How to fix Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus that won’t turn on [Troubleshooting Guide]

A few days after the Samsung Galaxy S8+ was released in the global market, we’ve already started to receive complaints about some units that won’t turn on or became unresponsive. We know how frustrating that could be considering all the hype that surrounded the phone’s tech specs and how surpasses its competitors when it comes to muscle power. There were also some of our readers who were no concern of the specs of the phone but they were more worried considering the price of the device.

So, in this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy S8+ that won’t turn on a few days after it was activated. We just have to find out if we can fix the issue on our own without lining up in the store just to be able to talk to a tech. While this problem seems complicated, more often than not, it’s due to a glitch in either the firmware or hardware. I understand the phone is still brand new so we just have to do the basic and have the device replaced if the problem persists.

Now, before we go to troubleshooting, if you are currently experiencing a different problem, try to visit our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues owners encountered with their device. Find issues that are similar to yours and feel free to use our solutions or troubleshooting guides. If they don’t work, however, and if you need further assistance, contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire. All we need is information so we can help you. Don’t worry, it’s free.

Step-by-step guide to troubleshooting Galaxy S8+ that won’t turn on

The purpose of this troubleshooting guide is for us to know what the problem is all about, what caused it and what needs to be done to fix it. While the procedures here are all safe, if you are not comfortable troubleshooting your brand new device, then seek assistance from the tech. However, for those who are willing to do something about the problem, then follow these steps…

Step 1: Perform the Forced Reboot / Soft Reset procedure

We often refer to this procedure as Forced Reboot but other technicians may call it Soft Reset and basically, it’s the safest and most logical thing to do for your phone that won’t turn on as it actually just reboots your phone. It is equal to the battery pull procedure we do to phones with removable battery. It can also be called as “simulated battery disconnect” procedure because that’s what it actually does.

• Press and hold the Volume down and Power keys together for 7 seconds.

Assuming the problem is as minor as a glitch or an app-related problem, then this procedure should be enough to bring your phone back to life. If successful, continue your observation and if the same problem happens again and can still be fixed by this same procedure, it’s not a simple glitch. You may do the factory reset or bring the phone back to the store and have it checked just to be sure. But as to working around the S8 Plus that won’t turn on, then this method helps.

Step 2: Try to charge the phone to know if it responds

Assuming you did the forced reboot procedure but the phone didn’t respond, it’s possible that the battery was all drained and that there’s not enough battery left to power up the components and load the operating system. Therefore, it’s logical to charge your phone for a few minutes.

Aside from knowing if the phone has a low battery, this simple method will also tell you if the phone has a problem with its battery or hardware because the charging signs may not show. Usually, the charging icon will be displayed on the screen the moment the phone detects electric current flowing through its circuits going to its battery and the LED indicator at the top of the screen will also be lit up. If these signs don’t show, it’s possible your phone is suffering from a serious hardware issue.

Assuming, however, that the phone is charging fine, attempt to turn the phone on normally and if it still refuses to do so, do the Forced Reboot procedure while the phone is plugged in as it’s possible the system crashed when the phone was about to lose the charge. If it won’t respond but charges, then move on to the next step.

Step 3: Attempt to boot your phone in Safe mode

We have to know if your Samsung Galaxy S8+ is still capable of booting up in other modes. So, the first thing we have to do is try to boot it in safe mode wherein all third-party apps are temporarily disabled. If it does boot up fine, then it’s confirmed one or some of the apps is causing the problem. Now, here are the steps on how to boot your phone in safe mode:

1. Turn the device off.
2. Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
3. When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
4. Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
5. Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
6. Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
7. Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.

While in this mode, try to find out which app is causing the problem by uninstalling those you suspect. This is how you uninstall an app from your Galaxy S8+…

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings > Apps.
3. Tap the desired application in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display pre-installed apps.
4. Tap the desired application.
5. Tap Uninstall.
6. Tap Uninstall again to confirm.

Assuming the phone cannot boot up in safe mode, it’s time to try to boot it up in other mode.

Step 4: Attempt to boot your phone up in Recovery mode

We simply have to know if the phone is capable of doing so because if it does, it’s clear enough the phone is suffering from a firmware issue. In which case, the best thing you can do try to reset your phone before you send it in for replacement or further tests. Follow the steps below to start S8 Plus in Recovery mode and do the master reset:

1. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
2. When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
3. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe data / factory reset.
4. Press Power button to select.
5. Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
6. Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
7. When the master reset is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
8. Press the Power key to restart the device.

Now, even if you’ve been able to bring the phone back to life, if it doesn’t work as smooth as before, it’s best you bring it back to the store and have it replaced rather than dealing the problem for years.

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