Google is rolling out a fix for users who have been affected by an Android 14 bug, which is causing some storage issues on select Pixel phones.
To quickly recap: some Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a users noticed that they no longer had access to their local files, or that their devices were stuck in a bootloop and experiencing crashes.
This meant that in some cases the camera app wouldn’t open, or users couldn’t download anything because their devices said that storage was full. Google later confirmed that this issue was caused by people using multiple user profiles on one device.
In a blog post published last night on the Pixel support forums, a Google representative explained that the company is now rolling out an Android update over the next two weeks that “will return their devices to an operable state.” But, for more seriously affected users who are stuck in a bootloop and unable to access their phone, Google says that this update may not recover lost data.
For that, Pixel owners may have to factory reset their devices, which will wipe everything. For people that are able to access their phones, they will need to fill out a form to receive the test OTA update.
This has been one of the more serious Pixel phone problems. The first reports of the bug surfaced at least 26 days ago on Reddit, with others posting around a similar time on the Pixel support forums. Google rolled out an initial update on the 29th October to prevent the bug causing problems on more devices, while also warning Pixel users not to set up additional account profiles on their handsets.
After Google acknowledged the issue, several Pixel owners got in touch with me to explain how their devices had been affected by the bug, with one reader telling me that this was “the final nail in the coffin for me and Pixel phones.” Others bemoaned the lack of support and time it took for Google to recognize the problem, which has had a more serious impact on users who had phones that have been stuck in a permanent bootloop.
“Pixel 7 with 2 accounts. Updated to [Android] 14 over a week before. Phone went into bootloop while I was driving then after 3 restarts it got stuck on the Pixel loading screen. Had to borrow somebody’s phone to text my husband,” a Pixel 7 owner named Pamela explained to me.
For users who haven’t backed up their data, are unable to or don’t want to, it seems like it might be difficult to save their existing data. But Google is recommending users get in touch for help. Have you received the update or managed to save your data? Get in touch.
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