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audio issue

What to do if the microphone isn’t working on your Samsung Galaxy S9 (easy steps)

We have readers who reported that the microphone with their Samsung Galaxy S9 units no longer work. I did a research on this and reached out to owners who have encountered the problem and I was surprised to know there are so many who have actually experienced it. Some were able to fix the problem while others weren’t so lucky. Many of those who haven’t fixed their problem were given a replacement unit only to find out the problem is still happening. So, it seems like if this is not a problem with the firmware, then it could be with the hardware.

In this post, I will share with the some of the solutions that were suggested by our readers who have encountered this problem. If you’re one of the owners who have similar issue, then continue reading as this article may be able to help you one way or another.

Before anything else though, if you have other issues with your device, then visit our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed several common problems with this phone. Odds are that there are already existing solutions to your problems so just take time finding issues that are similar with yours. If you can’t find one or if you need further assistance, feel free to contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire. Please provide us with as much information as possible so that it would also be easier for us to troubleshoot the problem. Don’t worry as we offer this

How to troubleshoot your Galaxy S9 with a microphone that no longer works

The following are some of the solutions that may work for you. Try to see if you can make the microphone of your phone work again after doing a procedure or two. Please note that this is a widespread problem and after troubleshooting your device and the problem continues, you always have an option to bring your phone back to the store to have it replaced and/or repaired.

First solution: Force Close Bixby Voice

This is one of the suggestions from our readers who have encountered this problem and were actually able to fix it. However, this might not work for others as it depends what the cause why the microphone in your Galaxy S9 no longer works is. This solution works for cases wherein the Bixby Voice is interfering with the operation of the some services. If the microphone doesn’t work no matter what app you use, then this solution is for you. Here’s how you force stop Bixby Voice:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Apps.
  3. Select Bixby Voice.
  4. Tap Force Stop.

After doing this, try to record your voice using the default voice recorder or make a video using the  camera to know if the microphone is working properly.

RELEVANT POSTS:

Second solution: Reset app with issue

For users who have issues with the microphone while using certain apps, your problem might be limited to the app. For instance, if the mic doesn’t work while using Messenger, then it could be just a minor issue with the Messenger and the best thing to do about it is to reset the app in question.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Apps.
  3. Select app you have issues with.
  4. Tap Storage.
  5. Tap Clear cache to clear the app’s cache.
  6. Tap Clear data, then tap OK.

Do the same to other apps you also have problems with.

Third solution: Backup your files and reset your phone

There were cases wherein the microphone stopped working after some settings were changed. If you’re positive that the cause of the problem is due to some settings you changed, then it’s not a problem at all. There’s one thing you can do to bring everything to normal again and that’s to Reset All Settings. This will bring the phone back to its factory configuration but none of your files and data will be deleted so it’s safe.

  1. Open Settings app.
  2. Tap General management.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. Tap Reset all settings.
  5. Tap RESET SETTINGS button.

On the other hand, if the microphone just stopped working without apparent reason and that previous methods didn’t work, then you have to reset your phone as it’s possible that it’s an issue with the firmware. However, before you do that, make sure you backup your files and data as they will be deleted during the process.

  1. Turn off the device.
  2. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. 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).
  4. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
  5. Press Power button to select.
  6. Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
  7. Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
  8. When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
  9. Press the Power key to restart the device.

Fourth solution: Update the firmware

After the reset and the microphone is still not working, try to see if there’s an update available for your device. It’s a widespread issue and many have actually reported it to Samsung and fixes are often rolled out together with firmware updates. If there’s no update available, then you should bring it back to the store where you bought it so that they will replace it with a new one.

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Galaxy S7 wifi stopped working after installing Nougat, other Nougat-related issues

Hello everybody! Welcome to another #GalaxyS7 post that addresses 7 different problems some users have encountered at this time. We are looking forward to hearing from you again in our coming posts.

Below are the specific topics we’re covering for you today:

  1. Galaxy S7 won’t charge, charging erratically
  2. How to fix Galaxy S7 issues following Nougat update
  3. Galaxy S7 cuts out when playing music or video
  4. Galaxy S7 wifi stopped working after installing Nougat
  5. AT&T wifi calling on Galaxy S7 stopped working after installing Nougat
  6. How to recover files from a Galaxy S7 that won’t turn on
  7. Galaxy S7 getting weak wifi and bluetooth tethering signals

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 S7 won’t charge, charging erratically

I recently bought a new Belkin charging cable because my old one broke, but now whenever I plug it into my fast charging adapter, the phone won’t charge. It starts charging for a little while (maybe about a couple of minutes) and then it stops charging and I have to go back and unplug and replug all the wires back in, and then it repeats, and so on. Or sometimes depending on where I plug it in (because I’ve tried different outlets). it’ll charge up to a certain point and then stop. — Alessandra

Solution: Hi Alessandra. We suggest that you to use an official Samsung charger and cable first if you want to get to the bottom of the issue. One of the reasons why it’s always recommended to use manufacturer-supplied charging cable and charger is the fact that both items have been validated to work on a Samsung Galaxy phone like you S7. Using third party cables can cause compatibility problems which can, in turn manifest into problems like the one you’re experiencing. Of course, a bad charging cable and charger is only one of the possible causes of this problem but doing it right by using official cable and charger is a must.

Another possible cause of this problem is a damaged charging port. In many cases, a bent pin or a lint inside the port can prevent good contact with the charger so if you can thoroughly check the port with the aid of some type of magnification, that would be great. Otherwise, you are limited to simply cleaning it with compressed air (to hopefully blow away dirt that may be causing the malfunction). This is an overly simplistic way to diagnose a charging port as the damage may be something that you can’t see but we still recommend that you do it nevertheless.

You also want to do basic software troubleshooting of course. Although a lot of charging issues we encountered before are caused by bad hardware, some were also due to third party apps or software glitch. If you haven’t yet, make sure that you wipe the cache partition, observe the phone to safe mode, and do a factory reset (exact steps are provided below).

If nothing changes after doing the software troubleshooting and basic hardware checks, the problem must be something deeper and requires a thorough hardware diagnostic tests. In this case, we suggest that you send the phone in to Samsung, especially if it’s still in warranty.

Problem #2: How to fix Galaxy S7 issues following Nougat update

I did a update 7.0 Nougat. I have 8 issues now if I can get them all in here before your page keeps crashing:

 

  • battery power drain quickly
  • com.sec.epdg has stopped
  • Android system has stopped
  • process system isn’t responding
  • Beacon manager has stopped
  • Gear S. Plug-ins has stopped
  • Settings has stopped repeatedly
  • Wireless fast charger has never work

 

All but the last one are all issues started after the update. — Larry

Solution: Hi Larry. The usual dose of troubleshooting for problems following a system update includes the following:

  1. wiping the cache partition
  2. installation of app updates, and
  3. factory reset

If you haven’t done any of them yet, we recommend that you do them in this order.

Wipe the cache partition

The first one, wiping the cache partition, helps in ensuring that the old system cache is refreshed. Sometimes, system updates can corrupt the system cache, which in turn can lead to all sorts of problems. Problems due to an outdated cache is often fixed by deleting the current cache and replacing it with a new one.

To wipe the cache partition, follow these steps:

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Install app updates

This is an often overlooked troubleshooting step when one encounters problems after installing the latest system update. Many users often forget the fact that a system update does not update apps. Allowing apps to run in their old state with the most recent operating system can create code conflicts that can manifest in instability issues, freezing, slow performance, and even boot problems.

Another related issue is the presence of incompatible apps within a system. Updating to the latest Android version may leave one or some apps suddenly incompatible as their developers have not yet updated them, or don’t plan in making them compatible with the new OS version at all. Keep in mind that developing and supporting apps over time can time- and resource-consuming job. Not all developers have resources at their disposal to constantly improve and support their apps. If you tend to install apps without checking whether or not their developers have good track record can be problematic. Needless to say, it’s your responsibility to make sure that your apps are all compatible and updated.

Perform a factory reset

If wiping the cache partition and updating your apps won’t fix the issues, you should wipe the phone clean by doing a factory reset. As its name suggests, factory reset will return all software (operating system) settings to their defaults. If there’s a software glitch that causes all these issues, factory reset should fix it. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
  6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

NOTE: Factory reset will delete all user data such as photos, videos, contacts, etc. so make sure that you create a backup first before doing it. If you have a computer, you can download and install Samsung Smart Switch to it.

Problem #3: Galaxy S7 cuts out when playing music or video

I’ve had 2 brand new Samsung S7 phones in the past 3 months that have had audio issues. They were not dropped or near any liquids. My first phone is currently mailed out back to the company for the speakerphone not working on phone calls and the replacement phone I received works fine with calling but now Pandora, Netflix, Music, and even my own videos I took with the phone cut out. I’m a new AT&T customer and I find this to be getting a little frustrating. — Brittany

Solution: Hi Brittany. Well, we don’t think there’s anything that we can do to help you either given how little (there’s nothing actually) information you’re providing in your problem description. There’s no way for us to know what’s happening in your device because you’re not giving us enough information about the issue in the first place. Telling us that your phone is cutting out is vague and does not point to something specific.

If you haven’t tried it yet, do a cache partition wipe (steps provided above) first and if that won’t work, you can observe how the phone works while it’s on safe mode.

Safe mode is not a solution in itself but it can help you determine if this problem is being caused by a third party app. Safe mode blocks third party apps and services so if the issue won’t occur, that’s proof that one of the installed apps is to blame. If you think the problem is due to a third party app, you must uninstall them individually to fix the issue. Make sure that you observe how the phone works after uninstalling one so you’ll know if it fixes the problem. Do this until the problem has been eliminated.

To boot your phone to safe mode, kindly do these steps:

  1. Turn your Galaxy S7 off.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.

Problem #4: Galaxy S7 wifi stopped working after installing Nougat

I just installed the new Nougat version to my phone last night and it won’t let me connect to wifi. It’s off and when I toggle the switch to connect to wifi it’ll look for available wifi and it’ll show my home wifi but not connect and just turn off. I’ve tried doing this in safe mode, and clearing the cache. Just haven’t done the master clean the last step that’s recommended. Is there anything else I could try or is a fix coming soon for this problem? Thanks. — Melinda

Solution: Hi Melinda. The Galaxy S7 wifi function is made possible by a number of apps and services, most of them beyond your reach to interact with (hidden). If wiping the cache partition did not help fix the problem, the other potentially good workaround that you can try is by disconnecting your phone from your wifi network and connecting to it again. Make sure that use “Forget network” option to disconnect from the network.

If disconnecting and reconnecting won’t work, try to Force Stop WlantTest app under Applications. WlanTest app is a system app so you must first select “Show system apps” by tapping on the menu icon (located on the right side of the white search bar).

If force stopping WlanTest app won’t help, proceed with master reset.

Problem #5: AT&T wifi calling on Galaxy S7 stopped working after installing Nougat

I bought a Samsung GALAXY S7 through AT&T and the wifi-texting feature was working since the second to last update. Now, when I try to send a message using the wifi I have here at home it says, “searching for service” and the message fails to send. It used to work, so what has happened? I cannot receive messages either. However, when I do go into town where I have cell service the messages come through then. Please help! — Naomi

Solution: Hi Naomi. Sending and receiving text messages via wifi is called Wifi Calling. It works similarly to regular texting except that it uses wifi to contact AT&T’s servers to send and receive SMS instead of using the cellular network. If the usual dose of troubleshooting for this case like the ones mentioned above won’t work, you must contact AT&T so they can help you directly.

Problem #6: How to recover files from a Galaxy S7 that won’t turn on

I’ve seen your website and wanted to ask for some advice from you. My Galaxy S7 has recently completely shut down. It wouldn’t switch on at all in the morning after I left it charging all night last weekend. Having done a reset (which didn’t work, changed cables – nothing)  I finally left it with a Samsung repair store to have it assessed as it’s still under warranty.

They have left me a note today that the logic board is finished. They will repair it but of course all my stuff on the phone is gone. I wasn’t able to do a recent backup as I couldn’t even switch on the handset. Do you know if there is any way to restore the data that was on the handset? I have an SD card but I know everything won’t be saved on it.

Would you be able to let me know what the chances are of getting my data back after the board has been repaired? I can’t understand why Samsung makes these phones so shabby they can’t even go beyond their warranty date! Apparently there is no way to access my Samsung data either from a PC or laptop. Thanks so much and I hope to hear from you soon. — Lorien

Solution: Hi Lorien. If Samsung has determined that the motherboard is damaged or no longer working, there’s no way that you can recover your files. The phone’s internal storage device called Nand chip is soldered to the motherboard is protected by some form of both software encryption. The physical chip itself is also protected by a hardware mechanism that prevents anyone from simply removing it from its logic board so its contents can be accessed. If the motherboard is totally dead, there’s no way to recover whatever data you have stored in the Nand chip.

To prevent losing important files in the future, make it a habit of always creating a backup. This is the only way to safeguard irreplaceable digital stuff in today’s world. We know it can be quite a chore but if you’re serious about keeping memories or valuable files from being lost, creating a backup regularly is the only way to go.

Problem #7: Galaxy S7 getting weak wifi and bluetooth tethering signals

Hello. I am using a Samsung Galaxy S7 mobile. My mobile was going good. When i bought it, my mobile was catching good signal of all wifi nearby and bluetooth tethering strength was also good. But suddenly my mobile is not catching signals of wifi and also bluetooth tethering strength has become weak. My problem is that my mobile is not catching wifi signals until it come close to the modem otherwise it was catching good signals even i was far from modem and bluetooth is not connecting to other device until my device come near to it. I want to fix my problem. I reset my phone but all in vain. I hope you guys tell me the solution of my problem. Thank you.

Shahzaibfaisal1

Solution: Hi Shahzaibfaisal1. An issue like this can be due to a baseband version problem so we recommend that you install the latest system update if you haven’t done it yet. Baseband version (modem firmware) is the operating system of the phone’s modem and it also requires updates from time to time. Manufacturers of phone modems usually bundle updates for their products with system update released by phone manufacturers like Samsung. If you’re phone is running official software, installing a system update may fix the issue.

