Galaxy Note 4 randomly reboots and stuck at Samsung logo screen

Our post for today is another addition to our troubleshooting series that provides solutions for power-related issues on #GalaxyNote4 devices.

Galaxy Note 4

These are the topics discussed in this article:

  1. Galaxy Note 4 reboots when signal is lost
  2. Galaxy Note 4 shuts down when battery level is below 20%
  3. Galaxy Note 4 no longer charging
  4. Galaxy Note 4 randomly reboots and stuck at Samsung logo screen
  5. Water-damaged Galaxy Note 4 overheating and having black screen issue

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of that page.


Problem #1: Galaxy Note 4 reboots when signal is lost

Hello! I read your article about the Note 4 and how it sometimes shows the no signal icon then reboots. mine had been doing that all day. I hadn’t done anything to cause it but it just started for some reason, it was working fine earlier. I tried safe mode and it still did it now. I did the master reset and it is trying to optimize my apps while it upgrades and it restarts before it can finish optimizing them all. — Zachary

Solution: Hi Zachary. Try to do another round of factory reset and observe the phone for at least a day. Do not install any apps during the observation period so you will know if the issue firmware in nature. If it is, the same problem should occur even when the phone is free of apps. In that case, you should have the unit replaced.

If, however, the problem does not happen when no apps are installed, you have to spend more time isolating what app is the trigger.

Problem #2: Galaxy Note 4 shuts down when battery level is below 20%

After the 5.0.1 update, the phone has been acting up. I can deal with most of these issues, but two drive me completely insane.

First off, apps. None of my apps work on 4G anymore. I have to wait until I’m connected to Wi-Fi for them to work as they should. None of them are on Restricted Background data. They don’t refresh or notify until I get a Wi-Fi connection.

Second part is the battery. The phone will warn me when 20% of battery is left, but it shuts down right after that warning. Even if I set it to Power Saving mode before that 20%, it turns itself off right after the 20% warning.

Are there any fixes for these two issues? I appreciate your time, thank you.– Jorge

Solution: Hi Jorge. We reckon you’ve probably read about the many issues arising from Android Lollipop. There are a lot variables at play right after an update that it is often difficult to totally eliminate problems. The good thing is, the said issues can be fixed relatively easily.

Since you did not mention what solutions you have tried so far, we will provide them here for the benefit of everyone.

Wipe the cache partition

Deleting the system cache is the recommended first step. Also known as the cache partition, this repository of temporary files usually get corrupted or may contain irrelevant files that can create conflicts for the system. Wiping it clean ensures that the new operating system loads apps quickly and efficiently. Here are the steps to delete the cache:

  • Turn off the Galaxy Note 4 completely.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home keys together, then press and hold the Power key.
  • When the Note 4 vibrates, release both the Home and Power keys but continue holding the Volume Up key.
  • When the Android System Recovery shows on the screen, release the Vol Up key.
  • Using the Volume Down key, highlight the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • When the wiping of the cache partition is finished, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the power key.

Performing a factory reset

Sometimes, wiping the cache is not enough to bring back the normal functions of your phone after an update. Cleaning the firmware of possible bugs after an update may be needed in some cases so let’s try it on your device. Here’s how:

  • Turn off the Galaxy Note 4 completely.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home keys together, then press and hold the Power key.
  • When the Note 4 vibrates, release both the Home and Power keys but continue holding the Volume Up key.
  • When the Android System Recovery shows on the screen, release the Vol Up key.
  • Using the Volume Down key, highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • Now highlight ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power key to begin the reset.
  • When the master reset is complete, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key.
  • The Note 4 will restart but it will be longer than usual. When it reaches the Home screen, then begin your setup.

Uninstall incompatible/outdated apps

In a lot of cases, third party apps cause problems when a new operating system is released simply because their developers fail to update them. Months after Lollipop was released, there are still thousands of apps in the Play Store that are not updated. An app designed to work with KitKat is not guaranteed to work as well on Lollipop.

If you are unsure which app may be the potential culprit, try to install one app then observe the phone for some time before installing another one.

