Google acknowledges Android 14 bug that impacts Pixels, rolls out prevention update
Earlier this month, Google rolled out the latest Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, accompanied by the official release of Android 14. However, since then, numerous Pixel users have reported an issue where they are unable to access their phone's storage after updating to Android 14.
Initially thought to be confined to Pixel 6 series users, this bug has affected a broader range of devices, including Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 series, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet, following their update to the latest Android version.
According to a report from Android Authority, Google has acknowledged the storage bug affecting Pixel phones. This bug prevents users from accessing media storage on their devices, leaving them with no choice but to perform a factory reset. Google is actively addressing the problem and has posted a message on its community forums outlining its response.
"We are aware of an issue occurring on some Pixel devices (Pixel 6 and later models) that have both received the Android 14 update and have multiple users (other than the primary user) set up. Multiple users include users, guests, restricted profiles, and child users. However, it does not include having more than one Google account within the primary user or work profiles," states Google in its post.
To address this, Google is actively working on fixes for affected devices. It has already deployed a Google Play system update designed to prevent the issue from being triggered on additional devices. To check if your device has received the latest October Google Play System update, navigate to Settings > Security & privacy > System & update > Google Play System update.
For those experiencing the issue and unable to access media storage, Google anticipates that a system update will resolve the problem without requiring a factory reset. In cases where the device is stuck in a "Pixel is starting" boot loop due to this issue, Google currently lacks a solution but is exploring methods that may recover some data. Updates on this front will be shared soon.
For users not facing this problem or those who have already factory reset their device, Google recommends avoiding the creation or login of a secondary user on the device until the OTA update is available.
Initially thought to be confined to Pixel 6 series users, this bug has affected a broader range of devices, including Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 series, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet, following their update to the latest Android version.
"We are aware of an issue occurring on some Pixel devices (Pixel 6 and later models) that have both received the Android 14 update and have multiple users (other than the primary user) set up. Multiple users include users, guests, restricted profiles, and child users. However, it does not include having more than one Google account within the primary user or work profiles," states Google in its post.
Google explains that the issue may prompt the device to reboot with a factory data reset message. If accepted, this reset can lead to data loss if the device isn't backed up. If declined, the device may repeatedly reboot with the "Pixel is starting" message.
To address this, Google is actively working on fixes for affected devices. It has already deployed a Google Play system update designed to prevent the issue from being triggered on additional devices. To check if your device has received the latest October Google Play System update, navigate to Settings > Security & privacy > System & update > Google Play System update.
For those experiencing the issue and unable to access media storage, Google anticipates that a system update will resolve the problem without requiring a factory reset. In cases where the device is stuck in a "Pixel is starting" boot loop due to this issue, Google currently lacks a solution but is exploring methods that may recover some data. Updates on this front will be shared soon.
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