However, if you rooted your phone and you installed a custom ROM to it, there’s a chance that the baseband version may not be updated or fully compatible with the current ROM. Consider updating the baseband version if that’s the case. The exact steps to do this is beyond the scope of this post so try using Google on how to do it.

Assuming your phone runs an official Samsung software and has the latest software updates installed already, the problem is most probably due to a bad hardware like a bad antenna. Consider having the phone repaired or replaced.

 

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If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

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Galaxy S7 not making sound notifications for incoming SMS, stuck in PIN lock screen, other issues

Hello everyone! Welcome to another  #GalaxyS7 article. We’re bringing you 9 more S7 issues and their solution in this post. Keep watching for more of the same posts in the coming days.

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.

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.

Below are specific topics we’re bringing for you today:

Problem 1: Galaxy S7 My Files app stopped working after Nougat update

The “My Files” Application will not open after upgrading my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge to Nougat via OTA update. I have, to a certain extent, knowledge of how to clear the data and cache to try and resolve the problem. The problem keeps persisting even after me clearing the cache, clearing the data, forcing the App to stop and then rebooting my device to reload the correct data. Nothing and no solution has prevailed. Kindly assist what next step should be take. Thank you        . — Ebrahim786

Solution: Hi Ebrahim786. If wiping the app’s cache and data didn’t fix the problem, you must the cache partition wipe and factory reset.

Below are the steps how to do each of them.

Wipe S7 cache partition

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Factory reset a Galaxy S7

  1. Create a backup of your important files such as photos, videos, contacts etc. You can use Smart Switch for this task.
  2. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  3. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  4. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  5. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  6. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
  7. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  8. Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  9. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  10. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Problem 2: Galaxy S7 edge keeps going back to sound mode, won’t stick to silent or vibrate mode

Hello. I HAVE a Samsung S7 edge. when at work I turn off the ringer and notification sounds by putting the phone on vibrate only. My issue is that when I unlock the phone at any point during the day the ringer and sounds automatically switch back on. HOW do I keep this from happening? Thanks in advance. —  Colin

Solution: Hi Colin. This may be cause by a software bug following an update so make sure to wipe the cache partition first. Refer to the steps above.

  1. If wiping the cache won’t work, try this workaround:
  2. From a Home screen, touch and swipe up or down to display all apps.
  3. From a Home screen, navigate to Settings>Accessibility settings icon.
  4. Tap Hearing.
  5. Tap Mute all sounds Colors to turn the slider on or off.

Note: These instructions apply to Standard mode only. If you are in Easy mode, here are the steps on how to switch to Standard mode first:

  1. From a Home screen, navigate: Apps icon>Settings icon>Easy mode icon.
  2. Tap Standard mode then tap APPLY (located in the upper-right).

If this workaround won’t help either, consider wiping the phone with factory reset.

Problem 3: Galaxy S7 active shuts down randomly

I have the little known Galaxy S7 active. having the ruggedized case and larger battery. on at least 6 occasions , the phone will shut down. soft reset does not work , (and other combinations with Home key etc). The only way to bring it back seems to be to connect it to USB. the screen will show empty battery icon with charging lightning bolt for a few seconds, then the battery icon will “fill on occasion over 50%.

the shutdowns have happened typically when there is a lot going on, panoramic camera shot or getting a vibration alert when running some other application. It has not been with one consistent element that I can identify. my theory is the battery voltage is temporarily dropping enough to shut it down as a low voltage protection. and until it has received confirmation of I higher voltage through the charger, the system will not reboot, thinking the battery was critically low. I hope this makes sense. — James

Solution: Hi James. We suggest that you start with factory reset to check if this is being caused by an unknown bug. Once you’ve factory reset the phone, observe it for  at least 48 hours. Be sure not to install any third party app or update during this time. While observing, make sure to put stress to the phone by using it extensively for games (if there are pre-installed ones) or let it receive notifications so it uses its vibrate motor. If the problem won’t occur at this time, that means the cause of the problem is software or app-related.

On the other hand, if the problem stays and the phone’s behavior won’t change even after a factory reset, you should consider sending the phone to Samsung so its hardware can be checked or repaired.

Problem 4: Galaxy S7 won’t turn off, stuck in PIN lock screen

I have the Samsung Galaxy S7 (not the Edge), and the phone was fine last night before bed, had about a 40% charge. When I woke this morning (luckily on time), I discovered the phone was dead. It would not power on. I charged for about 20 minutes, still not responding.

I found your site through a Google search. I done the reboot (Power + Vol Down), and it gets to the “Enter your Pin”, and it accepts my entry. But then when it shows the Unlocked Padlock symbol with the blue and green circle around it spinning…it stops. The circles keep spinning, but it is stuck at this point. I have rebooted the same way 3 times, and no difference. It is completely unresponsive on this screen as well. — Michael

Solution: Hi Michael. The first thing that you want to do now is to turn the phone off again. You can do that by either pressing and holding the power button for at least 12 seconds. If that won’t work, you’ll have to wait until the phone has exhausted the charge.

Once the phone is turned off, you then want to boot the device to Recovery mode so you can either wipe its cache partition or perform a factory reset. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.

Problem 5: Galaxy S7 not making sound notifications for incoming SMS

I am having issues with my Samsung Galaxy S7 active. I am not receiving any text message notifications at all. No sounds and nothing on the display on the top of the screen or on the lock screen. Everything is turned on like it is supposed to be. It stopped working a couple of days ago and I don’t know why. I have checked all of the settings numerous times and tried restarting the phone. Please help! — Natasha

Solution: Hi Natasha. To ensure that you allow sound notifications for any incoming SMS, you’ll have to do the following:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Notifications.
  3. Find the default messaging app in the list and ensure that the slider is set to the RIGHT. This will allow notifications for said app.
  4. Once you’re positive that the default messaging app is allowed to receive notifications, tap the ADVANCED button at the top-right corner.
  5. Look for the messaging in the list and tap it (the word Allowed should show under the name of the app).
  6. Customize the options in the screen that shows. You can try to enable Set as priority to see if it will make a difference.

If you’ve already set the notifications as above beforehand, try wiping the cache and data of the messaging app you’re using. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  2. Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6 or 7.
  3. Once in there, click on an application.
  4. 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.
  5. You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.

Problem 6: Galaxy S7 won’t turn on

For the last couple of months my partners phone has been blacking out but we have been able to reboot it with the volume down and power button held down. today it has totally died and won’t respond to any of the fixes you’ve suggested. any ideas or do you think its totally dead? — Nicola

Solution: Hi Nicola. Your options are very limited when it comes to an issue like this. The only suggestion we can give you is to try to boot the phone to alternate modes to see if it turns on. Only then can do follow up troubleshooting. If the phone remains dead after trying the different hardware button combinations, send it in for repair or replacement.

Boot in Recovery mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.

Boot in Download Mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume DOWN keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume DOWN keys.
  4. Wait until the Download screen appears.
  5. 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.
  6. Use Google to look for a guide on how to do it.

Boot in safe mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.
  6. 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.

Problem 7: Galaxy S7 won’t receive SMS notification when messaging app is not being used

I have the notifications for messages on. I have done the factory reset. if I’m on my phone already it will pop up but the notification icon for messages will disappear from the status bar… so if I’m not on my phone it still doesn’t not notify me unless I go in to the messaging app entirely. — Megan

Solution: Hi Megan. Please check our suggestions for Natasha above. If nothing works, do a factory reset. Refer to the steps above.

Problem 8: Galaxy S7 edge not receiving Nougat update

S7 edge sm-g935v not updating to Nougat 7.0. I don’t really understand why it’s not giving me the update. maybe I’m just being impatient but my wife and I just got these phones a few day ago and hers updated just fine but for some reason mine isn’t. We ordered them online and unlocked so that we can use them with Straight Talk. I have tried going to system update and it says it is up-to-date. — Corey

Solution: Hi Corey. If both devices are exactly the same (phone model and software version) when you received them, then it’s just a matter of time before yours will receive a notification for an update.

You can also use Samsung Smart Switch app to check for updates. Make sure that you install this program in your computer first before connecting your phone to your PC.

Problem 9: Galaxy S7 sound/audio issue

I tried safe boot. I tried to change my message tone. I get the default message tones to pick from or from my files. I have tried both ways and still no luck. I fixed the no sound problem that was caused by CM security which now they call CM monitoring. I even tried to change it with Zedge but no luck. I tried through the massager and also through system settings. No luck. Galaxy S7. still has the one I set it to a while ago and can not change. — Scott

Solution:  Hi Scott. We don’t think we understand your problem here. Kindly get back to us and tell us what exactly are you having trouble with. We will update this post accordingly.

Keep in mind that the best solution to any possible software problem is factory reset. If you haven’t tried that yet, make sure to do that before contacting us again.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S6 freezing and rebooting by itself, keeps showing pink LED light, other issues

The #GalaxyS6 is a great Android device, no doubt, and it has proven itself since it was released over a year ago. Sporting amazing hardware during it’s release, the S6 continues to amaze users even now. Just like any other electronics though, the S6 is not perfect and still suffers hiccups from time to time. Below are some of the reported problems we gathered from our readers:

  1. Galaxy S6 edge audio stops in the middle of a song
  2. Galaxy S6 showing black screen with “x” at the bottom when charging
  3. Galaxy S6 overheating and won’t turn on
  4. Galaxy S6 freezing and rebooting by itself | Galaxy S6 keeps showing pink LED light
  5. Galaxy S6 stuck in Samsung logo screen
  6. Galaxy S6 cannot connect to cellular network

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 audio stops in the middle of a song

Good day, My Samsung S6 edge (SM- G925F) has recently started having audio issues. It started about a month ago and the sound will randomly cuts off in the middle of a song. It does this with music, audio and video. The audio will sometimes keep playing but there will be no sound coming from the speaker or headphones if I’m using them. Other times it will just stop and freeze. The only thing that helps is rebooting my phone either using the normal power button or rebooting it by using the volume down and power key at the same time. This will temporarily fix the problem until I play another song. The audio does this whether I’m listening to music via Google Music or the Music app on my phone. I have tried everything including factory reseting my device and updating to the latest Android software (6.0.1) but the problem persists. Thank you for your help. Regards. — Siphokazi        

Solution: Hi Siphokazi. If factory reset did not help, the cause of the problem must be the same app you reinstalled afterwards. Try to restart the phone to safe mode and observe how the phone behaves when playing music and videos for 24 at least 24 hours. This observation time should be more than enough to tell you if our hunch is correct or not. Safe mode blocks third party apps and services so if your phone plays audio properly, that’s a clear sign that one of your apps is the culprit. Follow these steps on how to boot to safe mode:

  • Press and hold the Volume Down and Power keys for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Once you see the Samsung logo, release the Power key immediately but continue pressing the Volume Down key.
  • Your phone should continue booting up and you will be prompted to unlock your phone as usual.
  • You will know if the phone successfully booted in safe mode if the text “Safe mode” is displayed at the lower-left corner of the screen.

Alternatively, you can do the reverse and do another round of factory reset and observe it in 24 hours. Make sure that you don’t install anything during this time.

Problem #2: Galaxy S6 showing black screen with “x” at the bottom when charging

My phone’s charging has been completely messed up since yesterday and I can’t figure out why. I was in class and I decided to charge my phone and hooked it up to a multiple outlet extension cord. This extension cord had a desktop computer connected plus my computer charger. When I charged it however the phone sort of glitched. I got this black screen with an “x” on the bottom right then bottom left corners and the charging symbol disappeared. So I disconnected my phone from the charger. Then I try again. It works but as soon as I got on to text someone that black screen appeared and again the charging symbol was gone. I reset my phone and I charge it again. It’s fine for a few minutes but then it happens again, black screen with an “x” and the charging symbol is nowhere to be found. I clear my cache when going on safe mode. Then reset. Charge again, same thing happens.

Another thing to do note is the battery level of my phone. It changed dramatically. At one moment it said it was at 37% (or something like that) then it says it is at 14% when I reset it. In my battery history it showed a spike in battery (to 37%) but then a lull soon after (14%). I give up charging it for that class. I go and try to charge the phone in my dorm and that same problem appears when I charged it back in class except I am using a wall outlet instead of a extension cord.

So I decide to let the phone die and go to 0%. It does that and I charge it while it’s off. It works and it’s charged to 100%. I thought for the most part the problem was solved. Just charge my phone off while I can figure out why the “glitch” was happening to my phone. So it’s 2 am and I get ready for bed and my phone is at 1%. It dies again and I charge it thinking that it would charge. The next morning I realize that the phone didn’t charge at all. I disconnect the USB and I reconnect it. I get the screen to tell me it’s charging with full brightness then it dulls and goes to black again. I turn on my phone and for the few seconds I had it I saw that my phone was at 0%. I straight up can’t even charge it anymore. I used the wall outlet first then tried just hooking it up to my computer, didn’t work either. For whatever reason my phone just doesn’t want to charge anymore. Any reason why? Thanks in advance if you can answer this. — Sebastian

Solution: Hi Sebastian. We think the problem lies on the charging port. It may be damaged, or there may be a bent pin or dirt that prevents the phone from charging properly. Try to inspect the charging port with some form of magnification so you can check if there’s anything that looks out of place in there. If you can’t do that, consider doing the basic software troubleshooting like wiping the cache partition and factory reset. If these software troubleshooting won’t work, have the phone’s hardware checked.

For reference, here are the steps on how to wipe the cache partition and how to perform a factory reset:

Wipe the cache partition

  • Turn off the device.
  • Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, and Power key.
  • When the phone vibrates, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
  • When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
  • Press the Volume Down key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  • Press the Power key to select.
  • When the wipe cache partition is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
  • Press the Power key to restart the device.