Disable Developer Options feature

There are reasons why Developer Options is disabled by default. Among the issues you may encounter if it’s turned on are red border on the screen and errors when the phone is trying to connect to a computer. If you are just an average user, it would be better if you kept this option turned off and in case it’s already turned on, here’s how you do it:

  • From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
  • Tap Settings.
  • Now scroll down to ‘System’ section and tap Developer Options.
  • Slide the switch to the left to turn it Off.

Verify that SD card is in good working order

A major update can sometimes mess with the SD card, which in turn can affect how apps function.

When things like this happen, it means one thing, the SD card needs to be reformatted. So, backup all your data using your computer (if possible), then mount the SD card back to your phone and follow these steps to reformat it:

  • From the Home screen, tap Apps.
  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Touch Storage.
  • Touch Format SD card and follow on-screen instructions.

Problem #3: Galaxy Note 4 no longer charging

Bought new last week of May 2015 from AT&T and I use the charger & wire it came with so I could use the fast charger. A few weeks ago, it just stopped working. I’ve changed nothing. Plugged into original charger like always, fast charger option selected, but when I plug it in, it doesn’t fast charge and the option section that’s checked for fast charger goes dim so you can’t click on it to turn off or on. When I unplug, the section becomes bright again to select or deselect. I looked online for solutions and tried them all, different adapters and wires, new battery, factory reset, powering completely off then on, all to no avail.

Also noticed that it doesn’t stay connected to my wifi. It connects, but it constantly scans, going through connected, authenticating ip address, goes to 4G then connects back to wifi. This is constant. No other device in the house does this. Again, it started at the same time as charging problem. Very annoying, please tell me you know how I can fix this! — Brie

Solution: Hi Brie. If this phone has already been factory reset before  you contact us, we’re afraid the issue is something deeper and that doing the standard software troubleshooting may not help. Try to bring the unit to your local Samsung store for repair, or have it replaced.

Problem #4: Galaxy Note 4 randomly reboots and stuck at Samsung logo screen

Phone randomly reboots multiple times without ever getting to the home screen. Just as Samsung logo comes on it reboots. It only stops once I remove battery and connect power charge.. battery is not drained because it would show for example 74% charge. Once I disconnect from charger phone is ok for a while then the issue returns all over again. Any advice would be appreciated. — Diego

Solution: Hi Diego. It looks like your phone is stuck in a boot loop. Try to boot it in recovery mode and see if wiping the cache partition or doing a factory reset will help. Steps are provided above.

If these two won’t make any difference, you may have to flash a new ROM or a custom ROM in order to boot back in normal mode. You can use Google to look for the specific instructions how to do that.

Problem #5: Water-damaged Galaxy Note 4 overheating and having black screen issue

Hi. I dropped my phone in the water a day before. I quickly dried it and put it in some rice overnight. This morning it was stuck in the booting Samsung logo. I was able to turn on safe mode and start the device that way. After an hour or two of use, the screen went black (I was listening to the radio and after it went black, I can still hear the radio). I took the battery out and try to start it again. After i press the power button, the LED indicator flashes but still black screen. It is response to the touchscreen as I double tap it and the LED would go on. (I was able to hear voicemail which I accidentally dial I believe.)

The device heat up without turning on when the battery is in or when I “turn it on”. Please let me know if there is anyway to fix this. I would really appreciate any help. Thank you! — Ken

Solution: Hi Ken. Water damage can result to a variety of problems depending on what part is affected. It’s not usually recommended to turn a device back on after it got wet, unless you are 100% certain that there is no more water or moisture inside. This can only be checked by opening the phone and disassembling the insides of the device. If you did not do this, there’s high likelihood that water damaged the display assembly of your Note 4, thereby causing the problem you described to us.

There are many resources in the web on how to open a phone and diagnose the issue (although resolving an existing problem or fixing the damage may still require part replacement). iFixit (website) offers good guides on how to disassemble popular devices like the Note 4 so try checking their site.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of fixing the phone yourself, just bring it to a local shop. If you have a nearby Samsung shop, that should be your first choice. Keep in mind though that once the water damage indicator has been breached, Samsung will automatically void the warranty so you may still end up paying for their service.

 

See also Things to do when you have a water-damaged Android phone

 


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