Android 10 update stuck on the boot screen? You're not alone

What you need to know

  • Pixel users are seeing long install times for Android 10.
  • For some, the phone is stuck on the boot screen for several hours.
  • The issue isn't limited to one particular model, with the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, and 3a seemingly affected.

Google rolled put the stable version of Android 10, and the update is now available for the Pixels. There's a lot to like, including a system-wide dark theme, Smart Reply, granular location-sharing controls, a new gesture navigation system, and so much more.

With the stable OTA now available, Pixels owners around the world are downloading the update. But as is often the case with these things, it looks like several users are seeing lengthy install times with phones stuck on the boot screen with the Google logo.

As reported on Google's product forums, the Android 10 installation seems to be stuck at the boot screen for anywhere between 30 minutes to six hours. It doesn't seem to be limited to one device either, with users on the first-gen Pixel, Pixel 2, Pixel 3, and the Pixel 3a reporting issues with the install.

If you're facing a similar issue on your Pixel and are unwilling to wait, there are a few things you can do. You can manually sideload Android 10 by following these instructions, or revert to Pie to try the Android 10 OTA update again. To do so, you'll have to boot into recovery mode by pressing down on the power button and volume down keys simultaneously. Once you're in the recovery mode, navigate to Reboot system now by using the volume up/down keys, and hit the power button to reboot your phone.

If that doesn't work or you're unable to go into recovery mode, force a reboot multiple times by pressing down on the power button, following which you should be able to boot back into Android 9 Pie. Try installing the update a second time to see if it goes through.

I installed the update on my Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3 XL, and 3a XL, and while it took slightly longer on the Pixel 2 XL (about 10 minutes at the boot screen), I didn't run into any issues. I'd recommend waiting at least a half hour at the boot screen for the install to finish before trying a force reboot.

Did you run into any issues when installing the Android 10 update? Let me know in the comments below.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.