Perform a factory reset

  • Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power keys together.
  • When the device powers on and displays ‘Power on logo’, release all keys and the Android icon will appear on the screen.
  • Wait until the Android Recovery Screen appears after about 30 seconds.
  • Using the Volume Down key, highlight the option, ‘wipe data/factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • Press the Volume Down button again until the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted and then press the Power key to select it.
  • After the reset is complete, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

Problem #3: Galaxy S6 overheating and won’t turn on

Hello! My name is Andrew Basic. I was checking out your page about how to fix a Galaxy S6 that shut off randomly and couldn’t find any solutions that matched my problem. I bought my phone a little bit over a year ago and it always stays inside of an Otter box that I purchased with the phone. The only time I take it out of the case is once every two months or so just to clean the case and then it goes right back on. The phone still looks brand new when it’s out of the case. No damage that I’m aware of.

I charged my phone at work today and the battery was at roughly 85% when I left for home. I called my parents on my way and mid conversation my phone randomly shut off and would not turn back on. I attempted charging it (not with the original cable because it broke) and it did not respond, even when left for 15 minutes. I also attempted charging it with a wireless charger. The charger light came on when I placed the phone onto it, but the phone itself again did not respond. I did notice that the middle of the phone is warm on the front and back (like its overheated somehow). I figured I would try and reach out to you guys before I brought the phone into Verizon and they told me that they have no idea what’s going on, lol. Thanks! — Andrew

Solution: Hi Andrew. If you’re positive that your phone has not suffered any physical or water damage, you should start checking if software is to blame by doing all basic troubleshooting that we usually provide. These troubleshooting steps include:

  • wiping the cache partition
  • observing in safe mode
  • Installing all apps and system updates
  • doing a factory reset, and
  • flashing (recommended if you rooted or installed custom ROM) stock firmware.

If these troubleshooting steps won’t help fix the issue, or if the phone remains unresponsive, you should do one more thing which is to try and boot it to other modes. Bear in mind that you can’t do software troubleshooting in an unresponsive or unbootable phone. If you can boot the phone to an alternate mode, only then can do the follow up troubleshooting allowed by a particular boot mode. Here are the steps on how to boot to other modes and the follow up things that you can do:

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.

It’s interesting to note that you mentioned overheating as the possible reason for the problem. If a phone is overheating, it will shut down by itself but everything should be back to normal after you let it cool off for an hour or two. If that’s not happening, the appearance of overheating may just be an indicator of something deeper. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know what that hardware issue might be. If you suspect that hardware is to blame, send the phone to Samsung or to an independent service center for repair.

Problem 4: Galaxy S6 freezing and rebooting by itself | Galaxy S6 keeps showing pink LED light

Hi, just wondered if I might run this one past you.

I have the above ‘phone which am happy with but for a niggly issue which happens intermittently. Without warning it freezes and shines a very bright pink light where the blue notification light normally shows. It then switches itself off then on repeatedly and can then keep freezing. Recently I just had to leave it on all night not able to switch it off. While this is happening the ‘phone gets very hot even through the case. I seem to remember it first started after I did a software update but can’t be 100% sure on that. There is no pattern as when it happens, i.e., using any particular app but sometimes I feel it can occur if I’m asking the phone to do too much after switching it on, if that makes sense. I’ve searched online but can’t find anyone else who’s had a similar problem.

Any thoughts welcome. Regards. — Rob   

Solution: Hi Rob. The usual LED light indicators in any Samsung phone should be the following:

Blue

– Pulsing: the device is turning on or off.

– Blinking: there is an unread notification (missed call, message etc) or during voice recording.

Red

– Glowing: connected to a charger and charging.

– Blinking: connected to a charger but not charging, or when low on battery.

Green

-Glowing: connected to a charger and fully charged.

-Blinking: fully charged.

The pink LED light may or may not be related to the freezing and random reboot issue you’re experiencing. Other colors outside blue, red, and green may be due to an application that includes LED notifications. Try booting the phone to safe mode and observe it for at least 24 hours to see the difference. If the phone works normally while it’s in safe mode, that’s proof that one of the installed apps is to blame.

Bear in mind that freezing and random reboot issue can be caused by bad hardware. If the basic software troubleshooting like the ones mentioned above won’t work, have the phone repaired or replaced.

Problem #5: Galaxy S6 stuck in Samsung logo screen

So one morning I wake up and my Samsung Galaxy S6 is off and I tried to switch it on and it doesn’t wanna switch on. I put it on the charger and it shows it’s on 80%. Then I switched it on and it worked and it was switching on and off for the whole duration of the day until it could not switch on unless it’s on the charger. All this happened in a day then the next day I did a hard reset and it only worked for an day and it started again. I then replaced the battery with a new one but the problem continued. now it won’t even switch on. It will just show it’s charging and I switch it on and it gets stuck at Samsung logo and restarts…I can’t even do factory reset anymore. please help. — Dudley

Solution: Hi Dudley. Like what we tell Andrew above, you can only do troubleshooting if the phone is booted normally or to other modes. If it’s stuck in the Samsung logo screen and can no longer go to Recovery mode, that’s a sign that there may be a motherboard failure. Send the phone in to Samsung for repair or replacement.

Problem #6: Galaxy S6 cannot connect to cellular network

Hi. On a trip from Sweden to Denmark by ferry, I switched off mobile internet and wifi so that i don’t connect to the expensive maritime version. After that Wifi is the only thing that works. No calling, no texting, mobile connection only works sporadically on “H+” while we normally have 4G at most places here. We have talked to the operator; they see no problems. We have switched to an old Galaxy S3 mini and that it works fine apart from maybe that the mobile connection is the same shit, but that might be due to the phone. We checked all setting we could find, we restarted a million times, we googled all kinds of solutions, nothing we find works. HELP! — Caecilie

Solution: Hi Caecilie. If the same problem happens to a second phone, that cannot be a phone issue. It’s either a network service problem (signal may be intermittent), or that there’s a problem with your account. Either way, the only ones who can help you is your wireless carrier. If you’re using a roaming feature, make sure to report the issue to your wireless carrier in your country so they can advise you if their partner carrier in another place is having network issues where you’re located.

There’s really nothing much any third party technicians like us can do for you. You must work with the service provider where you’re at, or to your original carrier in your home country.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S7 edge not playing audio, won’t accept any password for accounts, other issues

Hello Android fans! Here’s another #GalaxyS7 post that answers more issues about this device. Don’t forget to also visit our main Galaxy S7 troubleshooting page if you can’t find similar problems and solutions in this one.

Below are the topics that we bring for you today:

  1. Galaxy S7 edge not playing audio, any sound
  2. Galaxy S7 won’t fast charge via USB cable
  3. Oculus won’t work after Facebook app was removed from Galaxy S7
  4. How to recover files if Galaxy S7 won’t turn on anymore
  5. Galaxy S7 keeps getting false SMS notification from the same contact
  6. Galaxy S7 browsers won’t accept any password for accounts
  7. Popping, crackling sound when playing video on Galaxy S7
  8. Accidentally dropped Galaxy S7 edge screen keeps flickering
  9. Galaxy S7 receives long SMS in multiple parts
  10. Galaxy S7 SD card corrupted after installing system update
  11. Galaxy S7 loses cellular connectivity during morning

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 S7 edge not playing audio, any sound

About a month back I noticed that my S7 edge wasn’t playing sound of any kind even with the sound turned all the way up. I restarted the phone and it worked again. It happened again about a week later. Restarted again, it worked fine. Then about 4 days later it did it again. Same thing, a restart fixed it. But now it’s happening every other day and sometimes more than once a day. I’ve noticed that it happens more frequently if I use Amazon Music, but it doesn’t stop working right away. Several hours after I close the app, usually while I’m sleeping, it just stops, causing my alarm to be silenced. No sound at all. With or without headphones. I don’t want to uninstall Amazon if I can avoid it as I have 900 songs “downloaded” for offline listening that would have to be redownloaded. Any suggestions? — Audra

Solution: Hi Audra. This can be due to a bug in one of your installed apps so the first step that you must take is to observe how sound works when the phone is in safe mode. Once the phone runs in safe mode, all third party apps and services will be blocked. If audio will work while phone’s in safe mode, that’s proof that an app is the reason why audio does not work as expected. To restart your S7 to safe mode, follow these steps:

  1. Turn your Galaxy S7 off.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.

Should the issue persists and there’s no change even when device is in safe mode, do a factory reset. This procedure will revert all software settings to their defaults, thus it’s an effective method in clearing bugs that may have developed over time. Be sure to observe how the phone works immediately after doing the reset to notice any difference. Also, be sure not to re-install apps and system updates during the observation period.

  1. Create a backup of your important files such as photos, videos, etc.
  2. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  3. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  4. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  5. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  6. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
  7. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  8. Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  9. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  10. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Problem #2: Galaxy S7 won’t fast charge via USB cable

Hi. I have a Galaxy S7 with problems regarding fast charging. It will fast charge on the fast charge pad but not through the micro USB hub. I think this eliminates software issues and the battery, leaving the charging port/board. I use fast charging in my car and when I’m using my phone in the evening. Wireless isn’t optimal for my daily use, only overnight charging when it doesn’t matter if it’s slow anyway. Is there anything I can try before replacing the charging port? Thanks for your help. — Nikki

Solution: Hi Nikki. Looks like you’ve already isolated the problem yourself. You’re right to think that it’s a charging port issue. In fact, most fast charging problems are caused by defective charging port. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing much an end user can do regarding the problem. You must send the phone in so it can be repaired or replaced.

Problem #3: Oculus won’t work after Facebook app was removed from Galaxy S7

Facebook was preloaded on my S7. Since i don’t use Facebook I removed it or at least it appears i did because i can’t find it anymore but everywhere i read it says it can’t be permanently removed, only disabled. reason I care about it now is I did not realize Oculus and my Gear VR won’t work correctly without Facebook. after I felted Facebook, i tried using Oculus and it wanted to update before I could use it but now it won’t update and from what I have read the problem is my Facebook is now gone. My phone is not unlocked. How do I get Oculus to work like it used to? thanks for any info you can give me. — Mike

Solution: Hi Mike. Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus back in 2014 makes the two integrated in Samsung Galaxy S model phones so if installing Facebook app in your phone won’t work, you must factory reset the device to revert all software settings back to their original state. This will also reinstall whatever pre-installed app you disabled before.

  1. Create a backup of your important files such as photos, videos, etc.
  2. From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
  3. Find and tap Settings and then touch Backup and reset.
  4. Tap Factory data reset and touch Reset device.
  5. If you have screen lock feature turned on, enter your password or PIN.
  6. Touch Continue.
  7. Tap Delete all to confirm your action.

Problem #4: How to recover files if Galaxy S7 won’t turn on anymore

My phone won’t turn on in regular/safe/recovery modes. When attempting to charge it, no lights are seen and the back of the phone gets fairly warm after a few minutes. I don’t care about the phone, but the pictures of our newborn are on the phone and didn’t get backed up. A local tech said that the motherboard is toast. Is there any way to pull the board or hard drive and pull the pictures? My wife is heartbroken and we don’t know what to do. Please help! Thanks. — Douglas

Solution: Hi Douglas. The internal storage device or Nand chip that stores user data is integrated to the logic board so it’s very challenging to remove it, put it another board, and access its contents. Technically, it’s possible but it requires manufacturer level tools and software, both of which are not publicly available. Samsung does not do this type of repair so there’s basically nothing that you can do if what the technician about the motherboard being toast is true. We are not aware of any third party companies that that can do the job either.

We know nobody wants to lose precious digital moments in our smartphones but to prevent losing important files in the future, make sure to keep it a habit of always keeping a backup. Storage devices or any electronics can fail at any moment so you only have yourself to blame if you lose irreplaceable data.

Problem #5: Galaxy S7 keeps getting false SMS notification from the same contact

I have a Samsung S7 Edge and my husband has a Samsung S6 Active and we’re both on the same AT&T plan. We’ve had these phones for almost two years without any issues. This past weekend whenever I send him a text message he receives the notification that I text him but when he selects my text from the notification bar there is nothing there. Not even my phone number. When he goes into his messages app none of my recent texts to him show up. I receive all texts from him though. We’ve tried the force stop and restarting on both phones and nothing changed. We also both deleted each other from our contacts and then put our numbers back in and that hasn’t worked. He has no problem receiving texts from anyone else. His messages app also continuously shows a count of his recent texts (all mine) and it never goes away. — Aekrack

Solution: Hi Aekrack. There may be a bug causing this problem so the first thing that you can do on his phone is to delete the cache and data off the messaging app. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  2. Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6.0.
  3. Once in there, click on an application.
  4. 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.
  5. You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.

Should the problem continue after doing that, ask him to factory reset the device, and to contact AT&T if that won’t work either.

Problem #6: Galaxy S7 browsers won’t accept any password for accounts

Please help me! This has been so frustrating. I have had my S7 for 3 weeks now – it was just fine until about 2 days ago and now anytime I try to log into an account on the Samsung internet, Chrome or any other browser and some apps – I get a message back saying the password is incorrect. Passwords work fine on my desktop, just not on my S7. Thoughts? I have powered off and cleared the cache. — Lisapoort74

Solution: Hi Lisapoort74. if you are 100% positive that you are typing the passwords correctly in your mobile, the only solution we can think of is factory reset. We have no idea what happened to your phone prior to noticing the problem and you have not provided anything that might make it easy to pinpoint the cause. Simply do a factory reset, then try to log in to your accounts again immediately, and see what happens. It’s definitely not normal for all browsers in a smartphone to refuse all passwords so you may have introduced the cause by installing an app or malware in your device. Kindly refer to the steps above for steps on how to factory reset your phone.

Problem #7: Popping, crackling sound when playing video on Galaxy S7

Dear Sir or Madam. Are you familiar with the popping/crackling/sound distortion that happens when recording audio or videos? this problem seems to exist since the Samsung Galaxy S4 came out and its happening on my S7 all the time. if you have heard of that issue and know how to fix this I would be grateful forever. here is a link with a video sample https://youtu.be/GNVoEcEYJ0Q. — David

Solution: Hi David. It’s our first time to encounter such experience from a Galaxy S user. We also don’t notice the problem in our own Galaxy S4, S5, S6 edge, and S7 edge so this might be an isolated case. Please contact Samsung and see if they can shed light on the problem.

