Samsung Galaxy Tab S Problems, Errors, Glitches and Solutions [Part 4]

Welcome everyone to the part four of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S troubleshooting and solutions. Hope each solution provided for a specific issue will be of great help to you. Rest assured we will continue to give you the best troubleshooting guides for your Android device.

As usual, you can send your concerns via [email protected]. We may not be able to respond to every email we receive but rest assured we will read every single one of them so your effort won’t be wasted. And for those who prefer to reach us via social networks, feel free to post your problems on our Facebook wall or on our Google+ page.

Expect more articles for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S in the following weeks.

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Less Sensitive Touchscreen of Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5

Problem: Hi. How can I make the touch screen on my Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 less sensitive? Thank you. Margit

Troubleshooting: Hi Margit. A very sensitive touch screen can indeed be annoying at times. It can ruin your experience especially when doing something like playing games, as you want to be real focus with that particular game. Most users enjoy this sensitivity though as they no longer need to exert more effort in going from one screen to another. I bet that’s what Samsung is thinking when they made it that way, an effortless experience. However, they have not considered the idea of it being prone to accidental touch. Since it’s built that way, we have no way of tweaking it to make the screen adapt to certain circumstances. Nevertheless, you can change some settings in your tab to make the screen unresponsive to particular motions. You need to go under Settings>Controls and make sure to uncheck or disable Motions (tilt or pan), Palm Motion (Capture screen or mute/pause), and Smart screen (Smart stay or smart pause). If you don’t want the screen rotating when you position the tab either horizontally or vertically, then make sure to turn off Screen rotation. If you keep on accidentally touching the screen, then it would be best to position your hands at the back of the tab when holding it. You can also lock it when not in use or if you’re just listening to some music to avoid touching the screen by accident. You may also want to put a protective cover on the touch screen to prevent any damage. On the bright side, the big rectangular screen of your tablet is great for viewing photos and videos, and it uses toughened glass therefore it’s durable. Who can resist a Super AMOLED display anyway?

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Clearing up some space on the timeline bar

Problem: Hi. I have a question about items displayed on the time line bar. If you delete these items, do they actually delete the data from the tablet as well, or just the notification? The reason I ask is I got this huge update (download) from Hancom which had a number of different formatted letters, fonts, etc. There are a huge number of them. I want to be sure I keep them, but if they are only on display in the timeline, I will delete them as they no doubt take up a lot of space. If it is really just a list, is it possible to clear all, or just delete? Thank you for any thoughts. Bill

Troubleshooting: Hi Bill. You’ve got a great inquiry there. An item deleted from the timeline bar can still be found under your downloaded files folder or under the applications menu. That is, it should just remove the shortcut or notification but never the actual file or application. You can only permanently get rid of such files by uninstalling them from the applications menu. If you go to Settings>General>Application manager, you will see all the downloaded and or installed files. If you wish to permanently remove one, just tap on the uninstall button and it would be gone away forever. In your case, it is safe to remove the Hancom notifications from your timeline bar as these are just shortcuts created for easy access. Removing them will make your bar look clean and uncluttered. Another way to organize these items without them taking too much space is by creating a new folder and store them inside it. In this way, you can still conveniently access these items without the messy look in your timeline bar. Just tap and hold on a specific item until a pop up appears on the screen with the option to either remove or place it on a new folder. You can even customize the name of that new folder so you won’t forget where you stored the files. If it’s displeasing to look at on the timeline bar, then you are free to remove them. Rest assured these items are not permanently deleted from your tablet. Hope we got your query answered. Please reach out to us if you need further assistance.

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Tablet won’t turn on after downloading an update

Problem: Hello. Yesterday, my tablet was blinking and saying, “Downloading. Do not turn off target”.  Today, it shut down and won’t turn on.  Please advise. — Harris, Lavern M.

