Bootloop error on Pixel devices: Google apparently has a solution
After the March update, numerous Pixel smartphones are stuck in a restart loop. Google now appears to be testing a beta update to save data.
(Image: Yasin Hasan / shutterstock.com)
In early March, Google released a major update to Android 16 QPR3 as a “Pixel Drop”. Since then, at least hundreds of Pixel devices – from the Pixel 6 series to the latest Pixel 10 series – have apparently become unusable as they are stuck in a restart loop (bootloop). Google has confirmed the error and seems to be close to providing a solution.
Bootloop solution without data loss
At least one affected user reports this in Google's Issue Tracker, where more and more users have been reporting the bootloop problem for weeks. The user in question, who is actively documenting the issue in the tracker, has reportedly been contacted by Google.
He writes that Google support contacted him via email on Friday and informed him that Google has a potential beta update to resolve the issue. Support asked him if he was willing to meet with the development team to discuss the issues with his smartphone and install the beta update to potentially fix the issue via sideloading. Google also assured him that the beta update would not reset the data on his smartphone.
So far, the manufacturer has advised resetting the affected devices to factory settings (Factory Reset). This involves the loss of all data not backed up on the device. The solution often did not help either. However, some managed to save their data. In some cases, the smartphone can be started in safe mode on the charging cable to create a backup before the next bootloop.
The post indicates that Google is indeed actively working on a solution and now wants to help affected users save their devices without data loss. However, the fact that the error is not easy to fix is shown by the fact that Google has apparently offered some users replacement devices. In these cases, Pixel owners must contact Google directly to clarify whether their device is eligible for an exchange.
If the bug fix works, Google is likely to release it with the May update so that it doesn't happen to more users. Affected users whose devices are stuck in a bootloop will find little help, as they cannot install the update.
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Other bugs
While the bootloop error is certainly the most serious bug that came with the March update in Pixel devices, other users complain about further problems. For example, users report that their devices “freeze” on the lock screen and in the always-on display and briefly do not respond to input.
More Pixel owners complain that their devices run for a shorter time than usual after the March update, meaning the battery life has been reduced. Some report losing several hours of battery life. One user speculates that the update might have an error in power management: the CPU might no longer switch to doze mode; this mode is responsible for throttling performance and background activities when idle.
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