If you want to troubleshoot the phone, there’s only so much that you can do.  Head over to Settings, tap Sounds and vibration, scroll down to Advanced section and tap Sound quality and effects. Under this section, you should find UHQ upscaler. This option is disabled by default so in order to enable it, you must first insert a headset to the phone. We recommend that you let UHQ upscaler ON to improve the audio out when playing a video or music.

If the problem remains after turning on UHQ upscaler, you can also try a possible workaround by enabling Prevent USB audio routing under Developer options. If Developer options is not turned on in your phone, go under Settings and tap Build number 7 times.

Problem #8: Accidentally dropped Galaxy S7 edge screen keeps flickering

Hi. I recently smacked a Samsung S7 Edge out of someone’s hands and it dropped. When picked up, the screen started to flash continuously and would continue to after turning it off and on again but only stops flashing when it is locked or turned off. When turned on, it flashes but you can still see the home page, apps etc. It is not cracked. Any tips? — Sumaiya.xo

Solution: Hi Sumaiya.xo. If the problem was not there before the phone got accidentally dropped, stop looking for solutions. Simply send the phone in so the hardware can be checked and repaired. Better still, just try to have the entire unit replaced as there’s a possibility that the unnecessary may have damaged other components as well. If you’re hoping for a software fix, there’s none.

Problem #9: Galaxy S7 receives long SMS in multiple parts

Last night I was texting someone and they weren’t receiving my texts. She sent me a screen shot and I saw that she only received part of the text. So she would get (2/2) but wouldn’t receive the first part. Then she didn’t receive any texts and I had to use Facebook messenger. Is there any way I can send texts that aren’t split up into sections? Why can’t it just be one big text? Half the time they are out of order anyways? Same with receiving them too. Thanks. — Jared

Solution: Hi Jared. Your question is best addressed to your carrier than to us but to give you a brief explanation, it’s mostly due to how your carrier handles SMS. A standard SMS that’s been in use for decades now limits one message to only 160 characters. If your SMS goes over this character limit, your carrier’s system automatically breaks it down to individual 160-character segment. Thus, a 300-character message from your end will be chopped into 2 160-segments when it arrives to its designated target.

Some carriers may use concatenated SMS to present a long message as one continuous single message but it’s subject to compatibility on the other end. If your own carrier uses  concatenated SMS while the receiving carrier does not, complications can occur resulting to mixed up or out-of-order messages or even total loss of parts or entire message. In order to know more about how SMS works in your network, try to do some research or contact their technical team directly for answers.

Problem #10: Galaxy S7 SD card corrupted after installing system update

Hi! my issue is that shortly after my S7 did a new system update last week I started to see a message on my screen telling me the SD card is corrupt – “tap here to fix.” So I tap on the cue. It takes a couple of seconds, then says, card is now formatted–but when I go back to main screen or go to settings>storage, it still says the card is corrupt. I have re-booted the phone, shut it down and started it back up. I even removed the card and re-inserted it-but I still get a “corrupt SD card” message. — Andres

Solution: Hi Andres. The first thing that you want to do here is to create a backup of your important files in both the SD card and internal storage device. After that, troubleshoot the SD card by removing it from the phone and inserting it to a second device such as another smartphone or computer. This will allow you to check if the SD card is indeed corrupt or not. If it shows as corrupted, reformat it before inserting it back to the Galaxy S7. If it doesn’t show as corrupt though, the problem probably lies in the phone so you must focus your troubleshooting there.

The first step is to wipe its cache partition. Here’s how:

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Once you’ve wiped the cache partition, insert the SD card again and see how it works. If the problem continues, do a factory reset. Refer to the steps above on how to do it.

Problem #11: Galaxy S7 loses cellular connectivity during morning

Hello Droidguy. I’m currently using a Galaxy S7 Sprint SM-G930P. It was working fine, but in the morning there is no network it keeps saying searching for network. I cannot switch Mobile network from CDMA to GSM. It is stuck. And by dialing *#0011# In the service mode it says Non -Fatal MIPI Device fail. My Device IMEI is cleaned everything if perfect. Please help me with this issue. Kindly identify it and Kindly suggest me A solution. I’m in an Asian country there is no Sprint store here. — Mahmood

Solution: Hi Mahmood. Have you talked to your carrier about this issue yet? If you haven’t, we recommend that you do, especially if the problem appears to occur in certain parts of the day only. This is most likely a service interruption problem and not a phone issue.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S7 edge can’t send group message, email keep crashing, other issues

Hi guys! Welcome to a new #GalaxyS7 and #GalaxyS7edge post. Our article today discusses 7 problems encountered by some S7 users recently. If you are an S7 or S7 edge user, our suggestions may come handy if you have similar troubles.

Below are the specific topics we cover for you today:

  1. Galaxy S7 edge can’t send group message
  2. Galaxy S7 NFC contactless app stops working after system update
  3. Galaxy S7 Google app and email keep crashing
  4. Galaxy S7 Outlook and Gmail apps cannot send emails
  5. Galaxy S7 edge audio randomly go away
  6. Galaxy S7 only detects few GBs in an SD card
  7. Galaxy S7 won’t connect to a specific wifi network

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 S7 edge can’t send group message

Since switching from an iPhone to a Samsung Edge S7, I have not been able to properly send group text messages. Typically the recipients are receiving my text messages as individual text messages. I’ve checked that the “group conversations” is enabled by default, so that is not the issue. I have also tried to put this SIM card back in my old iPhone and shut off iMessage, then putting the SIM card back in the Edge S7 and that didn’t work. What in the world is happening? Thank you! — Brad

Solution: Hi Brad. There are three requirements that must be met in order to send and receive group messages successfully.

The first requirement involves the sending phone being compatible with this feature.

If the sender’s phone does not support group messaging, group messages will be received by recipients as individual text messages. The Galaxy S7 supports group messages and here’s how to send one:

  1. From any Home screen, tap Messages.
  2. Tap the Compose icon.
  3. Tap the Contacts icon.
  4. Drop down and tap Groups.
  5. Tap the group you want to send the message to.
  6. Tap Select all or manually select recipients.
  7. Tap Done.
  8. Enter message text in the Group conversation box.
  9. When done, tap the Send icon.

The second requirement involves the receiving phone and, like the first one, must also support the said feature. If the receiving phone does not support it, you’re out of luck. For example, if the receiving phones are iOS devices, they may not be able to join a group message when there’s an Android device member. Group messages sent from Android phones don’t usually have problems with group messaging but iOS devices like iPhones may be problematic. iOS does not support group messaging feature aside from its own messaging platform or iMessage. If the recipients of your group messages are using iMessage to receive your text, they will only be able to receive regular SMS from you.

Thirdly, carriers of both parties (sender and receiver) should support the group messaging system you’re using on your phone. SMS and MMS are coursed through computer systems of both carriers and if one does not recognize the request to keep the message as a group, some members may only receive your group text as regular SMS. If the first two requirements are met, the most likely reason is this one.

Problem #2: Galaxy S7 NFC contactless app stops working after system update

My NFC contactless application works properly only until I get a system update or I reboot my  phone and then it stops working. The application doesn’t see my paying card. When I had the Marshmallow version of Android I discovered that when I stopped the Knox application, It started working properly. After installing Android Nougat, stopping Knox isn’t enough. I don’t know which process should I stop my paying card to be visible by the application.. — Piotr

Solution: Hi Piotr. If this problem started after you installed Android Nougat, make sure that you clear the cache partition first. This will force the phone to delete the existing system cache and create a new one. Sometimes, updates may corrupt the system cache and clearing the cache partition is the easy fix. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

If wiping the cache partition won’t fix the problem, the next step that you must do is to clear the cache and data of NFC contactless app you’re using. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  2. Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6.0.
  3. Once in there, click on an application.
  4. 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.
  5. You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.

If both procedures won’t help fix the problem, wipe the phone via factory reset. This procedure, together with wiping of the cache partition, is a must-do in fixing issues following a system update. Make sure that you create a backup of your files before doing it.

To factory reset your Galaxy S7 edge, follow these steps:

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
  6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
  7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
  8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
  9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Problem #3: Galaxy S7 Google app and email keep crashing

Anytime I go to use any Google App, shortly after starting them they stop. Even my emails. It started three days ago. I have virus protection and I always stop my running apps. Boost my phone cool it down and have clear Web history temp files, etc. All my apps are up to date. Checked to see if phone is up to date, and it is. Can’t take the battery out. I’ve been temporarily fixing app by pushing down the volume button as a temporary reboot. I don’t know what else to do at this point. I have insurance on it I pay monthly for. There’s very little minimum Ware on my phone. I’ve only had it for 2 months. — Rachelkaminski3

Solution: Hi Rachelkaminski3. Did the problem start after installing a system or app update? If it did, try to uninstall the app you updated and observe the phone if it makes any difference.

If the issue started to appear after you installed an update for Android, make sure that you do the steps we suggest for Piotr above.

There’s a chance that the problem is being caused by a third party application so you can also boot the phone to safe mode. Safe mode prevents third party apps from loading so if your email and Google apps work fine, that’s proof that an app is to blame. Safe mode is not a solution in itself and won’t help in identifying the culprit. If you think an app is problematic, you must uninstall third party apps until the cause is removed. Be sure to observe the phone every time you remove an app so you’ll know if the issue has been fixed or not.

To restart your phone to safe mode, follow these steps:

  1. Turn your Galaxy S7 off.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.

Problem #4: Galaxy S7 Outlook and Gmail apps cannot send emails

I have Outlook App and Gmail App installed. I can successfully send/receive emails with my Yahoo account. We use Office 365 email server at work and I can receive emails from it. However I am unable to send emails to it from my S7 (both apps fail to send).

I have tried resetting the account, clearing cache, rebooting the phone, etc. In the Outlook App it shows email “Sent” but never shows up in the Outbox or Sent Folder. If I search for the email it shows as being in “Drafts” folder but is not actually viewable in that folder.

In the Gmail App a sent message shows in the Outbox folder first as “Queued,” then briefly as “Sent,” then “Failed.” Our IT Admin says all my settings are correct. And other employees are using S7 with these apps successfully.

Early on IT told me to disable the “Samsung” email app – that Gmail/Outlook is preferred. I see no way to “uninstall” the Samsung App but it is not set to default. This has been an issue since I purchased the phone back in November 2016.

Note too that I had to rep[lace the phone because of unrelated damage, so it is my second phone. My previous phone was an iPhone 5S which supported our business email with no problems. Any suggestions are appreciated. —  Jim

Solution: Hi Jim. We can’t see the logic of disabling the stock Samsung email app as a solution in this case but if you want to try it, go ahead. Samsung email app is coded with the original firmware so you can’t remove it. However, you can try to Force close it to revert it back to its default state.

You also want to try factory reset in this case because there’s very little hint that we can use to identify the problem. Once you’ve done a factory reset, configure your email to the Gmail app before installing other apps and updates. If the issue persists, it’s possible that your email may not support Samsung’s email system or app. You must work with your IT department to identify the cause of the problem.

Problem #5: Galaxy S7 edge audio randomly go away

Hi there. My Galaxy S7 edge (and my boyfriend’s) both have come upon the same issues within just 2 days of each other. Our S7s’ sound will just randomly go away. It won’t make any sounds (except mine makes the bloop noise when i hit the volume up button to confirm the sounds all the way up). But it will work again after a restart. For a while. Mine quit for the 1st time sometime last night and made me late for work. Restarted it when i got to work and it worked fine until about 15 mins ago (almost 8 hours after the restart.) What do you think is the issue? Our phones ran software updates a couple of weeks ago. And I’m not sure but i think it’s the Marshmallow i have currently. — Lauren

Solution: Hi Lauren. If both phones are of same exact model from the same carrier, this problem may be due to poor coding of the firmware. Be sure to report the problem to your carrier so they can do something about it.

If you have different phone models or carriers, try to do the basic software troubleshooting such as wiping the cache partition and factory reset.

It’s also possible that you may have installed the same app that causes a conflict with the operating system so try to boot your phone to safe mode and observe how it works.

Problem #6: Galaxy S7 only detects few GBs in an SD card

When I got the phone a few weeks ago, i put my SD card in it and began to download music from my Google Play as I always do. It was a 64 GB chip but would say it was full when there was 12 GB left of space. I assumed it was standard for that to happen and I needed a bigger card. Yesterday I got a 128GB, formatted it and began to again load music on it. After about 12 GB it stopped and the card was no longer mounted apparently. I took the card out and put it into an old Samsung and reformatted it. Placed it back in S7 and it was recognized, began again with similar result.

I have 3 different cards and tried them all, if it even saw the card it would only again load just a few GB. Why is this happening and is there a solution? Thanks. — Kimbrie

Solution: Hi Kimbrie. There may be a software bug causing it to read SD cards incorrectly. To try to fix it, make sure that you do a factory reset so you can eliminate potential bugs and possible third party app or service that may be causing the trouble. Here’s how:

  • From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
  • Find and tap Settings and then touch Backup and reset.
  • Tap Factory data reset and touch Reset device.
  • If you have screen lock feature turned on, enter your password or PIN.
  • Touch Continue.
  • Tap Delete all to confirm your action.
  • Once the device has been reset, insert the SD card again and see if it fixes the problem. Be sure not to install anything during the observation period.

If the problem remains after a factory reset, consider sending the phone in for replacement.

NOTE: Factory reset will erase all user data so make sure that all irreplaceable files like photos, videos, contacts, etc. are backed up.

Problem #7: Galaxy S7 won’t connect to a specific wifi network

Hi! I have a Samsung Galaxy S7. I have never had issues with wifi connections until January of this year. It connects automatically to my home wi-fi with no problems. It used to connect to my church’s wi-fi automatically with no problems, until this year in January. Now, this particular wi-fi network will not connect. My husband’s phone (Galaxy S6) connects to this network with no problems, along with many other people with a variety of phones.

I have tried all the “fixes” suggested on the web (aside from a reset) since I connect at home with no problems. I can’t change any of the advanced settings as it doesn’t give me the option to switch from DHCP to static. It shows me the option but if I select static it grays out the connect button so I can’t select it.

