Google Pixel Keeps Restarting
Your phone is stuck in an infinite boot loop, displaying the Apple logo repeatedly or occasionally booting successfully before freezing again.
- The cause of this issue can be one of many factors.
Resolving the problem may require patience and persistence through multiple potential causes and fixes.
Step 1 | Physical Obstructions
Remove any physical accessories that may be interfering with your phone's buttons and components.
- Exceptions: leave screen protectors in place, unless experiencing unexpected touch issues.
- Press all buttons to check for proper function and responsiveness.
If the power button is stuck, use a spudger or toothpick to carefully pry it loose.
Step 2 | Inconsistent Power
Plug the phone into power and check if issue persists.
- If problem goes away with power connected, replace the battery.
- Refer to the Pixel Battery Replacement Guide for detailed instructions.
Step 3 | Full Storage
Maxed-out storage can affect the operating system's functionality.
- Open Settings and go to Storage > Free up space.
- Delete unused apps, videos, or pictures to free up space.
Automated storage management is available on Google Pixel devices only.
- To enable this feature, go to Settings > Storage > Free up space > ⋮ (Overflow menu) > Settings > Smart storage.
Step 4 | Faulty Third-Party App
Boot into Safe Mode to troubleshoot sound issues, as third-party apps may cause reboots.
- Press and hold the power button until booting options appear.
- Hold down the phone's volume down button for a few seconds until "Safe mode" is displayed on screen.
If sound issues persist in Safe Mode, proceed to uninstall recently installed apps:
- Navigate to Google Play Store app > Profile icon (top right) > Manage apps & devices > Manage.
- Select the problematic app and tap "Uninstall" to remove it.
Exit Safe Mode by holding down the power button for 30 seconds. On some Pixel phones, you may need to tap "Restart" instead.
Step 5 | Firmware Fault
A factory reset will completely wipe your phone's data, so make sure you have a backup before attempting this.
- Check if Google's repair tool can resolve software issues without a full reset: visit the Update and Software Repair tool website.
- If the tool doesn't work, proceed with a factory reset.
Backup your phone using the Settings app > Google Backup > Back up now before proceeding.
- Power off your phone by holding down the power button until it shuts down.
- Hold the power button and start holding the volume down button while powering on.
- Release the buttons when the screen shows "bootloader".
- Navigate to "Recovery Mode" using the volume down button and select with the power button.
- Select "Wipe Data/Factory Reset" using the power button.
- Confirm "Yes" to proceed with the reset.
This process will take some time to complete. Once done, restore your backup by logging into your Google account from the Settings app.
Step 6 | See Also
Ensure you have sufficient storage space available; low storage can cause phone to become sluggish and unresponsive.
- Uninstall unused apps by selecting the app icon and tapping "Uninstall".
- Remove any large files or photos from internal storage, if possible.
- Move other files, such as documents or videos, to an external SD card (if supported).
Consider deleting data from Google Photos or backing up and deleting it to free up space.
Regularly cleaning up your phone's storage will help maintain its performance and prevent slow-downs.