Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google’s New Year 2026 Doodle Delay Incident
On January 1, 2026, Google’s homepage mistakenly displayed the New Year’s Eve 2025 doodle well past midnight across multiple devices. The issue was caused by a scheduled release timing error, with the new doodle set to launch at 6 AM Pacific instead of midnight. Google quickly addressed and fixed the problem within a few hours, with a promise to avoid similar mistakes in future launches.
Optimixed’s Overview: Analyzing Google’s Early Morning Doodle Release Glitch on New Year’s Day 2026
The Unexpected Doodle Delay on Google’s Homepage
On the first day of 2026, users worldwide noticed that the Google homepage was still showing the New Year’s Eve 2025 doodle well after the new year began. This unexpected display persisted across various platforms including Chrome on Mac, Safari on Mac and iOS, as well as Android devices.
Root Cause and Official Response
- Timing Error: The scheduled doodle update was set for a 6 AM Pacific Time release instead of the expected midnight launch.
- Investigation: Rajan Patel, Google’s VP of Engineering for Search, acknowledged the issue and confirmed an ongoing investigation.
- Resolution: The problem was resolved by approximately 9:45 AM ET, with the correct New Year’s Day doodle finally displayed.
Lessons and Future Improvements
Google admitted that while some doodles have been shifted to later morning releases, the New Year’s Day doodle clearly requires a midnight launch to maintain tradition and user expectations. The company pledged to ensure this timing will be correctly handled in future celebrations to avoid similar glitches.