I have tried turning off mobile data and wifi and then turning wifi back on, to no avail. I have attempted turning all off, turning on airplane mode and trying wifi, no avail. I have repeatedly restarted my phone.

Pretty much if there was a suggestion online that didn’t sound like it would break my phone, I tried it. 🙂 Help? I appreciate it!!        — Karla

Solution: Hi Karla. There can be a number of reasons why a phone may fail to connect to a wifi network so we will discuss some of the common ones here.

Wifi feature bug. Inefficient coding can affect even basic phone functionalities like wifi. In most cases, coding-related issues are beyond an average user’s ability to fix but in your situation, you can try to disconnect and reconnect from the network first and take appropriate steps afterwards. Simply tap the network and click on “Forget” to disconnect. After that, restart the phone, then connect to the same network again.

Wifi admin is blocking access. If other phones are connecting to the same wifi fine while yours is not, you should consider asking help from the administrator of the network. There may be an IP conflict going on, or that your device is simply not authorized to connect for some reason. Some routers may also limit the number of active devices connecting at the same time and will block any further connection until there’s a slot is made available. Whatever the case may be, you should talk to wifi administrator if you want to get to the bottom of the problem.

A third party app may be blocking connection. To see if there’s an app causing this problem, boot your phone to safe mode and observe when you try to connect to this wifi network. Make sure that you restart to safe mode before attempting to connect. Here’s how to restart to safe mode:

  1. Turn your Galaxy S7 off.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.

Remember, if you’re able to connect to this wifi network while in safe mode, that’s proof that an app is to blame.

Factory reset. If nothing changes after doing our suggestions above, the issue must be software-related. Do a factory reset to fix the problem.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy Note 5 hotspot stopped working, can’t send and receive MMS, other issues

Hello Note 5 users! Welcome to our newest #GalaxyNote5. This article addresses 10 more issues so don’t forget to browse through the entire length to see if you can find anything helpful.

Below are the specific topics we cover in this material:

  1. Galaxy Note 5 keeps freezing | Whatsapp crashes when downloading video | Google Play Store won’t download apps or themes unless phone is rebooted
  2. Galaxy Note 5 apps keep crashing
  3. Galaxy Note 5 screen became less responsive, wallpapers are gone, notification font size became small after an update
  4. Verizon Galaxy Note 5 can’t send and receive MMS
  5. Galaxy Note 5 hotspot stopped working
  6. Galaxy Note 5 update changed messaging app, now showing “view more” button at the end of a long message
  7. Galaxy Note 5 won’t connect to mobile data after an update
  8. Galaxy Note 5 reboots randomly, drains battery fast
  9. Galaxy Note 5 makes high pitched sound when headset is inserted
  10. Galaxy Note 5 keeps unable to detect SIM card needs to restart”

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 Note 5 keeps freezing | Whatsapp crashes when downloading video | Google Play Store won’t download apps or themes unless phone is rebooted

Hi…since my latest update on my Galaxy Note 5..my phone keep on hanging..i especially have problem with my Whatsapp app as when i download a video i cannot play it ….the moment i go to do that…my whatsapp stops…for forwarding messages also it is very slow.

Also i for downloading themes i have to first switch off my phone and then start it again and then only i can download any themes or apps from the Google Play Store. —  Tasneem

Solution: Hi Tasneem. For your Whatsapp issue, try to clear its cache and data first to see if that will help. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  2. Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6.0.
  3. Once in there, click on an application.
  4. 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.
  5. You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.

If nothing changes after doing the steps above, this can mean that there’s an on-going software issue causing both Whatsapp and Google Play Store app to behave erratically. To fix the problem, you must do a master reset. Here’s how:

  1. Create a backup of your important files such as photos, videos, etc.
  2. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.
  3. Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.
  4. Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.
  5. Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.
  6. The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.
  7. Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ and press the Power key to select it.
  8. When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.
  9. The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don’t worry and wait for the device to become active.

Problem #2: Galaxy Note 5 apps keep crashing

Hi. Most of my apps stop working when I try to get on them. Some, like my social media apps, only do it when I’m trying to send a message to someone, my actual message app does that too. But like my Google Play Store won’t even open neither will my google or chrome app. Also, when I open my email app it will show if I have a new email, but when I go to open it, it fails saying, “Gmail has stopped working,” then will give me the option to restart the app, and when I try to, it fails again. but the second time only give me the option to close the app.

My apps that always fail like Google, Chrome, or Play Store used to work and I’d only get the, “app has stopped working,” message occasionally. My phone is fairly new, I’ve had it for about 3 months and it’s been a problem since the beginning. I’ve used Samsung before so i thought it would just be a hiccup or if it continues to be a problem I Google for solutions.

I’ve tried going to apps and clearing their cache. I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling them, and I’ve tried unabling and reabling them (that worked 2 times though). If you can’t help I’ll probably have to go to the store.

By now, I’m tired of apps closing on me when I’m doing something, mainly when that something is important. So, if theres anything you can tell me that would solve my problem I would really appreciate it. — Mahima

Solution: Hi Mahima. If wiping the cache and data of each problematic app, that’s probably because the cause is not within them. The first external factor that you should consider is another problematic app that may be creating a conflict with the operating system. To check if that’s the case, boot the phone to safe mode and observe it for at least 24 hours. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Turn off the phone completely.
  2. Press and hold the Power key.
  3. Once ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. The phone will restart but keep the Vol Down button pressed.
  5. Once the phone has finished restarting, ‘Safe mode’ will be display in the lower-left corner of the screen.
  6. You may now release the Volume Down button.
  7. Observe the phone for 24 hours.

If the phone and apps behave normally when in safe mode, you can bet one of the third party apps is problematic. To remove the problem, you should uninstall third party apps until everything is back to normal. This means you have to check how everything works after you remove an app from the system.

If nothing changes though and the issue continues even when the device is on safe mode, do a factory reset to remove possible software problems.

Problem #3: Galaxy Note 5 screen became less responsive, wallpapers are gone, notification font size became small after an update

After installing the latest update, I’ve had several issues.

 

  • I have to tap very hard and many times for my phone to respond. Sometimes it reverts back to the previous screen because it’s not responding to the tap.
  • Several of my purchased wallpaper features are gone.
  • Also, the font on my notifications screen is so tiny I need my glasses to read. I am not happy with the latest update. — Debbie

 

Solution: Hi Debbie. Android is constantly evolving so changes are inevitable when new updates are installed. Some users may embrace the new changes while others may not. Unfortunately, many carrier-provided smartphones don’t come with an option to decline system updates anymore, making installation of new updates almost mandatory. While this may be good from security perspective, this can also mean users being forced to live with the new changes even if they are unpleasant or problematic.

To fix post-update issues, there are three general steps that you must take:

  1. wiping of the cache partition
  2. Installation of app and system update and making sure that all apps are compatible, and
  3. factory reset

We provide the steps on how to wipe the cache partition and factory reset above so feel free to do them if you haven’t tried them yet.

We don’t know what specific wallpaper features you’re missing but if you can’t find them at this time under Settings app, the current Android version may have changed or removed them for good.

For your font size issue, everything display and font size-related issues can be fixed by changing some options under Settings>Display>Font. Try to play around with the font size you’re comfortable with by dragging the font size slider to the right or left.

Problem #4: Verizon Galaxy Note 5 can’t send and receive MMS

I have a Samsung Note 5 through Verizon. It just did some stupid upgrade, Nougat, maybe? Anyhow, I can no longer send or receive picture messages; it wiped out my dictionary, changed the font size and probably a bunch of other things I won’t like when I figure it out. Other than a factory reset, is there any way to get rid of it? I don’t want to lose game progress or Book catalogue.        — Annette

Solution: Hi Annette. If you downloaded the update by air as provided by your network, then you want to do the troubleshooting steps we suggest for Debbie above.

As far as getting rid of the new update is concerned, there’s nothing much that you can do. If you really want to go back to the previous Android version, you must manually install the update via Odin. Also known as flashing, manual installation can potentially brick your device if not done correctly so you want to do some research on how to do it before actually doing it. You can use Google to search for specific guides on how to do it on your phone.

If you don’t want to flash the previous version of Android and would like to stick to the current one, make sure to contact Verizon regarding your MMS issue. There may be firmware bug causing the problem and only their technical support team may be able to figure out a solution.

Problem #5: Galaxy Note 5 hotspot stopped working

Hotspot and tethering on Samsung Galaxy Note 5 not working. I tried connecting several devices. it picks up the signal, asks for password. I put it but it just shows obtaining IP address for a while then says no Internet connection. So I went to my carrier which is Three and they tried and concluded it was my phone. They advice me to do a factory reset which I did but the problem is still there. — Diana

Solution: Hi Diana. First of all, let’s be clear about one thing — Hotspot and tethering is often a value-added service on most networks. This means that the subscriber will have to pay extra to have it enabled. If you are 100% positive that your account with Three is permitted to have this service, then it’s possible that it’s a phone issue. However, if you are not sure whether or not hotspot service is allowed, talk to your carrier again and see if adding it to your current subscription will fix the problem.

If you were able to use your Note 5 as a hotspot before, try to insert your SIM card to another compatible phone and see if you can enable hotspot in that device. If it continues to fail, that’s an indication that you have an account issue.

On the other hand, if hotspot will work on the second device but not in your Note 5, you can bet there’s a problem with your phone. Since you’ve already tried a factory reset before contacting us, that means that there’s a hardware malfunction causing it. Like other networking functions of your phone, hotspot relies on a particular chip dedicated for it. If that chip is damaged for some reason, it can lead to what you are experiencing now.

If your phone is still under a Samsung warranty, send it in so the hardware can be checked, or the unit replaced.

Problem #6: Galaxy Note 5 update changed messaging app, now showing “view more” button at the end of a long message

Since the newest update, longer text messages are shortened and a “view more” button is added at the bottom of the message. I absolutely hate this feature and want it back to displaying the full message. I have searched and searched, but can’t find a solution anywhere. It’s not technically a problem with the phone or OS, but it’s a huge problem to me, as I get madder and madder each time I see it. Can you please help me? — Brandon

Solution: Hi Brandon. Like what we say to Debbie above, Android regularly receives updates that can sometimes result to problems or undesirable changes. Sadly, there’s virtually nothing an end user can do when it comes to design or coding changes like the one you’re having right now. There’s just no “revert” button that you can press to bring back the old behavior of an app or operating system. If you’re having an issue with a pre-installed messaging app from your carrier, you can raise your concern to them. We doubt there will be an immediate solution for it but at least you’ll be barking at the right tree.

As a possible workaround, you can also try using other messaging apps from the Play Store so you can see if they can provide you with what you want.

Problem #7: Galaxy Note 5 won’t connect to mobile data after an update

Hi. I have a Galaxy Note 5. A few days ago I pushed the restriction background data so that my mobile will use wifi alone. Yesterday I had a system update on my mobile and since then I don’t have mobile data, I can only use the wifi. I have tried searching for some different settings but couldn’t find anything that should be changed. Do you know what might make it work? Thanks. — Esther

Solution: Hi Esther. If disabling the Restrict Background Data option did not solve your problem, you should talk to your carrier for direct assistance. This is especially important if you are on a limited data plan.

If you want to do some device troubleshooting, you can do our suggested troubleshooting steps for Debbie above.

Problem #8: Galaxy Note 5 reboots randomly, drains battery fast

My Note 5 prompted me to update it like always. However I am not sure if the charger disconnected during that time or what may have happened but it turns on and off randomly. won’t stay charged unless it is plugged in and the battery drains rapidly.  I cannot keep it turned on long enough to accomplish as much as a text message. I’ve tried a few of the troubleshooting techniques from your site but they are not working. The screen says “Upgrading Android” (in the notification bar) but it doesn’t do anything. Please tell me if there’s anything I can do! Thank you. — Janaeclemmons13

Solution: Hi Janaeclemmons13. if your phone is currently installing an update, the best thing that you can do is wait until it’s done. Don’t interrupt it by unplugging it from the charger, or by turning it off intentionally.

If the device has been rebooting on its own though, the only troubleshooting step that you can do is to check if you can make it stable again by booting it to alternate modes. Only then can do you follow up troubleshooting.

Boot in Recovery mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  6. You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.

Boot in Download Mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume DOWN keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume DOWN keys.
  4. Wait until the Download screen appears.
  5. 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.
  6. Use Google to look for a guide on how to do it.

Boot in safe mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.
  6. 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.

Remember, if your Note 5 continues to boot randomly on its own and won’t even allow you to boot to other modes, there must be a hardware issue at hand. You should send it in for repair or replacement.

Problem #9: Galaxy Note 5 makes high pitched sound when headset is inserted

My Samsung Galaxy Note 5 plays very high pitched ringing and static in addition to whatever media I am listening to whenever I insert my headphones into it. it only occurs however when the phone screen is on and there is media playing. I have tried switching headphones repeatedly and I have turned off and on my phone but nothing seems to have worked. — Alaina

Solution: Hi Alaina. We don’t think this is a software issue but we still recommend that you start your troubleshooting with factory reset. If nothing changes after performing a full reset, you can assume that the headset port may be malfunctioning. In this case, you want to have the hardware checked so you can be advised if the phone can be repaired, or if a replacement is necessary.

Problem #10: Galaxy Note 5 keeps unable to detect SIM card needs to restart”

I am having a problem to have a new SIM card put in about once a month. It started prior to the last update. I took my phone in 4/23/17 to have another SIM card placed. The ATT agent said that my phone was probably failing. I do have insurance for a phone replacement but why is the phone failing? The message “unable to detect SIM card needs to restart” will just randomly pop up. Sometimes it happens continually. As soon as I restart it, the same message pops up again. It might do this 4 or 5 times in a row. Then after a period of not doing it, it will happen again. Under android version all it says is 7.0. — Sue

Solution: Hi Sue. We don’t have much information about your phone to give you an accurate idea why this error keeps showing up but if it has been accidentally dropped  or got wet before, there’s a chance that it may be due to hardware damage.

