Symptoms
- Phone restarts repeatedly showing the logo screen
- Never fully reaches the home screen
- Happened after an update or a new app install
- Phone gets warm during the repeated restarts
Likely causes
- CommonRecently installed app conflicting with the systemApps with deep system access can sometimes destabilize startup.
- CommonCorrupted cache partitionCached system data can become corrupted and block a clean boot.
- CommonFailed or interrupted OS updateA power loss or error during update installation can leave the system incomplete.
- PossibleInsufficient storage preventing boot completionA nearly full storage can prevent the system from finishing startup tasks.
- Less commonHardware faultFailing storage or a damaged battery can sometimes cause boot instability.
What to do
- Try booting into safe mode (usually by holding the power button then long-pressing 'power off' until safe mode prompt appears, varies by phone).
- If safe mode boots successfully, uninstall the most recently installed app that may have caused the issue.
- Restart normally to see if removing that app fixed the loop.
- If still looping, boot into recovery mode (button combination varies by manufacturer) and clear the cache partition, not user data.
- Restart normally after clearing cache.
- If it still loops, back up any accessible data and perform a factory reset from recovery mode.
- If recovery mode itself won't load or the loop persists after a factory reset, this points to a hardware issue.
When to call a pro
If a factory reset from recovery mode doesn't stop the loop, take the phone to a repair shop, since it likely indicates a hardware fault.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.