Samsung is soon to release the latest of its Galaxy S flagship, the #GalaxyS8, but that won’t stop us here in the Thedroidguyto support #GalaxyS6 issues. With millions of this amazing phone in circulation today, we know that a lot of users need our help day in and day out. We hope that this post can be another helpful reference for those experiencing problems on their S6 phone.
These are the specific topics we are covering for you today:
- Galaxy S6 edge won’t install system update
- Galaxy S6 cannot download firmware update
- Galaxy S6 has no 4G connection | Galaxy S6 saying no mobile connection during calls
- Accidentally dropped Galaxy S6 screen turns black
- Galaxy S6 proximity sensor not working during calls
- How to disable cloud sync in Galaxy S6
- Galaxy S6 edge plus messaging app turns white when opening unread SMS
- Galaxy S6 stops working after installing third party themes
If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.
When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.
Problem #1: Galaxy S6 edge won’t install system update
Hi. Since receiving my S6 Edge at Christmas, I have been prompted several times regarding the latest software updates. Although I have been able to download them, it will not install them. Once downloaded, I select “install now” and the phone reboots as planned. However, during the install process it reaches 24% and returns to 0% before building back up to 24%. At this point the image of the Android ‘falls over’ indicating a failure. The phone then restarts and produces an error log, which I report. Although my phone works fine as it is (despite some overheating issues from time to time) i’m sure it’s only a matter of time before problems will begin to occur. I am currently running on 6.0.1.
I also get a message on my screen whenever i use an app stating that unauthorised actions have been detected. Restart your device to undo changes. but this doesn’t appear to do anything. Any advise/assistance would be appreciated. Regards. — Stan
Solution: Hi Stan. There are four common reasons why an Android device fails to install an OTA update (we are assuming you’re downloading the update from your carrier). One of them must be causing the problem:
- the system cache is corrupted
- there’s not enough available storage space
- the phone is running unofficial firmware
- there’s an unknown software glitch blocking installation of new system update
To see if you can fix the issue on your own, the first thing that you want to do is wipe the cache partition. Downloaded items from the Play Store and installation items such as APKs are kept in a special location called cache partition. The cache partition also holds the important system cache which can sometimes get corrupted after an update. To ensure that the phone has an updated system cache, you must delete the current one. This can be done safely and will not result to data loss so you can do it in a regular basis. Here’s how to do it:
- Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
- Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
- 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.
- Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
- Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
- Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ 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.
- Try to install the system update.
If wiping the cache partition won’t fix the problem, your next would be to ensure that there’s more than enough available storage space on your phone. There must be at least 1GB of available space. If you can provide more than 1GB, that’s even better. Keep in mind that you need the phone’s internal storage space for the update, not the SD card.
If your phone has a lot of storage space at this time and clearing the cache partition did not improve the situation, the next logical troubleshooting is factory reset. It’s not normal for an Android phone to reject an OTA update so making sure that there’s no software glitch causing it must be done. This is where factory reset becomes useful as it returns all software settings to their defaults, effectively removing any glitch that may have developed over time. Just remember to create a backup of your files before you do it to avoid data loss.
To factory reset your S6, kindly do the following:
- Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
- Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
- 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.
- 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.
Factory or master reset should fix the problem but if it remains afterwards, contact your carrier so they can take note of the issue. There may be some poor coding issue causing it so the more users report the problem (assuming others have the same trouble too), the more motivated they may be to release a patch as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that rooted or phones running custom ROMs may not be able to receive OTA updates. Some carriers will even block installation if their system detects that a device is running an unofficial firmware. If your phone is rooted or customized, revert all stock software (firmware and recovery) and try to install the OTA update again.
Problem #2: Galaxy S6 cannot download firmware update
When i try download the new update there is something wrong with the firmware. It comes up an Android with its eyes are crosses and a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it and it reboots, comes back on, and says there’s something wrong with the firmware. It says send report to Samsung so i do and it still hasnt been fixed. Also there’s always a warning triangle notification saying its detected unauthorised actions and it’s a constant loop just keep going on if i keep trying to update it. — Terri
Solution: Hi Terri. Your issue is similar to Stan’s above so kindly refer to our suggestions for him.
