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How to Restart Pixel 7 and 7 Pro?

Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are stunning flagship smartphones that have gained a lot of attention for their exceptional camera quality and the pure Android experience they offer. As fantastic as these phones are, you may find the process of turning them off or restarting them a bit complicated due to some unconventional design decisions. But don’t worry, this guide will walk you through every step you need to restart your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro.

Standard Restart

If you want to restart your Pixel 7 or 7 Pro quickly, follow these simple steps:

1. Locate the side button and the volume down button: The side button is the smaller button located above the longer volume button. The volume button is the long button on the phone’s right side (when the screen is facing you). The volume down button is the lower half of this long button.
2. Press them together and hold for about 3-5 seconds: Doing this will bring up the power menu on your screen.
3. Click on the Restart button on the screen: This will initiate the restart process for your device.

Be cautious while executing these steps, as a short press of the side and volume down buttons will take a screenshot. If you end up taking a screenshot instead of opening the power menu, release the buttons and try again, but this time hold them down together for longer.

Changing Button Behavior

There’s good news for those accustomed to older Android devices where the power menu could be accessed by a long press of the side key. You can easily revert to this behavior on your Pixel 7 by following these steps:

1. Go to Settings > System > Gestures > Press & hold power button.
2. Click the Power menu option.

After these changes, every time you long press the Side key on your Pixel 7, it will open the power menu.

Quick Settings Power Menu

Google includes a power menu shortcut in the Quick Settings menu, which you can use as an alternative if you don’t want to remember the button combination. Here’s how:

1. Swipe down once on your homescreen to open the notification shade. Swipe down again to open the Quick Settings menu.
2. In the bottom right corner, you will see a power icon.
3. Tap the power icon, and it will open the power menu.

Using Google Assistant

Google Assistant can also invoke the power menu on the Pixel 7 series for you. To do this:

1. Wake Google Assistant by either pressing the Side key or using the “Hey Google” default wake word.
2. Say “Turn off my phone,” “Switch off,” or “Restart my phone.”

Once Google Assistant understands your words, it will open up the power menu. You can click on the switch off or restart buttons as per your needs.

Force Restart

If your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro becomes unresponsive and you cannot initiate any of the above steps, you can force-restart the device. Here’s how:

1. Locate the side button and the volume down button.
2. Press them together and hold them for about 15 seconds. Your phone will vibrate briefly, and the display will turn off. This will be followed by the splash screen and the boot animation, indicating a successful force restart. You will soon boot into your phone’s home screen as you would on a regular restart.

By following these steps, you can navigate your way around your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro’s unique design quirks and successfully restart your device. Whether you choose to use the physical buttons, change your settings to revert to older Android behavior, use the Quick Settings power menu, use Google Assistant, or need to force restart your unresponsive device, you now have all the knowledge you need to get your phone back to a fresh state. So next time your Pixel 7 needs a restart, you’ll know exactly what to do.