Pixel’s ‘Flip to Shhh’ notification feature is broken for some

With the Pixel’s “Flip to Shhh” feature on, setting the phone face down silences notifications. It’s a handy feature for disconnecting, but it’s not actually working on several models right now.

Several device models from the Pixel 7 to the Pixel 10 seem to have an issue with Flip to Shhh. Users have started reporting that the setting is simply unavailable after one change or another.

Stories vary from user to user, with one noting they simply turned on Advanced Protection and switched launcher preferences before the feature disappeared, while another said they turned it off by accident. One even said the issue began happening after they reset their Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Across the board, though, enabling it again surfaces a “can’t turn on flip to shhh” error. It seems to be a server-side issue with conflicting Digital Wellbeing versions. For a few users, forcing the Digital Wellbeing app to update in the Google Play Store resets Flip to Shhh, and it can then be enabled again.

Granted, the recent posts that have begun making the rounds are weeks old at this point, but updates to the original complaints prove a fix still hasn’t been found. Since updating Digital Wellbeing, it looks like some have seen the issue reappear, with no way to turn the notification setting on again.

Ironically, this bug crops up after Google launches the Pixel 11 series with a similar feature – HiLight. It works in conjunction with Flip to Shhh to enhance notifications without disruption, but it’s unlikely that Digital Wellbeing is broken due to new hardware in the pipeline.

It’s unclear why the Digital Wellbeing service is disrupting the feature with passing updates. For now, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive fix for affected devices.