Android 10 update leaves Pixel phones frozen on the boot screen for hours

While installing the Android 10 update, many Google Pixel owners got their devices stuck on the boot screen for hours on end. Despite the relatively small size of the OTA update, some users have reported in the Google product forums that their Pixel phones were stuck on the boot screen for up to six hours. Yes, you read that right, six hours!

The issue doesn't seem to be limited to a certain model, Android Central reports, and cases have been reported of all three generations of Pixel phones, including the Pixel 3a, being affected by unusually long installation times. Some of the affected users have reported installation times of anywhere from 30 minutes to up to six hours.

We've already updated one of our Pixel 3a and Pixel 2 units with no issues whatsoever. The Pixel 3a was very quick to download and install the 1.2GB update, and went through the initial boot up after the update surprisingly quick. The Pixel 2 was slower and took around five minutes on the first boot up after the update, but nowhere near the times some users are complaining about on Google's products forums.

We currently have no information as to what could be causing the extremely long install times, or why only some users are affected.

If you're updating your Pixel phone to Android 10 and your device is stuck on the boot screen with the Google logo, your best bet is, unfortunately, to wait it out. Google has so far provided no definitive solution to the problem, or an explanation, but a Google Product Expert has chimed in on the thread, advising people to just wait. The other option would be to boot into recovery mode from the frozen boot screen (by pressing either volume up or down and the power button simultaneously) and selecting Reboot system now. This should reboot your phone back into Android Pie. From then, you can try installing the update again or wait until an official solution exists.

However, Google advises against the latter method, as "force rebooting at this stage could corrupt files which could prevent the phone from booting again," a Product Expert has explained in the thread on Google's product forums.

We've reached out to Google and will update this story if and when we receive an official statement on the matter.