How to fix Galaxy S9 texting issue: won’t send or slow in sending MMS

Welcome to another troubleshooting article for the Galaxy S9 (#GalaxyS9). Today’s episode covers four cases as well as how to fix them. We hope you’ll find this post helpful.

Problem #1: Galaxy S9 Plus camera won’t work in app

Hi there. I really need help. So i got a Samsung S9 Plus a few months ago and the camera works great BUT when i installed the app Fyuse, and try to use the camera inside the app it gets all black . I asked a friend of mine to install the same app on the same phone model..and the app worked perfectly. 🙁 i really need to know if it is a technical problem so that i can’t put it back to warranty or if it is a software problem were i can solve it myself. Thank you very much.

Solution: For a situation like this, knowing whether or not the issue is with the device or an app is easy. If your phone’s camera works normally when using the stock camera app, or any other app except the one you’re having an issue with, then that particular app is problematic. It’s not a device issue. There may a compatibility issue with the said app so the best course of action for you is to contact the developer to get first hand support or information.

Check app permissions

When installing apps, Android may prompt you whether to allow some functionalities to be used an app. Be sure that the said app has permission to use the camera. To do that, follow these steps:

Open Settings app.
Tap Apps.
Find the app and tap it.
Tap Permissions.
Make sure that Camera option is enabled.
Restart the phone and check for the problem.

Problem #2: How to fix Galaxy S9 texting issue: won’t send or slow in sending MMS

Galaxy S9: Picture-Texts taking 4+ hrs to deliver to some contacts, others getting them right away?

My G/F and I both upgraded on Sunday 9/2 to S9’s, with AT&T. Today we were sending a bunch of “back to school” pics to several different family contacts. We found out later that some contacts received the texts immediately. Others didn’t get them for 4-6 HOURS later, and some still haven’t received. I’ve spent literally ALL night searching online. I found some sites with related complaints. I tried all of the troubleshooting advice, and still nothing is working. It’s driving me absolutely crazy that this is happening. Does anyone have ANY advice??? P.S. I only have about another week to return/exchange if this can’t be fixed, so any immediate help would be absolutely appreciated!!!

Solution: This is not a device issue so getting the phones replaced won’t probably do any good. MMS or texts with images are sent via your carrier’s network so the problem must be network-related. There’s a number of possible reasons for the delay including possible poor signal, file compression problems, file transmission problems, or any other unknown network troubles. Try to talk to your network operator to see if they’re aware of the problem and if there’s a solution.

Ensure mobile data is ON

MMS requires cellular data connection to work. If your mobile data is spotty or keeps disconnecting, this may be the reason why MMS fails to send, or keeps getting delayed when sending. Leave mobile data on during the entire duration when the phone tries to send MMS.

Use apps to send photos

Many carriers have already began terminating support for MMS. It is inefficient and obsolete given the fact that many apps can do the job faster and for free. As a workaround, you might want to send your photos to friends using other apps, Facebook Messenger for instance and similar ones, while waiting for a solution from AT&T.

Clear Network settings

While you’re at it, it won’t also hurt if you try to clear your S9’s network settings. Here’s how:

From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
Tap General Management > Reset settings.
Tap Reset Network settings.
If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
Tap Reset settings. Once complete a confirmation window will appear.

Problem #3: Galaxy S9 won’t charge or turn on

One of my Samsung S9 phones will not charge and now appears to have run out of power. Prior to it running all the way down I took it to a t-mobile location. They searched through the phone and discovered 63% of the 64 gigs were being used. 54% were of videos and photos. It was suggested to move some or all the photos to the external micro SD card, then delete from phone memory. I didn’t have enough time to accomplish this before it shut off. What can I do to resolve this issue? Thank you.

Solution: You can’t access files stored in your phone memory unless the device is powered on so obviously, you need to troubleshoot the power issue first. These are the troubleshooting steps that you can try:

Use another set of charging accessories

Getting power to the battery is a priority. The battery may have simply drained fully so be sure to charge it for at least an hour before attempting to turn the device on.

In this situation, it’s also important that you try another charging cable and adapter. The current set you have may be defective. If you can’t find an official charging cable and adapter, try going to your local Samsung store and see if you can borrow their charger.

Check the charging port

Sometimes, pocket lint or dirt may block the charging cable. Try using a magnifying tool to look inside the port. Do not stick anything inside to avoid damaging the system. If there’s dirt or lint, use canned air to clean it out.

Wireless charging

If there’s a problem with the charging port or if it’s damaged, you should still be able to charge your phone wirelessly. Be sure to use the official Samsung charger for the S9 to avoid damaging the battery or the system.

Repair

If nothing changes and the issue continues after doing the suggestions above, you can assume that the problem is beyond your ability to fix. There must be a hardware malfunction causing the phone not to charge. For example, if the Power Management IC is damaged, the phone won’t charge or turn on at all. Your S9’s hardware has hundreds of parts so you want to let a professional check it at this point.

Problem #4: Galaxy S9 Plus can’t connect to PC

Having issues with connecting S9 Plus to PC. Tried on a different PC and same issues. Seems to be an issue with phone as I’ve downloaded all latest Samsung drivers etc. Sometimes after hours of trying to reboot PC and or phone the phone will suddenly appear on Win 7 Explorer and I can access type of USB connection etc. If I go to settings and storage the option of USB connection is greyed out. Tried USB debugging without success. Just want to have MTP option and getting really frustrated at not being able to transfer my photos to PC.

Solution: Make sure that you install Samsung Smart Switch to your computer before connecting your S9 to it. If you’ve already tried that and nothing changed, you can try to factory wipe your S9 to see if the problem lies on the device itself.

If you’re concerned about losing your files before a factory reset, you can use some third party apps to back your files up. For example, you can try ShareIt app to allow your S9 to move files to your computer wirelessly. This app must also be installed in your computer.
Once you’ve created a backup of your files, follow the steps below to factory reset your S9 Plus:

Turn off the device. This is important. If you can’t turn it off, you’ll never be able to boot to Recovery Mode. If you are not able to shut the device off regularly via the Power button, wait until the phone’s battery is drained. Then, charge the phone for 30 minutes before booting to Recovery Mode.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
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).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.