Fix Google Pixel 3 XL with ‘No Service’ error or Emergency Calls only

This post highlights potential solutions to a common problem on Android devices, particularly on Google Pixel 3 XL. These solutions are used to address the problem on emergency calls only which is often associated with a No service error. If you’ve encountered this same error on the same Google handset, this post will help you. Read on to find out what to do if your Google Pixel 3 XL is prompting No Service or Emergency Calls Only on its status bar.

Before we move on to our troubleshooting, if you happen to find this post while looking for a solution to a different problem, then visit our Pixel 3 XL Help Guides page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this device. We may have already published articles that could help you fix your problem. Find issues that are similar to yours and feel free to use our solutions.

Troubleshooting Pixel 3 XL with no service error

Before troubleshooting, check your other phones and see if they’re showing the same network status label. Emergency calls only error usually denotes that the device is not getting a signal from the network and therefore only capable of processing emergency calls at the moment. If the signal strength is strong and yet your phone shows the Emergency Calls Only or No Service error, rule out software-related triggers by performing the following procedures.

First solution: Reboot your phone to fix no service error

Random system errors sometimes affect your phone’s cellular connection and services. If the Emergency calls only error has just shown up without making any changes to your phone settings, then it’s likely just a random glitch that’s easily remedied by a device restart. Restarting your Google Pixel 3 XL also refreshes the internal memory and eliminate minor system errors and network glitches. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Press and hold the Power button until it turns off for a few seconds. 
  2. Wait for 30 seconds then press and hold the Power button again until the phone turns on. 

If the normal reset did not fix the issue, clearing cache might render positive results. Corrupt network caches accumulated on your phone system could be the main trigger and therefore must be cleared out. To wipe cache partition on your Google Pixel 3 XL, just refer to these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until your phone turns off.
  2. Press and hold the Volume down button for 3 seconds. 
  3. Then press and hold the Power button while keep pressing the Volume down button for another 3 seconds and release them. 
  4. Press either of the volume buttons to navigate on the options. 
  5. Select Recovery mode by pressing the Power button.
  6. Press and hold the Power button  for a few seconds once Android logo appears.
  7. Keep on pressing the Power button then press and hold the Volume up button. Release them after three seconds.
  8. Press either of the volume buttons to navigate on the recovery menu.
  9. Press the Power button once Wipe cache partition is highlighted.
  10. Press the Volume down button to highlight Yes.
  11. Press the Power button to confirm.
  12. Once done, highlight Reboot now then press the Power button

Your phone will then start rebooting. As soon as it boots up, check and see if the no service or emergency calls only error is gone.

Second solution: Reseat the SIM card. 

No service, Emergency calls only and other relevant errors can also be attributed to SIM card issues such as loose or dislodged SIM card, and corrupted or defective SIM card. To address the problem, reinstalling the SIM card is recommended. This will require you to remove and reseat the SIM card on your Google Pixel 3 XL. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Turn off your phone completely.
  2. Insert the SIM ejector into the small hole on the SIM card tray. 
  3. Gently push the ejector tool until the tray ejects. 
  4. Pull out the SIM card tray then remove the SIM from the SIM card slot.
  5. Check if the SIM card has any sign of damage. If it looks good, place it back into the card slot in the same position before you removed it.
  6. Secure the SIM card then push the tray back into the phone. 
  7. Lock the SIM card tray in place then turn on your phone. 

See if the no service or emergency calls only error is gone after the phone reboots. If the error persists, try the next method.

Third solution: Reset Network Settings. 

Resetting network settings will delete all current network settings on your Google Pixel 3 XL and restores it back to default. Network-related errors, particularly those attributed to invalid network configuration on the phone are therefore rectified. Signal issues including those depicted by no service or emergency calls only error are also addressed. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Access Settings from the Main menu
  2. Scroll down then select System
  3. Select Advanced
  4. Select Reset options
  5. Select Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth
  6. Tap on Reset Settings. 
  7. Once prompted, enter your device lock code.
  8. Tap Reset Settings again. 