Like Alaina above, we say you try factory reset first to address possible software-level glitch that may have developed after some time. If that won’t work, proceed with phone replacement.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S7 sound stops when surfing through songs on a media player, other issues

Good day everyone! Welcome to another post that answers questions submitted by some #GalaxyS7 users. There are 5 more issues covered here today. We hope this article will help our ever-growing Android community.

s7

For now, these are the specific topics we tackle in this material:

  1. Galaxy S7 Edge not receiving SMS from iPhone
  2. Saving SMS threads on Galaxy S7 to SD card | Cannot change date and time of photos once saved in Galaxy S7
  3. Galaxy S7 sound stops when surfing through songs on a media player
  4. Galaxy S7 Edge screen showing horizontal lines when changing brightness level
  5. Galaxy S7 won’t send SMS and not make a call after installing a system update

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 S7 Edge not receiving SMS from iPhone

I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. My girlfriend has an iPhone 6. We have text back and forth many times and never had any issues. This morning, I can receive her texts. I receive MMS messages (pictures) but not SMS messages. She receives mine and can send messages to me. But nothing pops up on my screen. We both tried connecting with other people with both android devices and iPhone devices and have no issues. It is just with our devices. I have “wiped cache partition.” I have cleared cache in the messaging app. I have tried using Verizon messaging app. to no avail. — Jason

Solution: Hi Jason. This type of issue should be referred to your carrier as the cause may be network-related. Before you contact them though, make sure that you do a factory reset to restore all software settings to default. This will help remove software setting or app that may be responsible for blocking your girlfriend’s SMS.

For reference, below are the steps on how to factory reset your S7:
Step 1: Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Step 2: Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.

NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.

Step 3: When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.

Step 4: When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.

NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.

Step 5: Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’

Step 6: Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.

Step 7: Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.

Step 8: Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.

Step 9: The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Problem #2: Saving SMS threads on Galaxy S7 to SD card | Cannot change date and time of photos once saved in Galaxy S7

Hi. I have several unanswered questions after searching the web myself intently. Hoping you can help. First, I am not sure about the Android version. That might not be what I have.

Questions: 

1.) I have an SD card but cannot find a storage option to force the phone to store photos here from my text thread. When I try to save one it goes directly to Gallery and ends up in internal storage.

2.) Why when I save a photo from a text it doesn’t save with date the photo was taken on, it just dates it as the day I saved it. Also, there’s no option to manually change the date myself once it is saved?

3.) Why is it that when I access “Gallery” from camera it does not have all photos in gallery, only the ones taken with the camera? When I select Gallery directly from the homescreen everything is there.

4.) My prior Android would let me delete the original message in an email when I was ‘responding’…I cannot find this with the S7. Am I missing something? There used to be an “x” next to original message I could click to remove it prior to sending.

5.) When I’m in the Message+ app I can see all the photos someone has sent me, but I have to save these individually if I want to keep them. Just wondering where these are stored that the phone can display them even though I haven’t saved them? Is there a file where I could go look at them all at once to choose what to save?

6.) When texting, why do the emojis look different in display than they appear in text once selected??

Looking forward to some answers! Thanks for any help you can provide. I really love my new phone, just want to resolve these nagging issues so I can move on!! — Sherry

Solution: Hi Sherry. Let’s answer your questions one by one.

1.) Not all apps can be saved to a secondary storage device like as SD card. Reasons can vary but the most important consideration concerns data/information security. Some carriers can also choose to enforce further data security by not allowing apps to be saved to as SD card. To check if you can save an app to as SD card, follow the steps below:

  • 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, tap on the messaging app you’re using.
  • 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.
  • If it’s available for this particular app, MOVE TO SD CARD option should be in this page.
  • If MOVE TO SD CARD option is not visible, then the operating system does not allow it.

2.) That’s how the saving function works. When you save an image extracted from an SMS thread, the system treats the file as new and tags the time and date the moment you initiate the saving process. The device won’t interrogate the image file when it was originally created.

3.) This one we can’t answer for sure. It may be an operating system glitch or a bug on the Gallery or camera app. Try to wipe the cache and data of concerned apps and see if that will make a difference. Here’s how:

  • 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, tap 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.

If this behavior will bother you, you can also try doing a factory reset. Refer to the steps above.

4.) We can’t find the option to delete the original thread in our own Galaxy S7 either (we have on international version) so we think this is a recent change from Samsung or Google.

5.) Photos sent via a messaging app are also stored in the folder of the app itself. If you can’t find these photos when using the built-in file explorer, chances are your operating system is also designed to keep such contents out of reach. You can try to root your phone to give you elevated access to more directories but doing so would also mean voiding the warranty.

6.) To be honest, we don’t really understand your question very well but you can direct it to developers of the messaging app, or the developer of the emoji code you’re using.

Problem #3: Galaxy S7 sound stops when surfing through songs on a media player

Hi. I have this very annoying issue with my Galaxy S7 that I can’t seem to find a solution for. So when I’m surfing through songs on a media player (I have Google music player, Samsung music player and equalizer +), sound stops working. So when I have a song on and when I’m trying to skip to the next song and when I repeat it for like 5 times, sound stops working on every music player and only solution to get my music back is to restart the device. I’m not sure if it’s always been like that with Android.

By the way, I’ve been using Blackberry for a very long time, or I just need to get a better music player app. Please help me with this concern, if there is no solution to it, please recommend me your app for music player that has basic to good equalizer and nice sound system. Thank you so much. — Brian

Solution: Hi Brian. The issue you describe here is not normal and should not happen to any of your music players. Try wiping the cache partition and see if it will help:

  • Turn off the device.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key, then press and hold the Power key.
  • When the device logo screen displays, release only the Power key
  • When the 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 key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  • Press the Power key to select.
  • Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘yes’ an press the Power key to select.
  • When the wipe cache partition is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
  • Press the Power key to restart the device.

If wiping the cache partition won’t help, try doing a factory reset. Steps are provided above.

Also, once you’ve factory reset the device, make sure that ALL your apps are fully updated before attempting to use any of your music players again.

Problem #4: Galaxy S7 Edge screen showing horizontal lines when changing brightness level

I’ve got a Galaxy S7 Edge for about 2 months now. I’m super cautious with it and it has never dropped or been exposed to water. The screen has developed 4 gray lines running horizontally across it. It has something to do with the brightness of the phone. While at max brightness, with the auto brightness on the lines are not visible, when i turn auto brightness off the lines appear and get larger in width and darkness as the brightness is turned down. Is this a firmware or hardware issue and what can I do to solve this? Obviously keeping the phone at max brightness is a huge waste of power and makes the phone heat up. — Mike

Solution: Hi Mike. We’ve been monitoring this issue for a while now although you’re one of the first users to have reported it in this blog. If you visit other third party Android forums though, this issue seems to be happening from all over. We say you do the basic software troubleshooting on your end such as wiping the cache partition and factory reset. If these solutions won’t work, you can assume that there may be an issue on the hardware department. We strongly suggest that you contact Samsung or your carrier for a phone replacement.

Problem #5: Galaxy S7 won’t send SMS and not make a call after installing a system update

Boy am I having issues. Ok, so I am not sure when I did the most recent update on the software. About two weeks ago, I started having issues with my phone sending texts, receiving text and the same with phone calls. First it would just not send texts, then when I tried to make a call, it would come up like it was calling and then just quit. A few times, I got an error that the SIM card was not seen and when I tried to call sometimes it would say emergency only. Most times, a reboot of my phone fixed the issue and it would work for about 30 minutes or say and then go back to the previous issues.

After several calls to AT&T, it was determined that my SIM was probably corrupt and they sent me a new one. Installed new card and it worked for part of the evening and then did the same thing. Rebooted, issue fixed and by the time I got up the next morning, not working again.

So I called them again, and we went through several things cleaning SIM area and reseating SIM, none worked. Then she had me go in to the settings and reset settings and it started working. But again, it only worked for a bit, longer than last time, but worked. Which led me to believe that this is a software issue and not a hardware issue.

So I reset the settings again and it worked for about a week without issue. Then yesterday, bam, quit working. Did the reset on the settings and it has been working since. Any ideas? Is there a way to undo the update and see if that fixes my issue? — Tiffany

Solution: Hi Tiffany. If you receive system updates from your carrier via over-the-air scheme, then there’s no way to revert to the previous Android version. While this issue may be brought about by the last Android update you installed, there’s also a chance that this is due to a bad third party app. To check, first make sure that ALL apps (including first party apps from Samsung or Google) are updated. Also, make sure that you only install compatible third party apps. Not all developers can update their apps once a new Android version is released. Thus, there’s also a chance that you may have installed an erratic app at this time. We say you try to boot the phone in safe mode for several days to see the difference. Keep in mind that safe mode will prevent third party apps and services from running so you’ll have to make do with fewer apps during this time. If the issue won’t occur during the observation period, uninstall third party apps until you’re sure that the issue is no longer happening. To boot in safe mode, follow the steps below:

  • 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.

If the same issue occurs even when your device runs in safe mode, the issue may be a poorly coded operating system from your carrier. Make sure that you let them know about it so they can tell their developer team about the problem.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

How to customize Galaxy S5 status bar after updating to Marshmallow, other issues

For those looking for solutions to their #GalaxyS5 issues, check this out. We give 7 more cases (and their respective solutions) as reported by some S5 users.

s5

Below are the issues we cover in this one today:

  1. Galaxy S5 stops charging after charging port cover fell
  2. Galaxy S5 Active bought from Amazon won’t charge
  3. Galaxy S5 won’t power on
  4. Galaxy S5 keeps getting SD cards corrupted
  5. Using Verizon Galaxy S5 in Sprint network
  6. How to customize Galaxy S5 status bar after updating to Marshmallow
  7. Galaxy S5 audio keeps stopping for no reason

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 S5 stops charging after charging port cover fell

I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 blue in color. I have had it for about 8 months now, and haven’t had any problems with it at all. All in one day, the charger cover fell off, and now it won’t charge at all. when I plug my charger into the phone, nothing happens, I tried 7 different chargers, 3 of which were brand new, I put my battery into another S5 that my family has, and the battery charges fine. Hence, it’s a problem with the phone itself. I turned the phone off, and plugged up the charger, and the battery symbol popped up like it was going to charge, and then a yellow triangle sign popped up with an exclamation mark in it. I need my phone fixed, replaced etc… — Brittany

Solution: Hi Brittany. If the phone stopped charging all of a sudden without you modifying or changing the software, or by installing a new app or update, the most likely reason for it may be hardware malfunction. To check, do a quick factory reset (remember this will delete everything on the phone) and observe how charging works. Make sure you don’t install any app during this time. If nothing will work, or if your phone continues to refuse charging, then you clearly have a hardware problem at hand. If that’s the case, there’s nothing more that you can do. Submit the phone for a hardware check up to Samsung. If it’s still in warranty, contact the right party to have it replaced.

For reference, below are the steps on how to perform a master or factory reset on an S5:

  • Power down the Galaxy S5.
  • Press and hold the Volume up button, the Home button, and the Power button together until you see the Android on screen.
  • Use Volume down to highlight the wipe data/factory reset option and press the Power button to select it.
  • Use Volume down again to highlight Yes – delete all user data and press Power to select it.
  • Use the Power button to select Reboot system now.
  • When the S5 restarts it should be completely wiped and ready to set up again.

Problem #2: Galaxy S5 Active bought from Amazon won’t charge

So I bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 active off of Amazon.com. I received the phone soon. The battery was around sixty percent. I’ve had an S5 Active before, but my LCD broke. I love the phone. But whenever I go to charge it, it would show the battery charging symbol but drain the battery quicker than when I played on it! I’ve tried switching batteries and chargers, wall outlets and charger docks, I even plugged it into the TV. It charged 1% via Chromebook at school. Well, I researched stuff and it said corrosion might be the culprit. I searched how to get rid of it, alcohol and vinegar. I tried it. Plugged the phone in after it dried. Now, no charging symbol. Took out the battery and blew into the charging port. I’m incredibly frustrated. I want to use this phone but it won’t charge. By the way, I charge the battery by plugging it into the old S5 active I had. It gets hard keeping up with all this stuff. I’ve Googled anything and everything I possibly can. Please don’t send a computer message back or I’ll probably die. Anything will help at this point! Thanks in advance!!! — Mary

Solution: Hi Mary. We know how frustrating this issue can become but just like what we tell Brittany above, there can only be 2 things that can cause it — bad software or hardware problem. If you think the motherboard was corroded when you tried to clean it, other hard to reach components of the motherboard may be damaged or corroded as well. Corrosion usually sets in only when the phone was previously exposed to water or moisture. And once corrosion starts, it usually is a continuous process that can damage more components over time. The thing with corrosion is that it damage both components and connectors on the motherboard alike, potentially cutting some parts from the rest of the system. Once a connector or circuit has been cut, the only way to fix the problem is by replacing the entire motherboard, which is not only tricky but is also economically impractical as well. This is one of the reasons why water-damaged electronics are best replaced than repaired. A damaged motherboard can lead to a lot of problems that even the best repair efforts can sometimes become pointless. As what we tell Brittany above, if you can’t fix the issue by doing a factory reset, then the issue must be beyond your ability to fix it. If the device is still covered by a replacement warranty, we strongly suggest that you avail of it.

Problem #3: Galaxy S5 won’t power on

I’m eating and I want to check my phone. I pull my phone out of my pocket and then when I try to turn it on to check if I have notifications, it doesn’t turn on. So I proceeded to pull the battery out of my phone and put it back in and it still won’t turn on. I then leave it alone thinking it would boot up any minute and it still hasn’t. I then look up tutorials on how to fix it and it still won’t turn on. I switch batteries, take out the battery then hold the power button for 1-2 minutes and it still won’t turn on. My phone isn’t rooted. I don’t even game on my phone so why does my phone do this? Please respond and thanks. — Josue

Solution: Hi Josue. There can be a number of reasons why a phone suddenly loses power and eventually refuses to boot back normally so the first thing that you want to do is to narrow down the cause. To do that, try to see if your phone will power back on if you’ll boot it to other modes. Below are the steps that you can try:

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 S5 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 S5 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 S5’ 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.

