Google is addressing Pixel 6 series screen cracking bug following user complaints

Yesterday, we reported that several Google Pixel 6 series users encountered a critical issue, causing their devices to become bricked. The issue occurred when users attempted to perform a factory reset, a common troubleshooting procedure, or format the device. Instead of successfully resetting, the devices failed to restart, displaying error messages about missing system files.

In response, Google updated its support page with a temporary workaround. Here’s what Google said:

Hello Pixel Community,

We recently received reports from users who were having trouble factory resetting their Pixel 6, 6 Pro, and 6a phones after installing the latest system update. We understand that factory resetting isn’t something many users do regularly, but because we care about your experience and want to keep you informed, we’d like to share these additional details with you:

• To avoid this issue, we recommend leaving your device powered on and idle for 15 minutes after restarting after a system update. After that, you can restore your device to its factory settings. Alternatively, you can restore your device to its factory settings before downloading the latest system update.
• If you’ve already factory reset your Pixel 6, 6 Pro, or 6a and are having issues, follow this thread for more information and updates. The team has identified the cause of the issue and is working on the best possible solution.

Our teams are actively working to resolve this issue. We appreciate your patience and support.

Thanks,

Google Pixel Support Team

According to the statement, the issue is related to the installation of new software updates. The company advises users who have not yet performed a factory reset to leave their devices powered on and idle for 15 minutes after restarting after a system update. Alternatively, users can perform a factory reset before installing the latest update.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t provide any relief to users whose devices are already affected. Google says it has identified the cause of the problem and is working on a fix, which it will update in this thread, but for now, affected users remain in limbo. As far as we know, attempts to recover devices using Android Flash Tool and Pixel Repair Tool have proven unsuccessful.

The origin of the issue remains a mystery, and it doesn’t appear to affect all Pixel 6 users. During our own testing, we were able to perform a factory reset on a Pixel 6 running the latest Android 15 beta without any issues.

Google has not provided a timeline for a fix, and we strongly recommend avoiding factory resetting your Pixel 6 until Google releases a final solution. We’ll continue to follow this story and provide updates as new information becomes available.