Your phone should restart automatically when the reset is finished. If it doesn’t, then you should trigger it to reboot so that all recent changes to the network settings are properly implemented. After it reboots, enable necessary features and network services so you can use them again on your device. See if that fixes the no service or emergency calls only error too.

Fourth solution: Use Safe mode on downloaded apps.

Downloaded apps might cause conflicts on the pre-installed apps on your Google Pixel 3 XL. There’s a chance that the one you downloaded is having some error and might cause the problem. Safe mode will suspend all downloaded apps and run pre-installed apps. To run safe mode, follow these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Power button.
  2. Touch and hold the Power off prompt on your screen. 
  3. Select OK.

Once you see the Safe Mode label at the bottom of your screen, it denotes that your device is already running in safe mode. See if the no service or emergency calls only error is gone.

Third-party apps and services are temporarily disabled in this state so you won’t be able to use them unless you exit safe mode. 

Fifth solution: Reset Factory Settings on your Google Pixel 3 XL.

If your Google Pixel 3 XL still gets a no service error or emergency calls only error up to this point, it’s likely due to some complex system errors particularly on the network system. At this point, you may consider resorting to a factory reset or master reset on your Galaxy Pixel 3 XL. Performing a hard reset or factory settings reset will clear our major firmware issues inflicted by complex errors and system data corruption on your phone. Just be reminded that this process will erase all data saved on your phone, hence backing up files is necessary. After securing your backup, follow these steps to factory reset your Google Pixel 3 XL and set it up as new:

  1. Access Settings from the Main menu
  2. Scroll down to and then select Backup & Reset.
  3. Tap on Factory Reset.
  4. Select Reset device.
  5. Select Erase everything to proceed.

The reset process could take several minutes depending on the amount of files you’ve stored on your device. 

Another way to factory reset a Google Pixel 3 XL is through Android recovery. This is by far deemed better and more effective than the previous method. If you wish to try it, then here’s how it’s done:

  1. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until your phone turns off.
  2. Press and hold the Volume down button for 3 seconds. 
  3. Then press and hold the Power button while keep pressing the Volume down button for another 3 seconds and release them. 
  4. Press either of the volume buttons to navigate on the options.
  5. Select Recovery mode using the Power button.
  6. Press and hold the Power button  for a few seconds once Android logo appears.
  7. Keep on pressing the Power button then press and hold the Volume up button. Release both buttons after 3 seconds.
  8. Press either of the volume buttons to navigate on the recovery menu.
  9. Press the Power button once wipe data/factory reset is highlighted.
  10. Press the Volume down button to highlight Yes – delete all user data.
  11. Press the Power button to confirm.
  12. Once done, highlight Reboot now then press the Power button

The phone will then restart and loads up its factory default settings and values. To use necessary features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular connections, you need to re-enable them first, individually.

Still getting Emergency Calls Only or No service error on your Google Pixel 3 XL?

Perhaps the problem is not rectifiable on your end given that it persists after exhausting all possible solutions and workarounds. Temporary network outages as well as unexpected technical difficulties transpiring on your network service provider’s end or base are definitely beyond the capacity for end-users to fix. In that case, all you have to do is to wait for network outages to be gone and your phone’s network services to resume. To verify that information, contact your network service provider/carrier. 

For hardware-related queries and concerns, talk to an authorized Google technician or report the issue to the official website of Google Support. A technical representative should get to you later.

Connect with us

We are committed to helping our readers fix the problems with their phones as well as learn how to properly use their devices. So, if you have other issues, you may visit our Help Guides page so you can check by yourself the articles we’ve already published that contain solutions to common problems. Also, we do create videos to demonstrate how things are done on your phone. Visit our Youtube Channel and please subscribe to it. Thanks.


Posts you might like

Leave a Comment