Google Pixel

Google Pixel updates left phones useless, bootlooping for some – a fix is now in sight

Ben Schoon | Jun 11 2026 - 7:15 am PT

Some Google Pixel phones have been hit with bootloop issues, but a fix is now available, sort of.

For the past three months, there have been intermittent reports of Pixel phones being stuck in a bootloop-like state. Unlike a traditional bootloop which leaves the device unable to turn on, users report a device that boots up, but then immediately reboots on unlocking the device. So, not quite bootlooping, but the same end result for the user – and unusable smartphone.

Google has now acknowledged the situation and offered a fix of sorts.

A comment on a thread acknowledges that the issue stemmed from March, April, and May 2026 updates. Google points affected users to support avenues as “the best path forward depends on your device’s specific state.”

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Google says:

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.

We now have updated guidance and next steps available for devices exhibiting these symptoms specifically. Because the best path forward depends on your device’s specific state, please contact Pixel Customer Support at https://support.google.com/pixelphone/gethelp directly so an agent can assist you with the resolution process.

When reaching out, please mention the issue you’re facing (for example “reboot loop issue after recent software update) so our team can quickly route you to the correct guidance.

The comment was highlighted by the folks at Android Authority.

It’s great to see that a fix is at least in view, but it’s hard to say whether or not this will be a firm answer for everyone affected. At the very least, it sounds like this issue varies from user to user, and it’s also likely that troubleshooting measures would have an impact. It also sounds like the fixes are not exactly at a high level.

One user says that support informed them to perform a factory reset via Fastboot, which is an issue for anyone who (understandably) wants to keep their data intact. One such user was directed to install Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 which did not fix the issue, and leaves that user in a tough spot where they can’t go back to a stable update without resetting. Others have been told to send their device in for repair, which will also result in a reset.

So, while there is hope, this is probably not the fix many were hoping for. Hopefully, Google can present more options soon. At the very least, it sounds like Google has some idea of how to fix this problem, so progress can likely be made more quickly now.

You can contact Google support here.