If your Android phone keeps restarting, freezing, crashing or running slowly, boot it into Safe Mode and use it normally. Safe Mode starts the phone with only essential system software, so apps you downloaded do not run. If the problem disappears, one of those apps is the likely cause, and you can remove recently installed apps one at a time, restarting normally after each, until the problem is gone. If the problem continues in Safe Mode, an app is probably not responsible.
Who this is for and what you will have at the end
This guide is for Android users, mainly on Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, whose phone has become unstable and who suspect an app. By the end you will have tested the theory, found and removed the app, and exited Safe Mode safely.
Safe Mode steps differ by manufacturer, and Google's own Android help page says restarting in Safe Mode varies by phone. This article gives steps from Google's Pixel help page and Samsung's support page. For other brands, check the maker's support site.
Before you start
- Screenshot your Home screen. Google says Safe Mode removes some Home screen widgets, so take a screenshot first and re-add them after you exit.
- Make a list of recent changes. Note the apps you installed or updated just before the problems began. This list is your suspect list.
- Back up what matters. Safe Mode is not a reset, but you may uninstall apps, so make sure your photos and data are backed up. See Android backup and restore for a new phone.
- Free some space if storage is full. A full phone can cause slowness and crashes that look like app problems. See phone storage full: free up space on Android and iPhone.
Boot into Safe Mode
Google Pixel
From Google's Pixel Phone Help page on rebooting to Safe Mode:
If the phone is on, Pixel 6 or later (including Pixel Fold):
- Press and hold Power and Volume up for a few seconds.
- Touch and hold Power off or Restart, then tap OK.
If the phone is on, Pixel 5a or earlier:
- Press and hold Power for a few seconds.
- Touch and hold Power off, then tap OK.
If the phone is off, all models:
- Press the power button.
- When the animation starts, press and hold Volume down until the animation ends.
Confirm that "Safe mode" appears at the bottom of the screen. Google's page notes airplane mode turns on automatically when you enter Safe Mode, and recommends turning it off if you need GPS, Wi-Fi or calls.
Samsung Galaxy
From Samsung's support page for Galaxy devices:
- Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers, slightly apart, to open the Quick Settings panel.
- Tap the Power icon in the top right corner.
- Touch and hold the Power off icon for a few seconds.
- Tap the Safe mode icon. The phone restarts into Safe Mode.
- Look for "Safe mode" in the bottom left corner of the screen. If it is not there, repeat the steps.
Samsung notes that screens and settings can vary by wireless carrier, software version and model. If your phone does not match, search Samsung's support site for your model.
Other brands
Google's Android Help says the method varies by phone, so look up your manufacturer's instructions. A common pattern is a power menu long press, but confirm for your device rather than guessing.
Test whether an app is the cause
- Use the phone the way you normally would, in the situation where the problem happened: opening the same apps, scrolling, taking photos, charging.
- Watch for the symptom. Google lists restarting on its own, freezing, crashing and running slowly as the problems Safe Mode helps with, and Samsung adds battery drain and system errors.
- Decide:
- Problem gone in Safe Mode: a downloaded app is the likely cause. Continue to the next section.
- Problem still there: Google says an app is not the cause. Samsung says the core system may be at fault and that a more thorough cleanup or a reset of app preferences and settings outside Safe Mode may be needed. Exit Safe Mode and go to the troubleshooting section.
Only apps that came with the phone and essential system software run in Safe Mode, so downloaded apps will look greyed out or not launch. That is expected.
Find and remove the bad app
Google's instructions are to remove recently downloaded apps one at a time, restarting the phone normally after each removal to check whether the problem is gone. When you find the culprit, reinstall the other apps you removed. Samsung adds that in Safe Mode you can uninstall apps with blank names, random characters, or that you do not recognize or have previously identified as problematic.
A practical routine:
- List apps in the order you installed or last updated them. Start with the newest.
- Remove the first suspect. Google Play Help describes this route: open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon at the top right, tap Manage apps & devices, tap Manage, select the app and tap Uninstall. Google notes some of these steps work only on Android 13 and up. You can also uninstall from your Home screen or apps drawer if your phone offers that option, and if you see only Uninstall updates, the app cannot be fully removed.
