So you pick up your phone to try and use it, but the screen remains off when you press the power button. It’s frustrating if your Google Pixel 4a isn't turning on, especially if you have to make calls or check your calendar. Here, we’ll give you some tips to solve this problem and get your phone working again.
Charge Your Phone
This step may seem obvious, but we want to make sure you’ve tried it before attempting the other suggestions below. Your phone won’t turn on without battery life, so plug it into a wall charger, a USB port, or even a car charger.
If your phone doesn’t start charging, we recommend trying a different charging cord. There could be an issue with your cable which is preventing the phone from charging and turning on. We want to eliminate this as a possibility before troubleshooting further.
Force Restart Your Google Pixel
It’s possible there was a software crash that resulted in your phone appearing with a black screen. Doing a force restart will reset your software and solve the issue with your screen, but it won’t fix the issue that caused the crash in the first place.
To restart your Google Pixel 4a when the screen is unresponsive, simultaneously press and hold the Power and Volume Down button. Do this for at least seven seconds until the phone restarts.
If this fixes your Google Pixel 4a not turning on, then great! However, we want to reiterate that it won’t solve what caused the software crash. If the issue is recurring, keep reading to see what else you can do to troubleshoot!
Backup Your Google Pixel 4a
Before we talk about the last troubleshooting step for when your Google Pixel 4a won't turn on, we want to make sure your information and data is protected. To do this, you’ll need to backup your Google Pixel 4a.
Since your phone is connected to Google, you can easily upload your photos and files to Google Drive to keep them safe. Start by opening the Google Drive application on your phone, then select the Add Icon–which looks like a plus sign. From here, simply click Upload, then select the files, images, or audio you’d like to upload. If you want to upload an entire folder, we recommend using your computer for the process.
If you often forget to backup your phone, you can turn on Automatic Backups to make sure that your data is always safe. Begin by opening Settings, then select System, followed by Backup. Here, turn on Backup Service to activate Automatic Backups. It’s also important to note that turning this setting off will result in deleting any previous automatic backups in your Drive!
Factory Restore Google Pixel 4a
This is the final troubleshooting step we recommend for fixing your Google Pixel 4a’s black screen, since it’s the last one to rule out a software issue. A Factory Restore will reset your phone to its original state at the time of purchase. This is why we emphasized backing up your information before performing this step. Also, double-check that you know your username and password for your phone and keep it plugged in throughout the restore.
To start, open Settings and click System, then Advanced, and finally, Reset Options. Next, select Erase All Data (factory reset) followed by Reset Phone. You may be prompted to enter your PIN, pattern, or password at this step.
From here, click Erase everything to erase your phone’s internal storage. When your phone is finished, select Restart when prompted. Your phone will restart and when it turns on again, you’ll need to restore your backed-up data.
Getting Your Pixel Repaired
Unfortunately, if your Google Pixel 4a still won’t turn on, then there’s likely a problem with the phone's hardware. We don’t suggest trying to fix this yourself, unless you’re very familiar with phones. Instead, we favor repairing the phone through Google Support to ensure it goes smoothly.
Google Pixel 4a Not Turning On? Not Anymore!
After reading this article, you’re more familiar with the troubleshooting steps to fix your Google Pixel 4a not turning on. This includes a force restart, in the event of a software crash, charging your phone, and a factory restore. We hope this article was helpful for you, thank you for reading! If you have any more questions, please leave them in the comments below.
