Recover an Android phone stuck in a boot loop after a system update

Before you begin

Match the environmentUse this guide only for Android 14, Android 15, Samsung One UI 6/7, Pixel devices or a clearly compatible setup.

Protect recoveryBack up important data and save encryption or account recovery keys before changing system state.

Know when to stopMake one change at a time and stop if the result differs from what the guide describes.

Problem overview

After an OTA system update the phone restarts repeatedly at the logo screen and never reaches the home screen.

Common causes

Corrupted system cache left over from the update
A misbehaving app incompatible with the new Android version
An interrupted update (battery died or storage filled mid-install)

Solution 1: Wipe the cache partition (no data loss)

Hold Power until the phone fully turns off.
Boot into recovery: most devices use Power + Volume Up (Samsung requires a USB cable connected to a PC).
Use volume keys to select Wipe cache partition, confirm with Power.
Select Reboot system now.

Expert Tip

This fixes the majority of post-update loops and is completely safe : always try it first.

Solution 2: Boot into Safe Mode to find a bad app

During boot, when the logo appears, hold Volume Down until the lock screen loads.
If the phone is stable in Safe Mode, a third-party app is the culprit.
Uninstall recently updated apps (Settings → Apps → sort by recently updated), then reboot normally.

Solution 3: Sideload the update again via ADB

If recovery shows ‘Apply update from ADB’, you can re-flash the OTA without wiping data:

# On your computer, with platform-tools installed
adb devices            # should list the phone in sideload mode
adb sideload ota-update.zip

Critical

Factory reset is the last resort and erases everything. Exhaust Solutions 1-3 first, and confirm your Google/Samsung cloud backup is recent before resetting.

Confirm the result

Repeat the exact action that originally triggered the problem.

Confirm the original error or symptom is gone and no new warning has appeared.

If the guide changed a driver, service, package, or system setting, restart once and test again.

If the result is worse or unexpected, stop. Reverse only the last change using its documented restore option; if none is documented, use your backup or qualified support.

Questions about this fix

Does wiping the cache partition delete my photos or apps?

No. The cache partition only holds temporary system files. Your data partition is untouched.

My phone has no recovery menu — now what?

Some devices require the bootloader (fastboot) menu first. Hold Power + Volume Down, then select Recovery with volume keys.

Recover an Android phone stuck in a boot loop after a system update

Before you begin

Problem overview

Common causes

Solution 1: Wipe the cache partition (no data loss)

Solution 2: Boot into Safe Mode to find a bad app

Solution 3: Sideload the update again via ADB

Confirm the result

Questions about this fix

Weighted Consensus Protocol

Did this solution resolve your issue?

Discussion (0)

Join the Discussion