If you won’t be able to power on the phone to any of these modes, that’s a clear indicator that hardware malfunction is to blame. If that’s the case, you will need to have the phone checked for possible repair or replacement.

Problem #4: Galaxy S5 keeps getting SD cards corrupted

In April 2016, I upgraded from a Galaxy S4 to an S5. I didn’t want to upgrade any further for fear of not having an SD card. A few months ago (after being sick and tired of my phone’s memory being full) I bought 2 SanDisk SD cards (both 64GB) from Amazon. When I received them, I formatted one, put in in my phone and off I went. I moved apps over, some photos etc. It worked perfectly fine for a month or so before it said that it was corrupted. I looked online for help and learned how to run a test on it using the card reader and my laptop. There was no reviving it so I reformatted it and returned it to Amazon for a replacement. I have since put in the other 64GB SD card and it’s been the same experience. Works great for a few days, then corrupts. I have safely removed it, re-inserted it and then it works again for a few days. Then it’ll corrupt again. This has happened many, many times over the last several weeks. Is it something I am doing wrong? Is it the phone? I am so sick of not having room on my phone to download new apps, store photos etc. Luckily, my photos instantly upload to 2 different clouds so I have not lost photos but this is a huge annoyance!!! Can someone please help? Thanks. — Nicolepatrizio

Solution: Hi Nicolepatrizio. If at least 2 SD cards get corrupted after using it for sometime in the same phone, the reason can either be due to usage habit or the phone itself. The most common cause of SD card corruption is how we handle it and the saving function of our phones. If you are fond of interrupting your device while it’s trying to access data in the SD card (this can happen if your phone tries to read from or save something to the card), corruption may occur. Keep in mind that some apps uses the SD card to save data. If you terminate the saving or reading process, the SD card might eventually get corrupted.

If that’s not that, the other reason may be beyond your control. There may be a software glitch that leads to SD card corruption. This may be rare but it can happen. Try to factory reset your device to see if that will make any difference.

Problem #5: Using Verizon Galaxy S5 in Sprint network

Ok, this may be lengthy so please bear with me as i try to detail my situation as thoroughly as possible. It’s really great the service you guys offer here for free by the way. You should know how helpful this possibly could be for me as I’ve spent hours trying other resources looking for the answers, so thank you before hand. My issue starts with the fact that we have 2 phones in our household both on Sprint unlimited plans (myself and my son both have the iPhone 6S model A1688). Here’s my problem: my son’s iPhone 6S is broken/inoperable. I plan on replacing the display in few months. So i have another phone from my old Verizon plan that’s a Samsung Galaxy S5. I need to know if i can somehow use the Verizon S5 on my Sprint plan by having his phone number switched to it from his broken iPhone. And if this is possible, what steps would i need to take in order to make it work? In the options below I selected other for “Android version” because i have no idea what version the s5 is. I do lnow it should be up to date. — Jamie

Solution: Hi Jamie. Both Verizon and Sprint are using CDMA network technology so hardware compatibility-wise, we don’t think there’s a problem. The only critical thing you need to do is making sure that the old Verizon S5 is network unlocked and NOT blacklisted. If the old Verizon S5 was part of a subscription plan that you’ve already paid off, you can then go to a Sprint store so you can register it on their network. We’re not sure if Sprint can port your son’s phone number and associate it with the Verizon S5 so you have to talk to Sprint about it.

In the event that you still have unsettled bills with Verizon over the Galaxy S5 device, or if the phone is not yet unlocked, you still need to contact Verizon so they help you network unlock the device.

Problem #6: How to customize Galaxy S5 status bar after updating to Marshmallow

On 9/28/16 I made the mistake of accepting a push of a software upgrade which I believe was from Samsung for my S5. This upgrade added an area called “System UI” and created a “Good Lock” app on my phone. Unfortunately, neither Verizon nor Samsung tech support could assist me with the changes to what I’ll call the: Notifications Drawer/Panel. It’s the real estate located at the top of the phone that displays a bar of shortcuts for functions such as: WiFi, Airplane mode, Location, etc. With the advent of the upgrade, the phone’s mobile “Hotspot’ short cut is now missing. Also, each icon used to have a clearly defined label for what the icon was: The Airplane icon said “Airplane”. Now you have to pull the entire panel down to get that. I used to be able to customize this real estate. Now apparently I can no longer do so. Would you know if there is a user’s manual, or any user friendly verbiage, that might assist a me in getting educated with these major changes? Thanks in advance for your help in this matter! Warm regards. — Casey

Solution: Hi Casey. Since you did not indicate what operating system version your S5 is using now, we assume that it’s Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0 and beyond). To customize the status or notification bar (the part of the screen you’re referring to here), we recommend that you enable the System UI Tuner first. This can be done by doing the following steps:

  • Pull down quick settings by either swiping down on the notifications then swiping again, or by using a two-finger swipe.
  • Once you’ve pulled down the notification bar, look for the gear-shaped icon, then press and hold it.
  • Wait for the spinning circle to end (usually after holding down the gear icon for 4 seconds).
  • Once a popup appears, it should tell you that you’ve successfully enabled System UI Tuner.
  • Now go into the settings and look for the new menu item that’s recently added. Opening it for the first time will give you a warning but you can just tap on “GOT IT” to ignore it.

Once you’re in the new menu, find Quick Settings entry and tap it. After enabling the System UI Tuner, more tweaks should be made available for you such as rearranging icons and settings. You can move things around by simply pressing and holding on the icons. Doing so will also give you options to act on.

At the bottom of the menu should be an “Add tile” option. This will allow you to replace an icon you’ve deleted before or add a Broadcast tile (only if you’re a developer).

If you want to go straight to changing the status bar, simply tap the Status bar option under the menu so you’ll see  list of icons that you may want to appear on the status bar afterwards. If you want to remove an icon, you can simply move the toggle to off. Remember, a blue toggle means that particular icon is enabled or active. The toggle must turn into grey in order to turn off a particular item.

Problem #7: Galaxy S5 audio keeps stopping for no reason

Hi. I’ve got a second hand phone of a friend of mine. it was ok for the first couple of weeks but after that the sound on my phone would stop for no reason. I couldn’t hear people if they rang me or I didn’t have a ringtone at the same time and if I was playing my music or a video it would stop and I would come out off it. Then all my stuff would be gone if I restarted my phone. it would all be back and it would work for a little while then do the same thing again. and I would have to restart it again.

I need my phone for work and I messaged you a week ago and I still haven’t heard from you. I need to know what to do as I need the phone to work properly for work and my family. So if you can get back to me ASAP I would be really grateful for that. You can even ring me if that’s better for you. My number is 07523420031. I would be really grateful if you can get hold of me asap to help me. — Lewis

Solution: Hi Lewis. This issue can be caused by an operating system bug or by a third party app so the best thing that you can do right now is to do a factory reset. Then once you’ve reset all software settings to default, you must observe the phone for at least a day so you’ll notice any difference. In order to also check if a third party app is to blame, make sure that you don’t install any app during the observation period. If your phone will work normally during this time, that’s an indication that factory reset may have deleted the software glitch, or that a third party app is to blame.

If you think an app is problematic, make sure not to install it back.

For reference on how to do a factory reset, refer to the steps above.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S6 3G signal keeps dropping out, other issues

Welcome to another article that covers #GalaxyS6 problems. In this post, we tackle five more problems reported by some members of our community over the past few days. If you don’t see your issue published here, continue watching more of similar articles we will be providing in the coming weeks.

s6

In the meantime, here are the 5 specific topics we cover in this material:

  1. Galaxy S6 is unresponsive and won’t boot normally
  2. Galaxy S6 black screen issue | Galaxy S6 only boots in download mode
  3. Galaxy S6 opens S Voice or Google Voice when Apple earphone is used
  4. How to sync SMS on Galaxy Tab S2 and Galaxy S6
  5. Galaxy S6 3G signal keeps dropping out

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 is unresponsive and won’t boot normally

Hi there. Big fan of the site, you guys are fantastic. Saw you post this email address in an article for help so here I am. My Galaxy S6 went kaput today without warning.

This AM it began with the touchscreen and buttons becoming intermittently responsive. They worked occasionally or after a long delay, then normally for short lengths of time before becoming unresponsive again. After an hour or two of this the phone would shut itself off occasionally. No discernable pattern or reason why.

I responded by attempting to hook the phone up to my laptop so I could backup my data. The laptop would not recognize that anything was in the USB port no matter what cord I used or what port I used. The USB ports were good as my wireless mouse was able to use them all. I then attempted to restart the phone, causing it to shutdown and become unresponsive. I was able to get it on again after several attempts to restart. The issue with delayed action or lack of response with buttons and screen was still present.

Upon restart I was able to get my laptop recognizing the device and then backed up my information to the laptop. I chose to attempt a factory reset. This worked briefly as the phone began to reset itself. It then promptly crashed in the middle of the reset, leaving me with a black screen and the LED on the top left of the handset maintaining a blue colour.

I then found a copy of the OS for my phone online. Paired with the “ODIN” program I attempted repeatedly to flash it to my phone while in ODIN MODE. Each time this gave a “fail” message with the phone displaying a code in red near the top left of the screen “sw rev check fail device 4 binary 1”. I attempted this with several different varieties of the firmware with no change.

Finally, I was able while in ODIN MODE to get Samsung Smart Switch to return the firmware to its original state. This worked! Partially. I can put the phone into ODIN MODE, press down vol. to restart it and I will get the same opening screen as I did upon first buying the phone.

The issue at hand now is that it will no longer accept a charge or recognize that a charger of any form is attached. The phone displays 0% battery no matter what and shuts down after approx 5-10 seconds. I cannot get the phone to do anything other than open the ODIN MODE screen and either restart, or attempt to download firmware. No other attempt to start the phone has any effect.

Any ideas? — Carver

Solution: Hi Carver. The software solutions you tried (factory reset, manual firmware installation, etc) are the things a user should try if he/she suspects a software trouble. Software solutions won’t work if your phone has hardware malfunction due to water/liquid damage, or after it got dropped badly. So our question to you now is this: did you drop the phone or was it exposed to moisture or water prior to noticing the symptoms?

The issue you describe above don’t usually happen during normal use. Something must have been changed in the firmware, or the device must be suffering from hardware trouble for these symptoms to show. We obviously don’t know the full history of your device so only you can answer the questions. Keep in mind though that if the software solutions like the ones you’ve tried won’t change anything, the next best thing that you must do is to have the phone checked by a professional, or better still, replaced by either Samsung or any relevant party. The last drastic potential solution that you can try (which we don’t usually recommend) is by manual firmware flashing. Since that did not work either, you can assume that the phone is beyond fixing at your level. Neither you or we can fix this issue for you. Be sure to contact Samsung or your carrier for more help in the matter.

Problem #2: Galaxy S6 black screen issue | Galaxy S6 only boots in download mode

I was watching Netflix when my mobile phone was lagging about 2 times before it entered completely the black-screen. I thought it may be switched off itself because I couldn’t do anything more. I tried to turn it on again with the power button – but no reaction. I decided to do a force-restart by pressing volume down and power button the same time. It seemed to work because the start/boot screen appeared. But from now on that’s the only status i can reach. The phone is stuck in the boot screen. I can´t enter the recovery mode (vol up, home and power button) to do the Wipe-Cache-Partition Thing I´ve read about. I can only enter the Odin Mode (vol down, home and power button).

The Moment when my phone crashed, battery-level was about 47% and I was charging it.

When I manage to switch my phone off completely again and I’m plugging it in to charge, the battery-screen appears with 0% and it remains at this level even if I leave it “charging” the whole night.

But still, I don’t think that it’s a battery thing because I can “use” it – which means that I can leave it in the booting screen – with apparently 0% battery-level.

Unfortunately my English isn’t the best but I hope that you can understand my situation and would be happy if there’s a solution 🙂

kind regards. — Stefan

Solution: Hi Stefan. An issue like this doesn’t happen out of the blue so we would like to think that some software changes might be the cause. Such software changes can include modifications like rooting, installation of incompatible apps, or flashing of non-official firmware. Since your phone only boots in download mode right now, the only potential solution that you can try is manual installation of a stock firmware. If you haven’t tried this before, use Google to search for a guide to follow. Make sure that you pick the correct firmware for your phone’s particular model to avoid complications. Not using the right firmware version can brick your phone for good (if it’s not yet bricked at the moment).

If manual installation of firmware won’t change anything, or if the phone remains unresponsive or gets stuck during the process, you’re out of luck. Like Carver above, your only choice in this matter is to find a way to have the phone replaced.

Problem #3: Galaxy S6 opens S Voice or Google Voice when Apple earphone is used

Hi there, I’ve been having some trouble with this for a while so I’m hoping you can help me out.

I’ve been using Apple earbuds with my S6 Edge for a while now but never had any problems with it. Recently though, I would suddenly get notifications that my phone wanted to open the S Voice app (I’m given two choices between opening the S Voice or the Google app “just once” or “always”), and I’m not even touching anything! There were also times when it would randomly play music (the last song I opened) and no matter how many times I exit, it would start up again.

Also, my ringtone or volume would suddenly increase on its own, or when my phone is on silent, it would increase the volume so that it would change from silent to sound! I’m not too knowledgeable with phone stuff so I’m pretty baffled… It seems like my phone is possessed! I’m holding off on a factory reset for now to not lose any data, but it would be MUCH appreciated if you could help! Please keep in mind that all this happened while the Apple earphones were in my S6. Thanks! — Elise

Solution: Hi Elise. The symptoms you mention here has been observed to happen to Galaxy devices, both in old and new models, when you use third party earphones. There seems to be no pattern as to why devices behave this way though so we don’t have an accurate explanation. The only possible scenario that we can think is that third party earphones may be causing unnecessary inputs in the earphone jack that are misinterpreted by a device’s operating system. To check if the problem is being caused by the Apple earphone you’re using, consider using another one, or better still, the stock Samsung earphone that came in the box. If the issue remains even when using a Samsung earphone, do not hesitate to restore the phone’s software settings to default via factory reset. Doing the reset will help you determine if the issue is due to a firmware glitch, or if it’s hardware malfunction. For reference, here are the steps to factory reset you S6:

  • Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power keys together.
  • When the device powers on and displays ‘Power on logo’, release all keys and the Android icon will appear on the screen.
  • Wait until the Android Recovery Screen appears after about 30 seconds.
  • Using the Volume Down key, highlight the option, ‘wipe data/factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • Press the Volume Down button again until the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted and then press the Power key to select it.
  • After the reset is complete, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

Remember, if factory reset won’t yield anything positive, the problem is most likely phone- or hardware-related. Call Samsung or any relevant party to get a replacement.

