Hey! We can work through this safely. When a Motorola phone setup is stuck on the Welcome screen, it’s usually not “dead” — it’s more often the setup process waiting on something (network, activation, account verification, or an update check) and the UI just looks frozen.

First, I want to separate two similar-looking problems because they behave differently:
• Setup Wizard stuck: you’re on “Welcome / Let’s go / Start” or it spins on “Checking for updates / Just a sec…” and never continues.
• Boot issue: the phone keeps restarting or never reaches the Welcome/setup screen (logo loop).

Tell me what you’re seeing (answer in any order):
• Is it a brand-new phone, or was it factory reset / wiped recently?
• Does it actually respond (you can change language, tap Start), or is it fully unresponsive?
• Is there a SIM/eSIM in it? (Sometimes activation steps stall setup.)
• Does it get stuck on a specific step like Wi-Fi, Google sign-in, Checking for updates, or Copy apps & data?

That’s helpful: if you can choose language and tap Start, this is a setup wizard stall, not a boot loop. The “checking for updates” screen is a common choke point because setup is trying to confirm time/date, network reachability, and Google services access — and one small network issue can make it look like it’s frozen.

Let’s keep this low-risk and avoid anything that could lock you out or erase more data.

Safe Step 1 — Power and stability check (boring, but important)
During setup, a weak battery/charger can cause hidden restarts or a stuck state. Are you setting it up while it’s plugged in? If yes, is it a reliable charger/cable (not a flaky USB port)?

Safe Step 2 — Clarify if SIM activation is part of the stall
Do you have a SIM in the phone right now? Sometimes a SIM/eSIM activation prompt is “behind” the setup flow and setup waits silently.

Great — here’s a safe diagnostic move that doesn’t change settings permanently and often reveals what’s actually stalling.

Safe Step 3 — “SIM isolation” test
The goal is not “use the phone without a SIM,” it’s to see whether setup is hanging on carrier activation.
• Power the phone off normally.
• Remove the SIM tray (keep the SIM safe).
• Power back on and try setup again using Wi-Fi.

If setup suddenly moves past the Welcome/update steps without the SIM, that strongly suggests the stall is tied to activation/registration — not a broken phone.

Before you try it: was the reset done from Settings, or did you have to reset from the hardware menu? (Different risks apply if the phone was previously managed or has ownership verification.)

That points more toward a network path issue than SIM activation. “Checking for updates” during setup is extra sensitive because it may need stable access to Google endpoints and time sync, and some Wi-Fi setups block that without you noticing (especially guest networks, captive portals, DNS filters, VPN-level ad blockers, or parental controls).

Let’s do a clean network comparison — this is one of the best ways to avoid doorway-style “do 40 random steps” advice.

Safe Step 4 — Try a different internet path
If you can, try one of these (whichever is easiest):
• connect to a mobile hotspot from another phone, or
• try a different Wi-Fi (neighbor/friend), or
• if it offers it, try setup using mobile data later (after SIM goes back in).

We’re not trying to “fix” it yet — just seeing whether setup progresses on a different network. If it does, then your Moto is fine and your home network is the variable.

Quick detail: is your home Wi-Fi a normal network, or is it a guest network / extender / Wi-Fi with content filtering?

That’s excellent evidence. It means your Motorola isn’t “bricked” — the setup wizard can progress, but your home network path is likely blocking something setup needs (DNS filtering is a prime suspect). This is why it can look like a phone problem when it’s really a connectivity/permissions path during setup.

Since you factory reset, there’s one more important thing to keep in mind — not as a scare tactic, just to avoid surprises:
Google account verification (FRP) may require you to sign in with the same Google account previously used on that device. If you hit an “Verify it’s you” screen later, that’s normal ownership protection, not a random bug.

Safe Step 5 — Keep it diagnostic, don’t “nuke settings”
Without changing your router yet, we can confirm the DNS/filter angle by doing a controlled test:
• When you try setup on home Wi-Fi, does it ever open a sign-in page, or does it just spin? (Captive portal-style pages are rare at home, but DNS filters can behave similarly.)
• Do other devices on the same Wi-Fi have trouble reaching Google services sometimes (Play Store, account sign-in, YouTube restrictions), or is it only this setup flow?

Also: on the hotspot path, does Google sign-in load normally, or does it hang there too?

Totally understandable — most of the time, strict DNS feels harmless. But initial Android setup can hit endpoints that aren’t the same as “normal browsing,” and if anything critical is blocked, you get that “Welcome/update loop” vibe.

I’m going to keep this “safe checks only,” so rather than telling you to change router settings permanently, here’s a clean approach that avoids guesswork:

Safe Step 6 — Finish setup on the known-good network first
If the hotspot lets the Moto move forward reliably, it’s reasonable to complete the setup there (just the basics: language, Wi-Fi selection, Google sign-in). After the phone is fully set up, it’s often easier to diagnose network blocking because you can see clearer error messages and update components normally.

Safe Step 7 — Watch for the step where it “hangs”
People often say “stuck on welcome,” but it’s usually one of these specific stages:
• Checking for updates
• Copy apps & data (transfer tool waiting)
• Signing in (account/verification flow waiting)
• Finishing setup (services syncing)

If you tell me which stage is the “sticky” one on home Wi-Fi, it helps confirm whether it’s DNS filtering vs something like time/date mismatch or a Wi-Fi isolation rule.

Good instincts. I would avoid repeating factory resets while you’re in a setup loop unless you have a clear reason — resets add variables and can increase the chance you run into ownership verification at an inconvenient time.

About the old Google account: after a factory reset, Android may require ownership verification (often called Factory Reset Protection). That’s not something you can safely “work around” — it’s meant to protect the device. The safest way to avoid surprises is to try signing in with the Google account you believe was previously on the phone. If you’re unsure, finishing setup on a stable connection (like hotspot) at least gets you to the point where the phone can clearly show what it’s asking for.

Safe Step 8 — Reduce risk before you commit to anything big
• If you’re not sure which Google account was used, stop and confirm before you attempt multiple sign-ins in a row (too many attempts can trigger temporary lockouts).
• If you used the same phone previously, think: was it a Gmail address, or a non-Gmail email used as a Google account?

If you want, tell me whether this is a phone you personally used before, or a second-hand device — the risk profile is different.

Yes — and you already did the best one (network comparison). Two more safe, low-impact checks that help you avoid making random router changes:

Safe Step 9 — Confirm it’s not a “transfer step” stall
During setup, if you choose to copy data from an old phone, that process can look like it’s stuck (especially on “Just a sec…”). If you can, choose a minimal setup path first (skip transfers for now). You can always add accounts and restore later.

Safe Step 10 — Confirm time/date isn’t wildly wrong
During setup, incorrect time can break secure connections. If the setup flow offers any screen showing region/time, make sure it’s sensible (right country/time zone). This doesn’t require deep settings — it’s just a sanity check.

After that, the logic is simple: hotspot success = phone/setup wizard is functioning; home Wi-Fi failure = router DNS/filtering or network policy is the blocker. If you later want to keep strict DNS, you can adjust it in a controlled way — but the first goal is to get you past the Welcome/setup loop safely.

Totally fair — and you’re doing it the smart way: isolate the cause first, then change only what’s necessary. If setup completes on hotspot, you’ve already avoided the biggest trap (treating a network block like a phone failure).

If later it still struggles specifically on your home Wi-Fi after setup, we can narrow it further by testing one thing at a time (DNS filtering vs guest/isolation vs router security features) — without turning it into a long checklist or jumping to disruptive resets.