Problem #3: Galaxy S6 has no 4G connection | Galaxy S6 saying no mobile connection during calls
I’m having a problem with my Samsung Galaxy s6. I bought this phone just a couple days over a month ago. Since then my phone has not went in to 4G LTE mode at all. I have plenty of data on my phone. It stays in 3G mode with very little service unless I’m in town or connected to wifi.
Also when I’m making a call it says no mobile connection.
Also it will not let me do a software update. Other than that I really loved this phone and I would sure appreciate any help you are able to give. Thank you. — Larry
Solution: Hi Larry. By plenty of data we are assuming you mean your account can avail of mobile data service of your carrier. But having mobile data subscription does not necessarily mean you’ll get 4G automatically. Your carrier must have 4G capability in your location so you can use mobile data faster. If your location is only covered by 2G or 3G networks, having a mobile data subscription won’t give you the 4G speed. Try to talk to your carrier about the issue so they can check if your area has 4G coverage.
We suggest the same for your call issue. There may be an on-going network problem that affects 4G service and voice calling. Whether this is a network issue, your carrier should help you fix both the lack of 4G service and voice calling issues. Third party support groups like us can’t do much about these problems.
For your software update problem, kindly refer to out suggestions for Stan above.
Problem #4: Accidentally dropped Galaxy S6 screen turns black
I had dropped my phone months and months ago, I feel like almost 4 or 5. My phone continued to act as normal and has continued to be fine until yesterday. The screen began to act unresponsive periodically. Like the touch screen wasn’t registering my touch. I tried to get it to turn off which it finally let me do and it worked again. Today, it again became unresponsive and I was having a hard time restarting it as it wasn’t registering my touch and I didn’t know how to do a soft reset. But it suddenly asked if I wanted to boot in safe mode. I did and it worked semi ok, still a bit unresponsive and slow. I decided to put my anti virus from my computer to my phone and run a scan, but I have to switch it back to normal mode to run. After that, it says that it’s fine and everything looks good. It continues to do this off and on. I ask a coworker to look at it for me and he presses the part of the phone on the back that had cracked from where I dropped it and a couple of weird bars appear and suddenly it just goes black. The phone is still working and it actually still responds to my touch but it’s completely black now and I have no clue what happened. — Kim
Solution: Hi Kim. Try to boot the phone to recovery mode and see if you can see something on the screen. If the screen works fine, do a factory reset and start troubleshooting from there. To boot to recovery, follow these steps:
- Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
- Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
- 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.
- Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
- You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.
If the screen stays black while pressing the hardware button combinations, that’s an indication that the phone’s screen is damaged. That’s the most likely reason why it showed those weird lines before finally succumbing to total failure at this time.
If your S6 is still under warranty, make sure to send it in to Samsung. Otherwise, you can bring it to a local service center for repair.
Problem #5: Galaxy S6 proximity sensor not working during calls
When I am talking on my phone, other apps keep opening or numbers on the keypad keep being touched by something. I know my jaw moves that may cause a number or something to accidentally be pushed. This over-sensitivity to what? – because I don’t know how Facebook app opens or the keypad opens when I haven’t touched anything at all to trigger that action. I refuse to make every call on my phone over the speaker so something needs to happen. It is very frustrating to have to close out of 6-8 things after a short phone conversation. — Michelle
Solution: Hi Michelle. An issue like this can be due to a malfunctioning proximity sensor. This sensor is responsible for automatically turning off the phone’s screen during calls when it detects your face. If the proximity sensor fails to work during calls, the screen will remain on and when your face comes in contact with the screen, apps can launch as if you’re touching them. To check if the proximity sensor is not working, do the following steps:
- Open the Phone app.
- Dial “*#0*#” to launch the service menu.
- Tap Sensor.
- Once you’re in the Sensor screen, hover your hand over the top part of the phone. If the phone vibrates and the screen color changes to green, that means that the proximity sensor is detecting your hand and must be working normally. If nothing happens when you hover your hand though, that’s proof that the sensor is defective.