Troubleshooting: Hello Lavern. Is your tablet rooted? What was the last thing you’ve done in your tab before this happened? A screen with this message normally comes up on rooted Android devices. This could be due to a failed OTA (over-the-air) update, a third party firmware download that went haywire, or the tablet’s motherboard is defective and decided to fail. In addition, if it’s no longer powering on, the tablet’s battery could be affected. However, if you see another text at the top of the tab’s screen that states something about Odin3 and no kernel can be found, then it is highly likely that someone was messing around with the tablet and tried to root it or flash another firmware. Fortunately, we can try some tricks to make your tablet work again.

This type of error message can lock the tablet and would enter a state wherein it would not respond to any command. We can attempt to unlock it first by pressing the Volume controls. You can continue pressing both the Volume Up or Volume Down button until the screen unlocks and a pop up prompts you to restart the tablet. You can do a manual boot afterwards and it should go back to its normal state.

The next thing to try is to simply perform a soft reset to your tab. This will allow the device to reboot without losing any data. Perform the soft reset by pressing the power button down for ten seconds, leave it off for two minutes, and then power it back on. Your tab should go straight to the home screen once it’s finished with the booting process.

If that step fails, you can enter Recovery Mode and attempt to fix this. To get into Recovery Mode, you need to turn off the tablet first. Turn it back on by pressing the Volume Up + Home Button + Power Key at the same time. Release the keys once the Galaxy logo comes up on the screen. Wait for it to enter Recovery Mode and once in, look for the Wipe Cache Partition option, select it then reboot the device. This option will delete temporary system data and is largely related to app installations. This won’t delete any of your personal data.

The last option is to perform a hard reset on your device which will wipe out all the data stored in your tablet. Make sure to make a backup before starting this process. Enter Recovery Mode again by following the steps mentioned above. On the Recovery interface, look for the Wipe data/factory reset option, select it and the device should reboot. This should return your tab to its factory settings. This can help resolve ninety nine percent of software and firmware related issues in an Android system.

If your device is rooted, you can use either CWM (ClockworkMod) or TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) to fix the said issue. You can open the link and follow the steps in detail so you can perform it properly.

If everything fails, then we can now say that the tablet’s motherboard is defective and needs to be replaced. If it is still under warranty and is not rooted, you can bring the device to a Samsung Service Center and they’ll fix it for you free of obligation. If you are no longer within warranty and you have rooted the device, you can look for an experienced technician who knows a great deal about Android systems. The technician can fix it for you for a certain fee. Hope this clarifies.

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USB OTG is not working with Samsung Tab S 10.5

Problem: Hi admin. I have recently bought a Samsung Tab S 10.5 and almost instantly used up the internal storage capacity. So I did a little bit of reading online and I discovered USB OTG. I ordered one and it worked perfectly with a USB flash drive 8GB (an old one I had lying around). But these days most of my data is stored on a passport drive 1TB. It’s formatted with a partition 500GB NTFS / 500GB FAT32 (I used to use it to watch movies on my PS3). Now I tried plugging it into the USB OTG and got no luck on the tablet. I tried it on my friend’s Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone and it works perfectly! Any idea what I’m doing wrong here? I tried to use a USB Y power cable, thinking the hard drive was lacking power, but it made no difference. And it worked fine without the Y cable on the smartphone. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks. — JITEN MEGHANI

Troubleshooting: Hello Jiten. It’s good to know that you are doing some research on your own. The USB OTG (On-the-Go) is indeed a convenient way for you to store personal files that you can view later on your Android device. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S edition also supports USB OTG with the use of a compatible adapter. Base on the troubleshooting steps that you have already performed, we can narrow the causes down to a low power amp, a defective USB OTG port, or a lack of the right app to run it with. Let’s examine each one.

Although we know for a fact that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S should support USB OTG, we still need to test it to make sure that it is indeed OTG ready.  The easiest way to determine its readiness is by installing the USB OTG Checker. USB OTG is supported by Android 3.1 or newer but not on all devices thus the checker can help significantly. Once we prove that the tab is indeed capable of an OTG connection, we then need to make sure that we are connecting it to a compatible adapter. Only use the original adapter or an approved one if there’s a lack thereof.

