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What Is Bricking

KZero Staff
Oct 19, 2023

Bricking is a colloquial term for when a device is unusable, often resulting from a software issue. It refers to a brick, an innate object that, on its own, has no practical use, as is the case for a piece of hardware with no functioning software or operating system.

Examples of Bricking

As mentioned above, the bricking of a device occurs as the result of a software issue. Below are examples of bricking:

  • A smartphone is unable to turn on after a software update.
  • A game console, such as a Play Station or Nintendo Switch, will not load games after being modified.
  • A laptop that cannot get past a boot loop and cannot load the operating system.
  • Soft bricking – This is when a device can still boot up and run some functions.
  • Hard bricking – This is when a device is completely unusable.

How To Avoid Bricking

You can reduce the possibility of bricking your device by following these steps:

  • Authorized hardware – Use only authorized hardware, such as chargers or controllers, since knockoffs can cause problems.
  • Exert caution – Modifying devices may void your warranty and cause software issues that may lead to bricking. Be cautious if you decide to modify or root your device.
  • Follow instructions – Always follow official instructions from the manufacturer upon software and firmware updates.
  • Authorized software – Only install and download software from trusted sources. Some third-party software may be faulty or malicious.

Bricking a device may prove to be unrecoverable. If you brick your device, you can contact the manufacturer for help.

KZero Staff

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