That’s hard luck.
I suggest you try the following:
If necessary repeat “several” times (unfortunately I haven’t found where Android documentation stipulates how many that might be, … let’s say try up to 8 times). With some luck your phone might be able to return to the previous A14 version.
If and when the phone boots successfully, replace the back cover.
A post was merged into an existing topic: FP5 not booting after update to Android 15
I got rid of the search bar sometime ago by replacing it with the day and date thing. Am I right to assume I can get rid of that as well with A15? I can’t find it in my settings.
Yes.
Just go to Settings > Display > Search bar
and reboot.
@Meaghan @Nabalazs apologies for this. I’ve just double-checked with our department, and it was a mistake in the system that didn’t remove that sentence from the release notes.
The release is the correct one for everyone, so you can update safely. We’ve fixed the mention of the incorrect sentence.
Thank you for flagging this!
The update went smoothly for me, but despite several attempts I couldn’t get removing the search bar function working. Could someone show me a screen capture on how the end result should look like?
I have previously disabled Google and Chrome apps to force remove the search bar, but it gets replaced with a clock widget with no option to remove that. I tried enabling the apps again and updating them but it didn’t help, after multiple switches back and forth between removing the search bar and getting it back, the search bar didn’t show any signs of disappearing.
Please read above, my post is only two above yours.
I’ve already twice indicated where the setting is.
Hello, I saw someone else celebrate this but cannot find the comment now. Has anyone else been able to do this after the Android 15 update? I tried, but no luck. Support Chat claims it is only possible after a factory reset. True? This possibility was presented as an “enhancement” of user experience!
Hello, I moved your post here. See OldRoutard’s post in this topic.
I never consciously set the day & date thing. Is it a widget? (hold home screen) If so, perhaps @Furdiburd s advice works, too?
To be honest, I don’t remember what I did, just that I wanted to get rid of the search bar.
but now I am celebrating homescreen freedom 
No it was no real widget that was set instead of the search when you disabled the Google App.
Is anyone else having problems with the app switcher since the upgrade. When I swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see the list of recently used apps, I swipe right and tap a panel for another app and instead of switching, it says “App isn’t available”. I have to go back to the home screen and tap the app icon there.
Anyone else?
Thank you!!! Someone at the live Support Chat needs an update :))))
@anon76468197 kindly ensure support is trained on the new system to be able to explain the settings properly
Perhaps Support (if it was a live human being) confused reset and reboot … 
Yep, thanks for that. I did find the option in the settings already previously, it just didn’t work. Sorry if my previous post didn’t make that clear.
Fine. And just to be clear: did you reboot the phone after changing the setting?
As to what the Home page looks like, well, you just get empty screen space, room for five shortcuts or a 5x1 widget instead of the date.
Yes, sometimes I have the same problem.
