What Is Safe Mode on Google Pixel, How to Enable and Exit

Is your Pixel phone crashing or freezing all of a sudden? Now, before you panic, I would recommend booting into safe mode to find the culprit app. In case you are wondering, the Safe mode on Google Pixel is an isolated environment where only core system apps are loaded. As a result, you can quickly find whether a downloaded app is behind the mess. So if you are curious about what safe mode on Google Pixel does and how to enter it, follow our in-depth explainer below.

What is Safe Mode on Google Pixel?

Safe mode is an isolated environment on Google Pixel phones that only loads apps that ship with the phone. Every app you have downloaded yourself, whether from the Play Store or somewhere else, remains disabled until you reboot.

Basically, if your phone runs fine in safe mode but shows issues the moment you return to normal mode, the problem might be one of your installed apps. So to fix your Pixel phone in Safe mode, you can head to Settings > Apps and uninstall rogue and suspicious apps one by one.

By the way, you will know you are in Google Pixel safe mode because a "Safe mode" label appears at the bottom of the screen and all your third-party apps are turned off.

Now, if you are wondering whether safe mode deletes anything, well, the short answer is no. Safe mode is completely safe to use and it doesn't touch any of your data. All your downloaded files, photos, videos and documents are available in Safe mode and you can browse them using preinstalled apps like Files by Google and Google Photos.

In addition, your Google account stays signed in and safe mode doesn't touch your accounts or logins. The core apps that came preinstalled on your Pixel like Phone, Messages, Chrome, Camera, etc. keep working as usual.

What Works in Safe Mode and What Doesn't

Your Pixel phone switches on Airplane mode the moment it enters safe mode, so it can feel like all connectivity options are disabled. However, you can open the Quick Settings panel and turn off Airplane mode. You can also use Wi-Fi and mobile data. 

Similarly, phone's core hardware function normally including calls, texts, Bluetooth, GPS and the camera. Moreover, you can still unlock the phone with your PIN or fingerprint and your brightness and volume settings behave exactly like before.

What you can't do is run anything you installed yourself. That means no third-party launchers, keyboards, widgets, apps so your home screen falls back to the stock Pixel layout and looks a little barebones.

When Should You Use Safe Mode?

You should use Safe mode whenever your Pixel starts acting up in a way you can't pin down the exact issue. If your Google Pixel phone is restarting on its own, freezing, crashing or running unusually slow, you should enter the safe mode and find the rogue app.

Safe mode is also a great way to remove virus and malware from Android phones. If you think an APK or a recent download is throwing aggressive ads at you or showing pop-ups, boot into the Safe mode and remove those apps. 

Now, if the problem continues even in safe mode, it means there is a system bug or a hardware fault. In that case, check the warranty on your Google Pixel and get it repaired from Google's service centre.

Finally, remember that safe mode is only a diagnostic environment and it doesn't fix anything on its own. It just offers the environment where you can find the source of the problem. I would recommend updating your Google Pixel phone to the latest build to fix software issues quickly.

How to Enter Safe Mode on Google Pixel

Getting into safe mode on Pixel takes just a few seconds. Follow the steps below.

1. Press and hold the Power + Volume up buttons together until the power menu appears.
2. Now, press and hold the Power off or Restart button on the screen.
3. A Reboot to safe mode pop-up will show up. Tap on OK to confirm.
4. Your Pixel will now restart and you will see the "Safe mode" label at the bottom of the screen.

In case your Pixel is switched off or refuses to boot normally, press the power button to turn it on and the moment the boot animation appears, press and hold the Volume down button. Keep holding until the animation ends and the phone starts up with the "Safe mode" label.

How to Exit Safe Mode on Google Pixel

Leaving safe mode is even easier than getting in. All you really need to do is restart the phone. It's similar to how you turn off Safe mode on Android.

1. Press and hold the Power + Volume up buttons until the power menu appears. Now, tap on Restart.
2. Your Pixel will reboot into normal mode and the "Safe mode" label will be gone.

And that is all about safe mode on Google Pixel phones. While it will not repair anything by itself, Safe mode is a great way to diagnose and fix your phone. Once you identify the rogue app, go ahead and uninstall the app from your Android phone.