An inadvertent bug inAndroid 14 has locked many Pixel users out of their phone’s internal storage. The issue primarily affects Pixel devices with multiple users or guest profiles. Following reports and complaints from numerous Pixel 6 owners sinceAndroid 14’s release,Google acknowledged the bug. In its response, the company noted that a fix was in development and rolled out a Google Play System update to ensure more users were not affected by the issue. Google has now confirmed that it will roll out a fix for affected Pixel users locked out of their phone’s storage in the next two weeks.
First, the bad news. If your Pixel is stuck in a boot loop after installing Android 14, you can’t recover any data stored on the device.Google saysyour only option is tofactory reset the phone, which will erase all files saved on the internal storage. You must use the power and volume keys to reset the device since it is not booting into the OS. The data loss might anger some Pixel users who stand to lose some precious data. It also raises questions about Google’s Q&A before rolling out a major OS update, as ideally, such an issue should have been caught in testing.
If you are only locked out of your Pixel’s primary user profile and storage, Google is testing an OTA fix, which should roll out in the “next two weeks.” If you cannot wait that long, participate in the test by filling outthis form, after which the update will roll out to your phone. Google notes that the OTA installation can take up to a couple of hours. The company also recommends contacting Pixel Support to get 1:1 help on the workarounds.
Google’s fix should help you get back into the primary user profile on your Pixel and access its internal storage. But since the solution is still being tested, there’s always a possibility of things going wrong. So, if you want to avoid taking unwanted risks, wait until Google rolls out the fix publicly.
Google previously recommended Pixel users not to create a guest or secondary guest profile until a fix is rolled out. You should also install the latest Google Play System update on your Pixel by navigating toSettings > Security and privacy > System and updates > Google Play system update. This will ensure you are not locked out of your Pixel’s primary profile if you have multiple users set up.
This incident will likely frustrate and disappoint many Pixel 6 and 7 users. Perhaps this is why you shouldback up your Android phone regularlyto ensure you don’t lose important data in unforeseen circumstances like this.
