GoKawiilPixel 11 drops hardware memory tagging support, GrapheneOS reports
The GrapheneOS project has said that Google's upcoming Pixel 11 will no longer support hardware Memory Tagging Extension (MTE), a security feature present in recent Pixel devices. The announcement came via a social media post rather than a detailed report, so specifics on why the feature was removed remain unclear.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
MTE has been a key hardware-level defense against memory corruption bugs, which are a leading cause of exploitable vulnerabilities in mobile operating systems. Removing it from a flagship device could weaken security guarantees that privacy-focused projects like GrapheneOS rely on, and may signal a shift in Google's hardware security roadmap.
- GrapheneOS says Pixel 11 will lack hardware memory tagging (MTE) support.
- MTE has been a security feature protecting against memory corruption exploits.
- The change could affect security-hardened Android forks that depend on this hardware capability.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Smartphone — If hardware memory tagging matters to you, the Pixel 9 Pro remains a favorite among privacy-focused users and is a supported device for alternative Android builds like GrapheneOS. It's an unlocked flagship with Google's Tensor silicon, long software support, and an excellent camera system.
See Google Pixel 9 Pro Smartphone on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: bsky.app, 2026-08-29
Published there as: “GrapheneOS project: pixel 11 no longer supports hardware memory tagging (MTE)”
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