The Pixel 6, once plagued with bugs upon its initial release, has since resolved most issues over the past three years. However, a new significant problem has emerged for users who factory reset their phones.

Numerous complaints on Reddit and Google support forums reveal that many Pixel 6 owners unintentionally bricked their devices after performing a factory reset. This issue affects all phones in the series, including the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a.

What typically occurs is that after a factory reset, the Pixel 6 boots up with a black screen. Users may encounter an error message stating that “tune2fs” is missing, an advanced Unix command for adjusting tunable parameters.

Even Android Flash tools, which are meant to assist in updating software by connecting the device to a computer, have not been effective in resolving this issue. Users are left perplexed about how to proceed.

It appears that not all affected devices are on the same operating system versions, indicating that a recent software update may not be the root cause of the problem. Some users who reached out to Google were informed that a motherboard issue was likely responsible and out-of-warranty devices would not be repaired for free.

This response did not sit well with users who believe the problem is software-related and should be rectified by Google. While Google is currently investigating the issue and acknowledging it as a known problem affecting numerous handsets, a resolution remains uncertain.

Although there are no guarantees regarding how Google will address this issue moving forward, their investigation signifies progress towards finding a solution. In the meantime, it is advisable for owners of affected devices to refrain from performing factory resets until further notice.