This is one of the most common problems that owners of Samsung Galaxy S3 have been complaining about. Although considered one of the most sophisticated gadgets in the world, the phone is not free from problems. Consumers experienced various software problems like frequent crashes, freezes, unresponsiveness and random error messages.
In this post we have to deal one of the problems concerning the Gallery app that becomes unresponsive and cannot view photos that were saved in the phone’s memory.
Here are some procedures that could probably help solve the problems of thousands of Samsung Galaxy S3 owners.
Step 1: Soft Reset the Phone
A soft reset is very essential to this problem. Basically, before you do something more ‘advanced’ this step must be done. Many users reported this procedure alone has high probability to fix this issue. Here’s how you do a soft reset on Galaxy S3:
- Press and hold the Power key, tap Power Off, then tap OK to turn off the Samsung Galaxy S III.
- Remove the battery and reinsert after 30 seconds.
- Press and hold the Power key to turn the device on.
Now check if the Gallery app is now working, otherwise, continue with the other procedure below.
Step 2: Clear Gallery Cache and Data
Caution: In clearing Gallery application data, you’re also permanently deleting some of your important information’s such as user information, settings, and thumbnails.
- From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
- Choose Settings.
- Scroll to and tap Application Manager.
- Swipe left to choose All tab.
- Find and tap Gallery.
- Tap Clear Cache button.
- Tap Clear Data button.
Now check if it’s working fine now.
Step 3: Clear Camera Cache and Data
At first you might think this step is just a waste of time, it’s not. The stock Android Camera and Gallery are deeply connected. All photos taken by the camera app will also be processed by the gallery app, which creates thumbnails and organizes multimedia files.
- From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
- Choose Settings.
- Scroll to and tap Application Manager.
- Swipe left to choose All tab.
- Find and tap Camera.
- Tap Clear Cache button.
- Tap Clear Data button.
Step 4: Transfer Photos To Your Computer
When there are a lot of photos that need to be organized or viewed, the Gallery app may find it difficult to launch due to data overload. In case the first three procedures don’t work, transfer all your photos to your computer to free up some space and make it lighter for the app the load.
Oftentimes, insufficient memory is also the cause of problems related to the freezing of apps or becoming unresponsive.
Lastly, if the problem persists, we recommend a factory reset. But remember, all your personal data and files might be lost along the process. So, back them up before you do this.
Having problems with your phone?
Tell us about them by emailing us at [email protected]. Make sure to include as much details as possible so that we could understand the problem well and find the best solutions for you. If you can share a screenshot or two, that would be better.
We may not be able to respond to every email we receive but rest assured we do read them… yes, all of them even if some do look like spams.
I have tried your directions above and after restarting my phone, the pictures and videos I could not open are no longer one my phone. How do I get them back on my phone and able to view them
Hi, I created a VPN password and now I don’t remember it. How can I bypass the screen without having to reset my phone. I have pictures and do not have a card in phone, and I don’t want to lose them. I tried connecting my phone to my PC but when I copy the pictures, it says there aren’t any. I took it to my provider but they couldn’t unlock it for me, either. Please help, thanks.
Good info, but unfortunately wrong. The problem with the gallery app is the cloud picture galleries like Picasa and Facebook. Any network irregularity while accessing them will cause a force close. My home network is problematic, 3G always works, wifi at work is ok. I would suggest if you have a problem, toggle the wifi state and try again. A few friends I suggested this too had success.