Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 is now available, but you really shouldn’t put it aside

What do you want to know

• Google released Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 today, but users faced issues loading the update.
• Like the first Android 15 Developer Preview, attempting to sideload the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 update results in bricked devices, according to multiple reports.
• As of now, sideloading Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 on a bricked device seems to fix the issue.

Google released the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 update today, saying in a statement Reddit post that it “includes the latest bug fixes and optimizations for performance and stability”. But users who tried to download the update on their Pixel smartphones are finding that their devices are stuck after the update is completed. Sideloading works normally, but phones get stuck on the Google logo after trying to restart.

At least one Reddit user said their Pixel phone was bricked after downloading the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 update. 9to5Google reported that three phones, two of which being the Pixel 8 Pro and the Pixel Fold, were bricked while loading Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2. The site adds that it only managed to install Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 on one device, the Pixel 8. , sideloading the update.

A Reddit user, you/DaveBurbankindicates that Android phones do not have the latest version of Platform tools might be more likely to be blocked by the update. However, Google is yet to publicly acknowledge the sideloading issues of Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.

While there are a few confirmed reports of bricked devices, some attempts at side loading have been successful. Some users on Reddit reported that they were able to install Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 without problems. Still, we don’t recommend trying to download the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 update right now, and it’s a good reminder of why you shouldn’t install beta updates on your primary devices .

Notably, over-the-air software updates are performed without any reporting on bricked devices. Android Central’s Derrek Lee managed to update his Pixel 7 without any issues. You can access it by going to Settings > System > Software updates > System update on your smartphone. Then, follow the on-screen prompts to install Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.

Meanwhile, for those of you who managed to get the new software working, Google’s release notes indicate that Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 includes the following bug fixes:

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a device to crash or restart unexpectedly.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a device to crash or restart unexpectedly when updating apps after flashing the device.
• Fixed issues that caused a blank, black screen to appear after booting from flash.
• Fixed an issue that caused a device to crash and display a blank, black screen after switching to a secondary user.
• Fixed issues when always-on display mode was enabled, which interfered with the “Double-tap to wake” gesture and prevented the device from unlocking if the user tried to use their fingerprint to unlock the device.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented battery information from being displayed correctly in the system settings, status bar, and on the lock screen.
• Fixed issues that prevented device-to-device transfers, as well as backup and restore, from working.
• Fixed various issues affecting system stability, performance, and camera.

For anyone who attempted to download the update, the first fix for bricked devices appears to be installing the previous Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 OTA image via sideloading. Put your device into recovery mode by holding down the power button to turn off the phone completely. Next, press the Volume Down button and then the Power button to enter the bootloader. Finally, enter Recovery Mode, click Power then Volume Up buttons and load the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 OTA.