Pixels bricked by Google's updates finally have a fix that might work

There's finally an update for those unfortunate souls affected by the Pixel bootloop bug — though it's not likely to be a quick fix, and it's one you'll need access to a computer to fix.

While Google's representatives have essentially told people to go to Google Support, a lesser-known Google tool may hold the key to fixing a number of

Google's Software Repair tool may be able to save your phone

Of all the bad outcomes from an update, a bootloop has to be the worst.

While other problems usually leave your phone unable to use a specific feature, but otherwise working fine, a bootloop makes your phone completely unusable.

If you're unfamiliar with the term, a reboot loop, or "bootloop" happens when a phone restarts, but isn't able to get past the initial screen before shutting down and starting again. On a Pixel phone, you'll see the Google "G" logo, and then nothing else, until it loops around again and again. Some individuals have reported they're able to get to the home screen, but only for a few seconds, at which point it reboots again.

It's a nightmare. And it's one that a number of Pixel owners have been living with since the Pixel update in March.

Google has recommended that sufferers contact Google Support for one-to-one support, but another user has a potentially better idea.

One user was able to use the Google Pixel Update and Software Repair tool to reset their phone's software entirely. However, it seems that it isn't a fix for everyone, as it doesn't seem to work for everyone in the thread.

Another user thinks they've discovered the issue, though. According to their testing, setting the device's clock several years into the future would force the device to purge the corrupted files causing the bootloop, and allow it to reset with the correct files. Of course, this relies on being able to get to that point in your phone's settings, which could be a tall order for many.

Unfortunately, while these solutions are worth trying, for many, it seems likely that Google's Support team may still be the best option.

Just another brick in the wall of bad updates

We get it; bad updates happen. The past holds a number of different examples of bootlooping phones, but we haven't seen anything on this scale for some time.

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This seems to be becoming a trend for Google, who is developing an unfortunate reputation on the back of some recent bugs. There's the Pixel battery bug, which still doesn't seem to have been resolved, as well as a number of Android Auto connection problems.

A bricked phone is on another level of problem entirely, of course, and when stuck in a bootloop it might as well just be a paperweight. A warm paperweight, but a paperweight nonetheless.