It’s understandable that any odd noise your phone starts to make can be construed as a fault or manufacturing defect. The Pixel 9 happens to make a loud rattling sound that rivals someone shaking a small bag of gravel, and the question comes up all too often. Here’s the thing: It’s supposed to do that.
Google’s Pixel series has long been very well-manufactured. Regardless of what you think of the UI and base Android experience, Pixel phones often have very nice physical features, from unique camera bars to standout metal accents.
That being said, one of the most common questions about Pixel phones I see is a simple one:
Why does my Pixel make a noise when I shake it?
This question seems to revolve only around Google’s devices. Samsung phones don’t really make a clicking or rattling noise that rivals the Pixel. Apple’s iPhones don’t really do this, either, and I think that’s where the issue is.
Many Pixel users tend to come from other devices, such as Samsung or Apple, and they aren’t used to hearing a noise when they vigorously rock their phone back and forth. These ~$1,000 devices should be the epitome of quality, and there shouldn’t be quality control issues that would warrant noticeable sounds coming from the hardware in their devices.
In most instances, an obviously loud noise from a moving device means only bad things. It could mean screws are loose in the chassis, or worse, another module has freed itself. In any instance, a loud sound means a bad thing, in the simplest of terms.
For the Pixel, it’s something completely normal, and it’s something a lot of users have just grown used to, even if it can be frustrating.
A good Pixel is a noisy Pixel
Spanning back years, users online have mentioned a specific rattling sound when the Pixel is moved around. Even in gentle movements, small clicks can be heard. This seems to have been the case since early Pixel models, and only got more attention when the Pixel 6 gained some traction with more users. We see this post a lot, and specifically on Reddit, the question comes up almost on a weekly basis.
That noise is the Optical Image Stabilization module within the camera unit. Essentially, it sits suspended on several axes supported by strips of dampening material. When you’re taking a photo, that set of lenses will move to absorb the movement from your hand, offering the sensor a chance to capture the most light in the stillest state.
The biggest culprit is the telephoto unit Google uses, considering it needs to be more sensitive to any movement. We’ve noticed that Pro models tend to exhibit more noise because they house telephoto lenses. On top of that, the enclosure is so small that these lenses tend to hit the walls within, causing that clicking sound.
OIS modules are found across the modern smartphone market, and they’ve become essential to devices with good cameras. Depending on the manufacturer, OIS builds can vary, and a lot of device makers opt to use proprietary plans for OIS modules to market better cameras. A lot of brands try to develop new types of OIS methods to bring more stability to cameras as a way to sell their phones.
For whatever reason, Google’s OIS of choice makes an incredible amount of noise. It’s noticeable between devices, like Samsung or OnePlus, that make some noise but not a lot. The Galaxy S25, for instance, makes a faint tapping noise when shaken close to your ear, but it’s almost silent at arm’s reach. The OIS modules in those devices just don’t make the same sort of rattling noise as the Pixel does, even at a full-send shake.
Even with the noise that the Pixel series makes, Google’s phones are well-known for taking some of the best photos in the smartphone market right now. Maybe that comes down to post-processing and a very liberal OIS module that isn’t afraid to scare users.
The point is that your Google Pixel device isn’t broken, and the rattling or clicking sound you hear when you move it around is just the cameras doing their job, even if it’s off-putting.
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