How to fix Google Pixel 2 that keeps shutting off, won’t charge or boot normally
Is your #Google #Pixel2 constantly restarting on its own lately? Today’s troubleshooting guide will help you determine where the problem lies as we cover two similar issues to yours. We hope you’ll find this post helpful.
Problem #1: Google Pixel 2 keeps shutting off, won’t boot normally
Hello. I have a brand new Google Pixel 2 and just encountered a problem that I can’t seem to fix with any of the troubleshooting issues. Yesterday the phone started telling me I ran out of memory/ storage and wouldn’t let some apps function properly. Notes then Instagram started freezing and being unresponsive twice. Within 30 minutes it wasn’t functioning anymore and I restarted. Now it is stuck in reboot mode. Google logo with a bar that’s continuously looking like it’s loading but it’s stuck there. I charged it and left it alone but it doesn’t get out of the reboot mode. Please help. I haven’t had wifi for a couple of days so lots of data hasn’t been backed up 🙁 Thanks so much. — Carolin
Solution: Hi Carolin. Many Google Pixel 2 users reported random shutdown issues a few months after Pixel 2 was released but Google already patched that problem. If the problem only occurs recently, there must be unique circumstances that causes it to work erratically. Since a problem of this type occurs due to either software or hardware issues, you need to isolate the cause first. Below are the things that you can do.
Restart your Pixel
This is a basic first step. Many Pixel owners in the past fixed restart issues by simply doing a soft reset on their device so you don’t want to miss it on your own too. Soft reset usually works for issues caused by bugs that work only when the operating system is up. By turning off the device, you can potentially kill the said bug as well. If you haven’t tried it, here’s how it’s done:
- Press and hold the Power button (on the right edge).
- Tap Power off.
If your Pixel 2 becomes unresponsive/frozen, press and hold the Power button for approximately 10 seconds or until the device power cycles.
Check for system updates
As mentioned above, Google has already released an update before to fix early forms of random restart issue. If you haven’t had the chance to check for updates, now is the time to do it. To check for and install system updates:
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Near the bottom, tap System and then System updates. If needed, first tap About phone or About tablet.
- You’ll see your update status. Follow any on-screen steps.
Obviously, you can only do this potential solution if the device boots up normally. If it doesn’t allow you to do it at this time, consider booting it up to safe mode first.
Run your Pixel 2 on Safe mode
Some restarting problems are due to incompatible or rogue apps. To check if that’s the case here, make sure to see if your device can boot to safe mode and function normally. Here’s how:
- Press and hold your device’s power button.
- On your screen, touch and hold Power off Power. Tap OK.
- After you see “Safe mode” at the bottom of your screen, wait to see if the problem goes away.
Remember, safe mode is not a solution but a tool. If your Pixel 2 boots to it fine and won’t shut down on its own, that’s an indication that one of your apps is to blame for the trouble. Since safe mode won’t pinpoint the exact problematic app for you, it’s up to you to figure it out. Try to uninstall the most recent app you’ve added and see how your device works back to normal mode. If the problem is still there after deleting an app, go back to safe mode again, uninstall an app, the restart to normal mode to check for the problem. Repeat this cycle until you identified where the problem comes from.
Remove root or switch back to stock firmware (if your Pixel is rooted or running unofficial ROM)
If you tried to tamper with the official software prior either by rooting or flashing before the problem occured, we suggest that you undo what action you did and see what happens. There are valid reasons why manufacturers would want to lock down their device and discourage users from tampering with the software and one of these reasons is the possibility of your situation happening. Rooting and flashing is only recommended for those with advanced knowledge about Android and who can manage to find solutions should issues like this occur. If you were uninformed or did not do your research ahead of time and did the tampering anyway, then you might have just killed your device. There’s a lot of things that can go wrong when working with software and most of these issues cannot be fixed by simply reversing the process. Whatever you did, only you knows it so try to narrow down the possible causes by eliminating issues one by one. Start by checking for errors that might give away the nature of the problem. Go to Google forums and ask the community if they encountered a particular error you’re experiencing. A good place to start posting your questions is Google’s own Pixel community forum.
Factory reset
The only effective way to fix a Pixel device that keeps on shutting off on its own is by doing a factory reset. Factory reset works by erasing personal data and reverting all software settings back to their defaults so if you didn’t create a backup of your device before the issue occured, you’re out of luck. At this time, there’s no way you can create a backup unless the device allows you to boot to safe mode.
Being a Pixel user, we assume you know your Google account credentials (username & password for your Pixel phone). You’ll need them before and after the factor reset.
To begin doing a factory reset:
- Turn off your Pixel.
- With the device turned off, press and hold the Volume down key. Note: If Device Protection is not disabled, the login credentials for the Google account currently associated with the device will be needed to set up the device after the reset.
- With the Volume down key held down, press and hold the Power key.
- Release both keys when the Android screen appears.
- Use the Volume keys to scroll to Recovery mode.
- Press the Power key to select Recovery mode.
- When the No command message appears, press and hold the Power key.
- While holding the Power key, press and release the Volume Up key. Note: Release the Power key when the Android Recovery screen appears.
- Press the Volume down key to scroll to Wipe data/factory reset.
- With Wipe data/factory reset highlighted, press the Power key.
- Press the Volume down key to scroll to Yes, then press the Power key.
- Once the wipe is complete, with Reboot system now highlighted, press the Power key. The device will restart.
Problem #2: Google Pixel 2 stopped charging and won’t turn on
I can charge my Google Pixel 2 and I can turn it on. I seem to be able to use whatsapp for example but when I try and make a call it freezes then turns off and then I can’t turn it on again, at least for some time. I left it overnight and then managed to turn it on again this morning but it has 1% power and turned off again. I charged it up, turned it on, sent a whatsapp again and it was fine. Tried ot make a call – same thing, Now I can’t turn it on. Any ideas please? — Matthew Rolfe
Solution: Hi Matthew. There’s nothing much that you can do if your device won’t power on so your first task right now is to turn it back on. There may be an issue with the charging cable or adapter so try to get another known working set and use it to charge your device. You want to ensure that the device charges normally so you can turn it back on and perform software troubleshooting. If you’re successful and the device charges, you can then follow the suggestions in this article to try and fix the main issue.
If your device won’t charge at all and remains off after leaving connected to a new adapter and cable, it’s most probably because of a hardware malfunction. It can be a bad battery, defective power management IC, or a general motherboard malfunction. Whatever it is, the only way to have it fixed is by sending it in for repair. We suggest that you contact Google so they can set up repair or replacement request for you.