The reason why it worked perfectly with the smartphone without the Y cable is because the smartphone itself can provide enough power for the USB OTG to function. Unlike the tablet wherein the system itself consumes more power thus making it difficult for the hard drive to get enough energy for its own use. You were spot on in using a Y cable to pump up some energy for the hard drive’s consumption however that cable maybe defective or may not be compatible with your storage device. Try getting another Y cable and make sure that it can support enough energy for your 1TB hard drive to use. To make sure that the hard drive will be well supported, download and install the USB OTG Helper or the USB Host Controller apps from the Google Play Store. These apps will show enumerated devices and allow the mounting of external mass storage equipment to the file system. You can click each link to gain more info on how these apps work. If the OTG port on the tab itself is malfunctioning, it’s time to get it fixed at a service center near you. Hope this helps.

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Tab restarts when battery drops to sixty percent

Problem: Hi! I’m experiencing a problem with my Tab S. It automatically restarts once the battery starts to drop between sixty to fifty percent. I’m not sure what could have caused it. Please do advice. Thanks. Elfy

Troubleshooting: Hi Elfy. Issues like this typically boils down to a defective battery ninety percent of the time. However, certain applications can also cause overheating issues and may trigger your tab to restart to save it from total shut down. The easiest way to fix this issue is by performing a soft reset on your tablet. To do this, simply press and hold the power button for ten seconds or until your tablet shuts down. Power it back on after a minute or two.

If the problem is caused by an application, then it would be wise to download the Battery Stats Plus from the Google Play Store. This app helps detect battery draining applications and notifies you right away. It would also tell you which apps are causing the tablet to overheat and may cause battery damage. Deleting these apps or stop it from running can greatly improve the battery’s performance and can also resolve reboot issues.

The ultimate resolution if all else fails is to reset the battery’s connection to the motherboard. To do this, you need to pry open the back cover of your device. Keep in mind though that this will void the warranty as this is considered tampering. You may opt to send it to Samsung’s service center instead if you’re still under warranty. If not, then you can proceed with the process of resetting the battery connection. You will need some pry tools as it is extremely difficult to remove the back cover. Pop the cover out by inserting the pry tool into the seam between the glass and the side. Once you got it off, look for the white plastic plug that connects the battery to the motherboard. Use another pry tool to carefully pull the wires of the connector out. Leave the connector unplug for 30 seconds then plug it back in. Replace the back then turn the device on.

Performing these troubleshooting should solve the restarting issue experienced by your tablet. If not, then it’s about time to get a battery replacement.

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Unable to write to the external micro SD card

Problem: Thank you for any support you’ll give to this matter. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab S with Android 4.4.2. The problem is I can’t write to the micro SD card. I am not so technical. Is there a work around to copy what’s in the emulated SD card (internal storage) to the external micro SD card? Maybe a manual select and then copy/paste. I received a write protection on the SD card and nothing is saved. I’ve read about rooting, but I’m not interested due to my inability to recover and it voids the warranty. I did try three apps on Play Store but they failed. I have videos and photos I would like to save to the micro SD card and perhaps move to my PC. Any helpful advice is needed. Regards.  Randy

Troubleshooting: Hi Randy. This is associated with the Android 4.4.2 software update wherein the write access to the external SD card has been prohibited for security purposes. This is to prevent third party apps to be downloaded and installed which may contain malicious software. Prior to the update users can store applications and downloaded files to any area in the removable storage including the system folders provided they have permission to access the SD card. Now, there is no way to overlap this rule unless you will go through the rooting process wherein an option to enable the write access on the external SD card would be activated. Since you don’t want to root your tablet, then the best way to transfer files to the external SD card is by manually copying that specific file from the internal memory. Since the default location on all downloads is the internal storage, we need to open the folder where the specific download is saved and choose the option to move it to the external memory. You can use a free file manager app from the Google Play Store (e.g. ES File Explorer File Manager, Tomi File Manager, File Explorer, etc.) to efficiently manage these apps.  Hope you find this helpful.

