- Learn how to troubleshoot your #Samsung Galaxy S7 (#GalaxyS7) that continuously drains its battery even if it’s plugged in or placed on the wireless charging pad.
- What you should do if your phone keeps disconnecting from the charger even if it’s carefully plugged in.
- Learn how to fix the slow charging issue with the Galaxy S7.
Charging issues and other battery-related problems with the Samsung Galaxy S7 are among the most common complaints we received from our readers. Slow to no charging are two of the most common among them so we find it necessary to publish support articles to address them.
Read on to learn some of the power-related issues we received. I included the actual messages we received from our readers as well as drafted troubleshooting procedures that could help you determine what the problem is.
If you have other concerns, try to visit our troubleshooting page as we already addressed a lot of S7 issues since it was released. Find ones that are similar to yours and use the solutions we provided. Should you need more help, contact us by completing our Android problems questionnaire.
Q: “My phone started having issues in the last week or so that occasionally I will either plug it in or wireless be charging it but the battery percentage keeps going down instead of going up. The only way I have been able to rectify it is to turn it off and then charge it. It does not happen all the time but has happened twice in the last week. The only new software I have downloaded is a new launcher called Next Launcher. But I have had it running for a few days and not sure that is the problem.”
A: While this problem isn’t as common as the slow and not charging issues, there have been a lot of owners that encountered it. It’s difficult for us to determine exactly what the cause is that’s why it’s necessary to troubleshoot. Read on as I will guide you through in troubleshooting this issue.
Step 1: Boot your Galaxy S7 in safe mode and try charging it
This step will help us determine if third-party apps have something to do with the problem. There are times when a lot of apps are running in the background that the phone discharges battery quicker than it can charge. In safe mode, all third-party apps are temporarily disabled so if the problem is caused by them, then it should charge normally–or even do the fast charging if your charger supports it–in that state.
- Press and hold the Power key.
- As soon as you can see the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ on the screen, release the Power key and immediately hold the Volume Down key.
- Continue holding the Volume Down button until the device finishes rebooting.
- You may release it when you can see ‘Safe mode’ in the bottom left corner of the screen.
If the problem still occurs in safe mode, then there’s a chance your pre-installed apps are causing the problem or it might be a firmware issue after all.
Step 2: Perform the master reset at this point
The master reset will delete all third-party apps, reset your settings and bring the phone back to its factory defaults. The reason why you have to do this (very hassling) procedure is because the phone charges fine when turned off. So, the problem lies either with your pre-installed apps or the firmware itself. We cannot really pinpoint what the culprit is that’s why we need to use a general troubleshooting procedure like this.
Assuming the issue is limited in the firmware, the reset will surely fix it, otherwise, it could be a hardware problem. Before you follow the steps below, make sure you backup all your data and files, removed your Google account and disabled screen locks so as not to trip the Factory Reset Protection lock.
- Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
- Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.
- When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
- When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.
- Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
- Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
- Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
- Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
- The phone will now reboot longer than usual.
Step 3: If the problem persists after the reset, then seek assistance from a technician
At this point, it’s almost certain the problem is with the hardware and there’s nothing we can do about it because just by unscrewing one screw, warranty will be voided. So, send the phone in or bring it to the store where you bought it and have a tech take a look at it.
Other Charger Related Issues
Here are some of the problems we received from our readers who encountered issues with their chargers.
Q: “Hi. When I plug my phone to charge, it doesn’t charge all the time. There are times when it shows it’s charging and then stops, then charges again. There are also times when it doesn’t respond when plugged in at all. What’s the problem with it? By the way, it’s the new Galaxy S7 and that really disappoints me considering it’s a very expensive phone. Help me please. Thanks.”
A: There are three possibilities here; it can be a charger issue, a break in the cable, or a loose USB port in your phone. This is how you troubleshoot it to know what the problem really is:
- Plug the phone in and hold it at a certain angle where it charges. If there’s an angle that it charges continuously, then the phone’s USB port is loose. There’s nothing you can do about it except send the phone in for repair.
- Connect your phone to a computer and see if the it can detect it. If it were just a loose USB port, the computer may detect the device but loses it after a few seconds then detects it again.
- Use a different USB cable and connect to a computer. If the same thing happens, then it must be the phone that has a problem.
- Assuming the phone charges or gets detected by the computer properly without disconnecting, then it might be a charger issue. Try a use a different one to see if it charges properly with it.
- If all else fails, always seek help from a technician.
I hope this helps.
Q: “My Galaxy S7 charges very slowly when plugged in. It only charges 6% in 2 hours when it can already replenish its battery in more than an hour before. What could have caused it to charge very slow? Help me please.”
A: The possibilities are;
- There are a lot of apps running in the background that the phone discharges quicker than it can charge.
- The power adapter is damaged.
- Your phone’s battery is damaged.
- Your device might have suffered liquid damage.
- The firmware needs to be updated.
To troubleshoot it, here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Check for possible firmware updates
You can manually search for firmware updates through Settings. Or, you can use a computer, download Smart Switch and connect your phone to it to see if an update button shows. If there is, then download and install it.
Step 2: Verify your phone didn’t suffer from liquid damage
Pop the SIM card slot out and check if the little sticker in the phone’s SIM card slot turned pink, red or purple. If so, then the cause of the problem is liquid damage. If the sticker remained white, then you’re good.
Step 3: Turn off your phone and plug it in
You said the phone discharges quicker even if it’s plugged in. Have you tried turning it off before plugging it in? If the phone charges fine when it’s off, the issue must be in the firmware. At this point, you need to do the master reset. Of course, backup all your data and files first.
Step 4: Seek professional assistance
Do this if the phone still won’t charge properly even if it’s turned off as it’s most likely a hardware issue.
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