Earlier this month, Google released the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro along with the official launch of Android 14. However, some Pixel users have encountered an issue with their phone’s storage after updating to Android 14.
Initially, it was believed that this problem only affected Pixel 6 series users. However, it has now been reported that a wider range of devices, including the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 series, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet, have also been affected by this bug after updating to the latest Android version.
According to a report from Android Authority, Google has acknowledged this storage bug that is impacting Pixel phones. This bug prevents users from accessing their media storage, forcing them to perform a factory reset. Google is actively addressing this issue and has provided an update on its community forums.
Google states, “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.”
The company explains that this issue may cause the device to reboot with a factory data reset message. If the user accepts the reset, there is a risk of data loss if the device is not backed up. If the user declines, the device may repeatedly reboot with the “Pixel is starting” message.
To address this issue, Google is actively working on fixes for the affected devices. It has already released a Google Play system update that is designed to prevent the problem from occurring on additional devices. Users can check if their device has received the latest October Google Play System update by going to Settings > Security & privacy > System & update > Google Play System update.
For users who are experiencing the storage issue and are unable to access their media storage, Google expects that a system update will resolve the problem without the need for a factory reset. In cases where the device is stuck in a “Pixel is starting” boot loop due to this issue, Google is currently working on solutions to potentially recover some data. More updates regarding this matter will be shared soon.
For users who are not facing this issue or have already performed a factory reset on their device, Google recommends avoiding the creation or login of a secondary user on the device until the OTA (over-the-air) update is available.
