What you need to know
- Google has reportedly spoken up about the bootloop issues affecting several Pixel series on its Issue Tracker.
- The company is encouraging users to submit a proper support ticket and to mention the bootloop issue, as a fix seemingly varies from device to device.
- Users in March said their devices couldn’t make it past the initial “G” logo when starting, and this has continued in April and May.
Pixel users have been grappling with a stifling bootloop issue after Google’s recent updates over the past few months. The company is now reportedly coming forward with suggestions for users.
There is quite a lengthy thread on Google’s Issue Tracker full of reports from various Pixel users about this bootloop (via Android Authority). There are hundreds of comments from affected users, and over 400 upvotes. A silent nod that even more are having issues. Users’ phones are stuck on the initial “G” logo, which always appears when turning on your phone (or during a restart). Posts mention having this issue on a Pixel 4a, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 9, and more.
The publication found a recent reply from Google that seems to offer light at the end of the tunnel.
Android Central’s Take
When these reports first got underway, I only saw people mention the March security patch as the cause, since that’s when this all started. But to see this issue supposedly happening in April and May, after those respective patches, is more than concerning. Users have been dealing with this for months, and we’re only seeing some sort of solution now. It’s disheartening.
This solution might take time, though. The company’s post reads, “Thank you for your continued patience as we’ve been investigating a startup or bootloop issue following the March, April, or May software updates causing devices to freeze on the G-logo or initial boot screen and locking out and rebooting immediately after entering a PIN.”
Supposedly, Google has found that narrowing down a solution varies on a case-by-case basis. Or, in this scenario, device by device. Google says the only way to reach the “best path” forward to solve this issue is to contact its support team. It encourages users to state in their ticket what their issue is: “reboot loop issue after recent software update.”
Pixel troubles
We first saw reports mention Pixel booting issues early in March after Google rolled out its monthly security patch. Users mentioned the same things they’ve continued to mention for months: they are unable to reach their device’s true experience because they can’t make it past the “G” logo. Users with Pixel 10 phones and several past-gen devices were reported in March.
To make matters worse, some users received a “Cannot load Android system and data corrupt” error message when trying to boot up their phones. Strangely, users have said they’ve been encountering this issue in April and May’s security updates. At the time, one user said their Pixel 8 wouldn’t even turn on. They were able to get it to illuminate after plugging in its charger, but the bootloop quickly ensued.
Google is working on things, at least. Though it’s not really clear if many users are finding a proper (or quick) solution.