If you think that the proximity is not working, contact Samsung so the phone can be repaired or replaced.
Problem #6: How to disable cloud sync in Galaxy S6
I have a Galaxy S6 and every picture and video is automatically saved to the cloud and twice now I’ve had upgrade my iCloud within the same month so now it’s like five extra bucks .I would like to move all of the pictures and videos and albums to my phones internal memory as I have almost 80 gigs of storage left on it and I have to keep paying more for the Cloud. I want to empty my cloud except for the five gigs they allow me. Is this something I can do? — Bbborg3
Solution: Hi Bbborg3. there are two ways to stop your phone from automatically uploading photos and videos to the cloud. The first one involves turning off sync for ALL accounts. Here’s how it’s done:
- Open Settings app.
- Choose Accounts.
- Choose MORE and activate “Disable auto sync.”
The second is by turning off the account for your cloud service. To do that, follow these steps:
- Open Settings app.
- Choose Accounts.
- Tap on the account that you would like to sync.
- Tap MORE.
- Tap Cancel sync or Sync all.
If you don’t want to keep paying for your current cloud subscription, contact the cloud service company so you can stop your subscription. The exact process may not be the same for each company so make sure to ask them for the exact steps to do. You can also ask their customer service representative how to move your files from their cloud service to your phone.
Problem #7: Galaxy S6 edge plus messaging app turns white when opening unread SMS
Phone: Samsung S6 Edge Plus
Age: 1.5 years old
Issue: The issue began yesterday where I would see that I had a text waiting to be read. When I click on the Text Icon, a screen would come up, but it would be totally white, but blank. There were also times the screen would go black and almost freeze my phone. IF the text screen did load, it loaded very slowly. I have restarted my phone several times as well as completely shut it down. This action did not help the issue. — Amber
Solution: Hi Amber. The troubleshooting steps that you should try in this situation includes:
- wiping the cache partition,
- deleting the cache and data of apps not working properly such as Messages,
- installation of app and system updates, and,
- performing a factory reset.
We discussed the steps on how to wipe the cache partition and factory reset above so make sure to refer to them later on.
If you haven’t tried wiping the cache and data of an app before, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
- Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6.0.
- Once in there, click on an application.
- You’ll now see a list of stuff that gives you information about the app, including Storage, Permissions, Memory Use, and more. These are all clickable items. You’ll want to click on Storage.
- You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.
Problem #8: Galaxy S6 stops working after installing third party themes
A few weeks ago I downloaded a wallpaper for my phone. It’s called Gold Coast luxury deluxe theme by Colorful World. After downloading this app it said it can only work with another app called CM Launcher 3D-Theme, wallpaper by Cheetah Mobile Inc. So I downloaded it too. These apps have completed taken over my operating system. I uninstalled both of the apps but then my phone would not operate at all. So I had no choice but to reinstall the apps. Help! — Jennifer
Solution: Hi Jennifer. We don’t know what you mean exactly by your phone not operating at all but if it’s no longer booting properly or won’t allow you to access it, your options may be limited.
If you can’t boot the phone normally, try to see if you can make it to work by restarting the device to alternate modes first. Each of these boot modes can help you differently so we also the follow up troubleshooting that you can do for each.
Boot in Recovery mode:
- Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
- Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
- 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.
- Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
- You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.
Boot in Download Mode:
- Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
- Press and then hold the Home and Volume DOWN keys, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume DOWN keys.
- Wait until the Download screen appears.
- If you can boot the phone in download mode but not in other modes, that means that your only way out may be to flash a stock or custom firmware.
- Use Google to look for a guide on how to do it.
Boot in safe mode:
- Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
- Press and hold the Power button.
- Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
- Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
- Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.
- The only difference of safe mode from normal mode is that the former prevents third party apps from running. If you can boot the phone in safe mode but not in normal mode, uninstall all apps until the issue (that prevents you from booting normally) is eliminated.
Perform a factory reset
If you are still able to power the phone back on but apps are not working properly, try to create a backup of your data via Smart Switch (if it’s possible) first, then wipe the phone via factory reset. Refer to the steps above on how to do it.
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