Google Acknowledges Pixel 4a Boot-Loop Bug, Hitting 6-Year-Old Phones and Some Pixel 4 Units

Q: Why does a Wi-Fi signal suddenly cause older Google Pixel phones to get stuck in an endless reboot loop?

The most likely cause is a software bug introduced by recent Pixel updates that breaks the phone’s Wi‑Fi handling during startup, causing a system crash and repeated reboot. That is the strongest explanation because affected users on Pixel 4a, 4 and 4 XL have repeatedly found that the loop can often be interrupted only by preventing the phone from connecting to Wi‑Fi. Reports describe the device briefly reaching the lock screen, then falling back to the Google logo. Workarounds such as turning off the router, entering safe mode, disabling Wi‑Fi, or even shielding the phone from nearby signals suggest Wi‑Fi is not the root “signal” problem itself, but the trigger for a failure in software. The broader evidence points to a bug in the Wi‑Fi stack, driver, or related network services. Similar Pixel issues in 2026 have been tied to recent monthly updates, and some reports specifically connect boot loops to March through May builds. In Android, if a low-level Wi‑Fi component crashes the kernel or a critical system process during boot, the phone can restart before it fully loads, creating an endless loop. There is no public proof yet that ambient Wi‑Fi alone physically damages these older phones. The more credible reading is that an update left some older Pixel models unable to safely process Wi‑Fi initialization, saved networks, or related background services at boot. Google has acknowledged the issue, but until it publishes a fix, the exact technical fault remains unconfirmed.

3 articles · Updated · Android Authority · Jun 25

Google said it has passed a boot-loop bug to its development team after Pixel 4a owners reported phones stuck cycling past the Google logo since early June.
A June 4 post on Google’s Issue Tracker acknowledged the problem, and similar complaints have also surfaced on Reddit and in a smaller number of Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL reports.
User-tested workarounds suggest Wi-Fi may trigger the glitch: some owners said disabling Wi-Fi in safe mode restored normal booting, while others resorted to taking a split-second screenshot or even wrapping phones in two layers of aluminum foil.
The issue is hitting devices Google no longer sells and largely no longer updates, though the Pixel 4a still received a battery-related software update in early 2025.