secure element: a separate chip that guards encryption keys and limits passcode guessing.) Google says the Titan M3 and Tensor G6 bring "post-quantum cryptography to secure boot," and that "all of our latest phones come with seven years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates." The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has 16GB of RAM, per Google.

Google's announcement posts don't mention memory tagging. See Google's Pixel 11 announcement and Pixel 11 Pro Fold announcement. [7][8][9]

What GrapheneOS has said, in order

GrapheneOS posts its news on its official Mastodon and X accounts and its forum. Its position has shifted as Google released new software, so the dates matter:

- Aug. 29, 2026: port stalled. "We have a partial port of GrapheneOS to the Pixel 11 series after a week of work on it. We're unable to complete the port due to lack of support for ARM hardware memory tagging in software, firmware and near certainly hardware." The same day it said: "We strongly recommend against buying Pixel 11 devices. Pixel 8, 9 and 10 have much better overall security for GrapheneOS," and "It may be best for us to skip the Pixel 11 series devices." - Sept. 1, 2026: hardware support found. "We have good news about the Pixel 11. It still has at least bare minimum support for MTE at a hardware level." It said Google's Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 (a test version of an upcoming Android update) added MTE back to the phone's firmware, but "MTE support is still completely disabled in the OS." - Sept. 2, 2026: early tests. Using that beta, GrapheneOS reported that "MTE in asymmetric mode only has around 5% overhead in the standard benchmarks and other tests we've done," adding "we've done limited tests." To test it, the project said, it had to replace the kernel with one that ignores the firmware's off switch. - Sept. 11, 2026: cautiously hopeful. "Pixel 11 will likely be improved to meet our requirements. ... We're now optimistic that we'll be able to support those alongside the Motorola devices." - Sept. 29, 2026: Motorola comes first. "Android 17 QPR2 is being released in December and will hopefully provide what we need to support the Pixel 11 series. Our priority is working on completing support for the upcoming Motorola flagship, but we can circle back and finish Pixel 11 support if they ship working MTE support." - Oct. 1, 2026: the condition, stated plainly. "We're not going to add support for the Pixel 11 series unless it ships MTE support. ... It isn't yet clear if it's going to support MTE but we've decided we won't support it unless it ships. ... we can't make any commitment to supporting the Pixel 11 series." - Oct. 3, 2026: no early or test support. "We're not going to finish adding support for it until we know we can support it. We're definitely not going to prematurely publish support for a device we end up being unable to support." - Oct. 6, 2026: timing. "We'll hopefully be able to add Pixel 11 series support after December 2026 if at least minimal MTE firmware support ships as part of Android 17 QPR2." Later that day: "We'll likely be able to support the Pixel 11 series in December 2026 when Android 17 QPR2 is released as long it ships the MTE support currently available in the Beta releases. There has been more progress on that and it has what we need now as long as that ships in stable QPR2." - Oct. 10, 2026: hopeful, not guaranteed. "Pixel 11 series can hopefully be supported after December 2026. It appears they'll be shipping MTE support in the Android 17 QPR2 update. This isn't guaranteed and we're only going to add support for devices with MTE support available which has been on Pixels since the Pixel 8."

GrapheneOS's forum thread on the topic is titled "Pixel 11 doesn't yet meet the GrapheneOS security standards and may be skipped." Its latest regular release on its releases page (2026100600) lists Pixel 6 through Pixel 10a and no Pixel 11 model. [2][3][4][6][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

What memory tagging is, and why GrapheneOS insists on it

Hardware memory tagging (Arm's Memory Tagging Extension, MTE) is a processor security feature aimed at memory bugs. GrapheneOS says it "greatly improves protection against nearly all remote exploits and many local exploits." GrapheneOS's FAQ calls it "the incredibly powerful hardware memory tagging security feature" and says GrapheneOS "uses hardware memory tagging by default to protect the base OS and known compatible user installed apps against exploitation." GrapheneOS says the "Pixel 8 launched with hardware MTE support in October 2023."

GrapheneOS says the stock Pixel software uses MTE much less: Google's Android Advanced Protection Mode "enables it for a few processes." That is why, in GrapheneOS's words, "we're the only ones impacted by this in practice."

On why it won't make an exception for the Pixel 11, GrapheneOS said: "We're not going to support a new device without MTE for around 7 years." [1][19][21][22]

Which GrapheneOS requirements the Pixel 11 meets

GrapheneOS's FAQ has a "non-exhaustive list of requirements for future devices," met by every Pixel from the Pixel 8 through the Pixel 10a. It hasn't published a full checklist for the Pixel 11, so this table covers only the requirements it or Google has spoken to:

GrapheneOS summed it up on Aug. 30: "All of the features we need to support the device are present other than MTE." It has also called the phones "a lot more expensive for an incremental improvement to the CPU," with "reduced RAM for the Pro base models." Those are GrapheneOS's views, not support requirements. [1][5][7][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]

If you want a GrapheneOS phone today

GrapheneOS's FAQ "strongly" recommends buying one of these: Pixel 10a, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10, Pixel 9a, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 8a, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8. All of them have memory tagging and, per the FAQ, a minimum of 7 years of support from launch.

• Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL and 10 Pro Fold with GrapheneOS
• Pixel 10a with GrapheneOS
• Pixel 9 with GrapheneOS and Pixel 9a
• Pixel 8, 8 Pro and 8a with GrapheneOS (GrapheneOS has called a used Pixel 8 or 8a "a good budget device")

For buying tips (unlocked versus carrier models, installing it yourself or buying preinstalled), see How to buy a GrapheneOS phone. For the system itself, see GrapheneOS and all GrapheneOS phones. GrapheneOS also says the Motorola Signature 27 "will be the initial supported phone" from Motorola, with support expected "at some point in 2027 for the initial flagship, hopefully in the first half of the year." [1][28][29][30]

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