- Restart the phone normally, which takes it out of Safe Mode, and use it as before.
- If the problem is still there, enter Safe Mode again only if needed, and remove the next suspect. If you removed several apps in a batch, reinstall them one at a time and test after each.
- When the problem stops, you have your culprit. Reinstall the other apps you removed, and leave the bad one off until it is fixed.
Google also suggests keeping a list of apps you force stop to help identify the cause.
Apps you cannot delete
Google's help notes that some system apps cannot be deleted, and that on some phones you can turn them off instead. Ask your manufacturer for that process. Do not disable system apps casually, since that can cause other problems.
Check Play Protect
If the suspicious app is unfamiliar, Google Play Protect may help. Google says it checks apps for harmful behavior, may warn you about or disable risky apps, and periodically scans your device. To reach its settings: open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon at the top right, tap Play Protect, then tap Settings, where you can see the Scan apps with Play Protect option. Google recommends keeping it on. Google's page does not describe a manual scan button, so rely on the periodic scanning.
Exit Safe Mode
Pixel
- Pixel 6 or later (including Fold): Press and hold Power and Volume up for a few seconds, then tap Restart.
- Pixel 5a or earlier: Press and hold Power for about 30 seconds, or until the phone restarts.
Samsung Galaxy
- Restart the phone, and it reboots normally.
- Or swipe down from the top of the screen to open notifications, tap the Safe mode is on notification, then tap Turn off.
Afterward, re-add any Home screen widgets using your screenshot, and turn airplane mode off if it is still on.
If Safe Mode does not fix it
If the problem continues in Safe Mode, work through these in order. Google's Pixel help also has separate pages for phones that restart, crash or freeze.
- Install pending system and app updates. Use your phone's Settings search to find the system update screen, since labels vary by maker.
- Check storage and battery health. Low free space and a degraded battery can both cause instability. See Android phone battery health: check and improve.
- Clear cache or data for a specific app. Samsung's page suggests a more thorough cleanup or a reset of app preferences and settings outside Safe Mode. Clearing storage permanently deletes an app's data, so back up first.
- Back up, then consider a factory reset. Do this only after backing up, and treat it as a last resort.
- Contact the manufacturer or carrier. If the phone still fails, it may be hardware. Check warranty status before paying for repairs.
Troubleshooting Safe Mode itself
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Button combination does not enter Safe Mode | Different method for your model | Try the power-menu method, or search your manufacturer's support page |
| "Safe mode" label does not appear | Boot did not complete in Safe Mode | Repeat the steps; on Pixel, hold Volume down until the animation ends |
| Phone stays in Safe Mode after restart | A restart did not clear it, or a button is stuck | Use the exit steps for your device; check that a case is not pressing Volume down |
| No mobile data, Wi-Fi or GPS | Airplane mode turns on in Safe Mode on Pixel | Turn airplane mode off |
| Widgets missing after exit | Safe Mode removes some widgets | Re-add them from your screenshot |
| Cannot uninstall an app | System app, or device policy | Disable it if allowed, or ask your manufacturer or IT admin |
| Problem returns days later | Another app, or an update broke something | Repeat the one-at-a-time process and check for app updates |
Summary checklist
- [ ] Screenshot of Home screen widgets taken
- [ ] List of recently installed or updated apps written down
- [ ] Important data backed up
- [ ] Booted into Safe Mode and confirmed the Safe mode label
- [ ] Used the phone normally and noted whether the problem occurred
- [ ] If the problem stopped, removed recent apps one at a time, restarting normally after each
- [ ] Reinstalled the apps that were not the cause
- [ ] Exited Safe Mode, re-added widgets and turned airplane mode off
- [ ] If the problem continued, moved on to updates, storage and other troubleshooting
References
- Find problem apps by rebooting to safe mode, Pixel Phone Help
- Find problem apps by rebooting to safe mode on Android, Android Help
- Booting your Samsung Galaxy into Safe mode, Samsung Support
- Delete apps on your Android device, Google Play Help
- Google Play Protect, Google Play Help
This guide was researched and drafted with AI assistance and checked against the vendor documentation listed in its References. Read the maintained version and related guides on EpiFive.
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