Pixel 2 XL Spontaneously Texts, Calls, Tweets While in My Pocket

[hub1]

After spending a lot of time trying to figure out this problem a I may know what's happening...at least in my situation. I believe the right navigation button, (recently opened apps) is the most likely culprit. I think it senses activation and is opening random apps. Does this sound plausible?

The culprit is that you need to turn off the screen before putting it in your pocket. Leaving the screen on when you put it in your pocket your apps and whatever is on the screen will activate with touches inside your pocket. The only way to stop it is to turn off the screen.

 

[PowrDroid]

The culprit is that you need to turn off the screen before putting it in your pocket. Leaving the screen on when you put it in your pocket your apps and whatever is on the screen will activate with touches inside your pocket. The only way to stop it is to turn off the screen.

Yes, one would think this would stop the problem from happening. I always turn off my screen with a soft press of the power button before putting my phone in my pocket. But no, I can tell you it does not stop it. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why it happens.

 

[straygator7]

I've been encountering this issue, too. In my case, at least, it can't be the result of a failure to close the screen, because I always close the screen before sliding the P2XL into its leather sleeve case and placing it in my left front pocket. Initially, I thought it might be a defect in the Weather Channel app, because that one was almost always the culprit when I experienced a "spontaneous opening." Since removing it, however, the problem has been recurring with other apps, and also with some settings. I've noticed that the phenomenon seems to happen with a recently used app or setting; so there may be something to the suggestion that the problem lies with pages that have not been completely closed and dismissed after use. Going forward, I'm going to try clearing all of the recently opened pages before closing the screen and see whether that resolves the issue.

 

[Cruzin0101]

I turn off the screen every time before slipping it into my pocket. About half the time when I turn it back on it's open to something I've never used. Very puzzled!! I checked the Pixel 3 forum but didn't find any similar issues.

 

[PowrDroid]

Answered a text from a person yesterday, soft powered down the device, put it in my pocket and a moment later I was making a video call to this same person. I've NEVER made a video call, don't even know how to do it, yet here my phone was making one for me!

 

[Cruzin0101]

Same here Power Droid. Even after turning off the screen yesterday, because I was working, when I turned it back on..... I too was making a Video Call to a contact I haven't talked to in years.

 

[methodman89]

If this is a issue, select lock immediately with power button. It will shut everything down. Depending on your os, check setting for "block accidental touches" too. Good luck

 

[hallux]

I suggest also disabling on-body detection if this is an issue. On-body detection keeps the phone unlocked when it detects staying on your person, that means that a detection of a swipe up will unlock the device and allow it to start doing stuff.

 

[methodman89]

I suggest also disabling on-body detection if this is an issue. On-body detection keeps the phone unlocked when it detects staying on your person, that means that a detection of a swipe up will unlock the device and allow it to start doing stuff.

^ yes, this too

 

[Cruzin0101]

I wish there was something I could do to stop the crazy things it continues to do. This morning I put on my jeans and went outside to get my newspaper. Then I heard the ringing of a video call. I took the phone out to answer the call..... but I saw that the phone was making the call. Ugh!!!

 

[Cruzin0101]

Although I love everything else about the phone, I'm thinking the solution is to just give up and get rid of the phone......

 

[jaybotinc]

Although I love everything else about the phone, I'm thinking the solution is to just give up and get rid of the phone......

Yeah. That would drive me nuts. How long have you had it? (Too lazy to scroll up).

 

[methodman89]

This has been happening for a while now--it's not related to Android Pie--and it's really getting annoying. This morning, while starting my day, I put my phone in my pocket walked downstairs to my charger, pulled my phone out of my pocket and there was TweetCaster (a Twitter app) on my screen asking me if I wanted to Tweet, discard tweet, save as draft, or retweet with comment of the current tweet showing in that app. This is extremely odd because I haven't opened TweetCaster on my phone in weeks.

The sequence of events was:
1. Unlock phone with fingerprint reader
2. Note battery meter was at 45% and my phone needed a charge
3. Soft press power button to turn off phone's screen
4. Put phone in pocket. Walk downstairs to charger.
5. Pull phone out of pocket to see TweetCaster engaged and ready to tweet!

This was a sequence of about 45 seconds to 1 minute.

In the past several months, with phone in my pocket and the screen having been shut off with a soft power button push, I have called people, "composed" text drafts (usually gibberish), had apps opened I didn't have open beforehand, opened the compose windwo in my email app, etc. Because this happens so frequently I ALWAYS soft press the power button to (I assume) shut off the screen and any possible chance of this sort of stuff occurring. The phone is supposed to be locked at this point, requiring my fingerprint or PIN to unlock it, isn't it?

So why does my phone spontaneously take actions while in my pocket?

So, does this happen at different locations?
Have you enabled ANY routines?
Have you toggled on, or confirmed that it's off, Accessability features capable of this?
Is your option set to Lock Immediately with the power button?
If you have tried all these, and cleared the cache partition and rebooted, you should backup and reset. Then if continued, warranty time.
Good luck

 

[J Dubbs]

It does sound like maybe on body detection is turned on. One thing that will solve the problem is using a wallet case, as long as the screen is protected from movement in some fashion you'll be good to go ;-)

 

[straygator7]

I use a Sena leather sleeve case, which I believe is the functional equivalent of a wallet case, and I do not have on-body detection activated, but I continue to encounter this problem. Despite carefully clearing off all open apps and closing the device before inserting it into the case, and putting the case into my pocket with the screen turned to the outside (so that it can't be tapped accidentally by the movement of my leg or anything in my pocket), I sometimes discover that the device has turned itself on and opened an app or web page, or has made a phone call, or has started typing a gibberish text message. I'd welcome a solution, because otherwise this device has been superb in every way.

 

[jaybotinc]

What Launcher do you use? It shouldn't matter but this shouldn't be happening and it happens to me so, just curious.

 

[straygator7]

My P2XL is completely "stock" -- no launcher has been added.

 

[jaybotinc]

My P2XL is completely "stock" -- no launcher has been added.

Well, there goes that theory. I'm glad though. Be sad to find out the problem were Nova. Lol

 

[davidnc]

This has only happen to me a few times but still was annoying when it did make a unexpected call by itself. Always when I was wearing loose Nike basketball style shorts while hiking,or jogging.

So what worked for me in that situation. I just pushed the power button and selected the lockdown icon from the list which would prevent any possible accidental calls or other random stuff

 

[jaybotinc]

Fwiw, I found out I DID have my home set as a Trusted Place. So, that would explain that! For me.... I know the original poster verified that he does not have his home added as a Trusted Place. So the mystery continues...