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The screen of a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 shuts off even when in use

Problem: Hello. I came across your website and I have an issue. I recently got a Galaxy Tab 10.5 Best Buy Edition this past Christmas and as of late, when I’m using it, the screen turns off automatically. However if I shake it a little it turns back on. This has become a nuisance and I can’t seem to find a solution. Please help. Thanks. Master Rezen

Troubleshooting: Hello Master. That’s a weird setup you have there. When you mentioned that the screen would still turn off even when in use though, do you mean to say that the screen just goes black even while playing games or just scanning through the apps? If so, there is a possibility that the display settings on your tablet has not been properly setup. Indeed, there are a few reasons that could’ve caused this. To isolate the cause, we need to start with the basic troubleshooting which is a soft reset to your device. To perform a soft reset, you need to hold down the power button for ten seconds or until the screen shuts off completely. Leave the tab off for a few seconds then turn it back on. If that did not help, the next thing to check is the display settings. Some prefers to activate the Screen Timeout functionality especially if the tab is on idle. Check it under Settings>Device>Display and make sure that it’s set to 30 minutes which is the maximum time. Brightness should also be adjusted according to preference and lighting. If you still have the issue after making sure that all the settings are correct, then the LED itself could’ve gotten defective and needs to be replaced. Before bringing the tablet to the service center for repair, try to perform a hard reset first. This will delete all personal files but can help resolve tablet issues ninety percent of the time. Make sure to make a backup before doing the hard reset. Have your tablet repaired by a Samsung certified technician if it still did not help.

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Tab charges but doesn’t go beyond the eight percent mark

Problem: Hi, good afternoon! I bought this Samsung tablet around a year ago now. It’s showing the lightning bolt when it’s charging but it’s just stays on the 8% mark and is not moving. I’ve tried resetting the device plenty of times but nothing has changed. My charger must be working, otherwise it wouldn’t show on the tablet. Any ideas? Thanks very much. — Luke Williams

Troubleshooting: Hi Luke. Great job in trying to reset your tab and attempt to fix it on your own. When you say reset though, do you mean doing a soft and hard reset? A soft reset is just powering off the tablet by holding the power button whereas a hard reset requires rebooting the device into Recovery Mode. If this has been done, we can check the battery this time. Do you feel the battery overheating even with regular use? If it does, then there is a big probability that it’s defective. We can also check the battery’s connection to the motherboard by resetting the connectors. This requires opening the back of the tab in order to remove the battery. Please see details on how to perform a battery connector reset on this post Tab restarts when battery drops to sixty percent. The battery is still not working perfectly? A trip to Samsung’s service center would be necessary at this point especially if you’re still within warranty as they can replace the battery.

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3 thoughts on “Samsung Galaxy Tab S Problems, Errors, Glitches and Solutions [Part 4]”

  1. um I have a problem. my tablet began flashing black and saying that it was charged when it wasn’t. then my tablet said it was at 24%. when I checked again it was at 16%. when I checked again it was at 0%. HELP?

  2. why is the screen using so much energy . when I only turn on toolbox and a black photo in gallery and wait for 30 minutes it would take over 3% energy and when I check on battery monitor it says that it was 90% screen usage .while it is supposed to pretty much not use energy when black is turned on
    also when I would turn on yellow screen it would use same energy , also only 1 percent more when watching a video for same time
    (all checked with minimum brightness)(Samsung galaxy tab s 10.5 LTE, KitKat system)

  3. Hi when I play games on my galaxy tab 2 it loads some time then go, s back to the home screen or lets me play for a short time then go, s to the home screen .please help

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