Problem #4: How to sync SMS on Galaxy Tab S2 and Galaxy S6

So I just got the Galaxy Tab s2 and I have the Galaxy s6 phone and want to sync the messages so that I can get them on both devices. I thought with side sync I’d be able to but don’t think so anymore. and then I tried at&t message app and that kinda worked but the contact names didn’t come through. and also I thought I had that on my s6 phone but it says it’s not compatible with my device! Any ideas or help I’d be so happy! I’m so lost and I’ve never been this lost when it comes to phones and such!! Please help. If I can’t sync the messages then I don’t think I want to keep the tablet. I know there was an at&t message app at one point I just don’t know if I did something? — Gina

Solution: Hi Gina. Messaging apps work independently in every device and therefore cannot be synchronized. Unless you use apps such as Facebook’s Messenger, Google’s Hangouts, and similar ones, there’s no way your SMS will be reflected in two devices the way you want it. We are not positive if AT&T’s messaging app has a sync feature for SMS so you must talk to them for an accurate answer.

Problem #5: Galaxy S6 3G signal keeps dropping out

I have acquired a Samsung Galaxy S6 about 3 months ago and I realised that when connected to mobile data (3G) the signal keeps dropping constantly. It’s super annoying and even more now that Pokemon Go is out. It really bothers that I have “no Internet connectivity” for about 30seconds every 5 minutes or so. I live in the countryside, so no 4G connections for now. The symbol shown is “H+”, and I was wondering if that’s a hardware or network issue. I previously owned a Samsung A3 and don’t recall having this problem. Has anyone else faced this issue as well? — Pedro

Solution: Hi Pedro. This issue can be due to software glitch, hardware malfunction, or network error so it’s your task to identify which of them is the cause. The first step that you want to do is to delete the phone’s system cache. Follow these steps in order to do that:

  • Turn off the device.
  • Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, and Power key.
  • When the phone vibrates, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
  • When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
  • Press the Volume Down key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
  • Press the Power key to select.
  • When the wipe cache partition is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
  • Press the Power key to restart the device.

If wiping the cache partition won’t resolve the problem, do a factory reset and observe the phone for a few hours (without installing any app). Should the signal remain intermittent even with a  clean firmware, the problem is either network related, or problematic cellular radio on the device. If this phone was provided to you by your carrier, contact them and let them know about the issue so they can either advise you on what to do (if it’s a problem on their network), or if your phone needs replacement. If you purchased your phone from a retail store, call them or Samsung so they can replace the device.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S5 battery drain issue after Android update, other issues

Welcome to another article that addresses some of the common #GalaxyS5 issues. We hope that the solutions we provide here can help those experiencing the same or similar problems we discuss here.

s5

Below are the topics covered in this material:

  1. Galaxy S5 stops working properly after direct sunlight exposure
  2. Galaxy S5 not charging
  3. How to fix Galaxy S5 issues after Marshmallow update | Galaxy S5 battery drain issue after Android update | Galaxy S5 Wi-Fi keeps scanning after Marshmallow update
  4. Galaxy S5 won’t turn on
  5. Voice sounds like a robot when using a Galaxy S5 during calls

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 S5 stops working properly after direct sunlight exposure

Hi PLEASE HELP! I was an idiot and left my phone in the sun for about 10 minutes. When I tried to restart it, I got the Samsung logo through the AT&T logo (light at top left of phone is on while this is occurring) to load. Then the screen goes blank and after about three seconds, the process begins again… wash…rinse…and repeat (and repeat, and repeat…). IF I plug the phone in to a charger, (the battery charge % will display as usual when the phone is off). I can reboot the phone completely, make calls, text, take calls, etc. In other words, normal functionality when connected to a wall charger. Once disconnected, I can make calls, take calls, text, etc… for a period. (it worked like normal for about a day after the extreme tanning incident) periodically, if I go to make a call, the screen goes black and the wash, rinse repeat (WWR) cycle (as described above) starts again.

I have tried a soft reboot, removing, replacing the memory card, SIM Card, battery, etc…resulting in a brief period of normal operation before the WRR cycle commences. PLEASE HELP.  I don’t want to have to revert to my Lumia backup.

THANK YOU for anything you can do here. Sincerely. — Patrick

Solution: Hi Patrick. Direct exposure to sunlight, like water damage and a dropping from a height, almost always results to hardware damage and eventual malfunction. If the symptoms you’re experiencing were not there before you left the phone under direct sunlight, you can safely assume that you have a bad hardware. It’s possible though that only the battery has been affected so we recommend that you buy a new battery and try that first. If that won’t bring the normal functionality of your S5, consider having it replaced.

Problem #2: Galaxy S5 not charging

Hey guys. A few weeks ago my phone started charging on and off seemingly whenever it felt like it and slowly started getting worse until it would not charge at all while turned on.

It charges now while it’s turned off but charges on and off as if i was plugging it in, then unplugging it every few seconds. The first time I booted it up in safe mode, it charged normally but that only worked once. Now it doesn’t charge at all in safe mode either.

I have tried multiple charging cables, adapters and wall sockets and they haven’t made a difference. (My charger works fine in my friends phone).

I bought a new battery which still didn’t fix the problem. I have tried clearing cache partition. I have tried anti malware apps and cleaning tools. I have replaced the USB port in the phone and I have reset the phone to factory settings and nothing has helped! I don’t have any suspicious third party apps either I hope you can help! — Morgan

Solution: Hi Morgan. You should already know our solution by now — get the phone replaced. That the micro-USB port replacement did not even work is a clear indicator that you can’t fix the issue on your end. Even Samsung may even find it impossible to fix even. There’s only so much that you can do on your end so since you’ve already exhausted everything, it’s time to save yourself from more hassles.

Problem #3: How to fix Galaxy S5 issues after Marshmallow update | Galaxy S5 battery drain issue after Android update | Galaxy S5 Wi-Fi keeps scanning after Marshmallow update

After recent 6.0.1 system update the following issues driving me crazy:

1) Unable to turn off Wi-Fi network scan, which scans every 5 sec., even when connected to Wi-Fi.

 – powered off Wi-Fi & phone, pulled phone battery, cleared system cache, no help! Searched and tried numerous blog suggestions, but apparently Marshmallow has changed settings and menu options.  I’m sure I was able to shut off Wi-Fi scan before update. Went through and checked all the blog settings and still scanning every 5 sec. 

2) Swype keyboard doesn’t auto space between words when in Google search and URl field.  Auto spacing works fine in every other instance, texting, this form, note app, etc., even basic Google search that doesn’t also include URL.

3) battery drains much faster than before update. Example:

 – screen 31%

– chrome 20%

– Android sys 13%

– Google services 8%

and so forth.

Don’t see what is so good about Marshmallow 6.0.1. I hate updates, always a hassle, I’ve got better stuff to do than to figure out why they can’t get it right before forcing something on a user.  Ok, I feel a little better, not really! Help! — Andy

Solution: Hi Andy. There are two solutions that we usually recommend for post-update issues — wipe the cache partition and perform a factory reset. If the first one did not change anything, it’s time to reset everything back to their default settings. For reference, these are the steps to master reset your S5:

  • Power down the Galaxy S5.
  • Press and hold the Volume up button, the Home button, and the Power button together until you see the Android on screen.
  • Use Volume down to highlight the wipe data/factory reset option and press the Power button to select it.
  • Use Volume down again to highlight Yes – delete all user data and press Power to select it.
  • Use the Power button to select Reboot system now.
  • When the S5 restarts it should be completely wiped and ready to set up again.

Now, factory reset may not fix your issues if the cause is due to a bad app. Try to observe your phone for at least 24 hours without installing anything and keep an eye on the things you itemized here. If they won’t appear after a factory reset, chances are one of your installed apps is not compatible with Android Marshmallow. Remember, updating the Android operating system does not mean apps are being updated as well. It’s your responsibility to ensure that your apps are compatible with the new operating system. Official mainstream apps usually receive updates from their respective developers, but the truth may be the opposite for less popular, poorly funded developers. Always make sure that you only install stuff from reputable or reliable developers.

Battery drain solutions

Battery drain issue occurs regardless of platform, device, or operating system. The new Marshmallow OS may or may not be the main reason for rapid battery power loss you’re experiencing right now but that doesn’t mean fundamental principles will not work towards resolving it. Below are some of the basic stuff that you can do to extend the battery life of your S5.

Lower down screen brightness. If there’s one thing that sucks your S5’s battery really fast, it’s the display. Your Samsung Galaxy S5 uses millions of pixels to render movies, pictures, and anything you want to see on your device and entire process can drain the battery quicker if left unchecked. Try to lower down the display brightness to the lowest level comfortable for you. If you can’t decide on the brightness yourself, consider using the “Auto adjust screen tone” option that Samsung offers. You will be surprised how much more time you can use your phone in a day  when this is enabled.

Turn off unnecessary communication modes. If you want to squeeze all the juice you can get from your battery, make sure that you turn off features or functionalities you don’t need at the moment. Leaving Wi-Fi and/or mobile data constantly on can effectively suck your battery dry. The same can be said of Bluetooth, NFC, and similar other communication functions in an S5. if you are in an area with poor reception, switching Airplane mode on may significantly reduce battery drain everyday.

Switch sync to manual. If you have a lot of apps that regularly asks for update from remote servers to update their contents, now is the time to turn master sync to off. Alternatively, you can go under each app’s settings menu and turn sync to off or switch it to manual. Apps that regularly asks for updates include email apps, social networking apps, shopping apps, games, and even some productivity apps.

Social networking apps like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and other similar products can drain your battery very quickly. Make sure that you deal with their sync function properly.

Use Power-saving mode. Recognizing the need to help users manage their smartphone batteries better, Samsung is the first in the industry to equip their flagship phone with  an automatic power-saving feature. In an S5, there are actually two options to save power–the basic Power-saving mode, and the Ultra power-saving mode.

The first one basically restricts background data to prevent manual syncing of apps to servers, disables GPS, lowers screen frame rate, and slows down processor speed.

Ultra Power Saving Mode transforms your smartphone into a dumb one in order to allow you use basic functions like SMS and calling possible. This option is best used during emergency situations but it doesn’t mean you cannot switch to it from time to time.

 

Related reading: Battery drain issue on Galaxy S5 after Marshmallow update

 

Problem #4: Galaxy S5 won’t turn on

I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and it won’t turn on. Now I know my phone works. it has done this a few times but somehow someway, i always got to come back on. Here are some of the symptoms: when I charge my phone the charging icon and LED lights do not appear. yes I charged it so it’s not that. I’ve changed the battery so the battery is not defective. I attempted recovery and safe mode but halfway through the phone just zaps off.

I’ve  tried to take out the battery and hold the power button for more than one minute to drain the electricity and it still is doesn’t work. The only two things that i  have not done is wipe cache partition or hard reset.

I don’t know exactly what it is, it sounds scary, and i have a gut feeling it won’t help. I’m going to college soon and I need my phone.

I know my phone works. it has done this a few times but I’ve always got it to come back on. it might be the power IC. I don’t know exactly what that is. I just read your pages and you said it may be the problem. Basically it’s just not turning on. If this helps, when i take the battery out and put it back in. The Samsung logo appears but the one zaps off once more. Please help. — Akejah

Solution: Hi Akejah. Like you, we don’t have the ability to know what the problem might be. We are limited to how you describe the issue and symptoms you mention. As far as knowing whether wiping the cache partition or doing a factory reset will resolve the problem, the answer depends on the exact problem. There’s no way for us know if doing them will make the phone turn back on or not. You have to try them yourself. The same can be said on the possibility that your phone may have a bad hardware. The phone must be checked physically to know if a component has failed. The general rule is, if software troubleshooting like wiping the cache or factory reset won’t fix your issue, you must have a hardware malfunction. The real reason can range from a faulty hardware button, a malfunctioning power IC, or other defective components.

Call Samsung and let them check the phone. Better still, simply get a replacement unit to ensure you have a good working phone when you go to college.

Problem #5: Voice sounds like a robot when using a Galaxy S5 during calls

I just got the phone yesterday. Everything so far worked wonderfully and I am beyond excited to have a really nice phone finally. Fast forward to this morning when my husband called on his lunch break. I answered the phone and all he could hear was a loud, tech/robot like noise. He hung up and tried again with the same results. I then called him and he was able to hear me perfectly. I have tried with another phone and it seems to come and go. I was on the phone with my father-in-law (he called me) and at the beginning of our conversation it worked fine. But towards the end, it cut in with the same robot noise and he couldn’t even hear me to have me say goodbye. — Jaclyn

Solution: Hi Jaclyn. If this issue happens on another phone as well, the problem is most likely network related. There’s nothing that we or you can do about it. You have to contact your wireless carrier and report the issue to them so they can advise you on what to do.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy S5 loses Wi-Fi internet connection after an update, other issues

Do you have any #GalaxyS5 problems lately? This post might help. One of the issues we tackle here, an S5 loses Wi-Fi internet connection, covers a common but nevertheless effective solution for post-update problems.

s5

We also include four other problems as specified below:

  1. Galaxy S5 sound is low when using a headset
  2. Galaxy S5 loses Wi-Fi internet connection after an update
  3. Galaxy S5 won’t connect to StraightTalk mobile data
  4. Galaxy S5 screen keeps flickering if phone is not connected to charger
  5. Calls sound muffled using a Galaxy S5

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 S5 sound is low when using a headset

I bought a new Galaxy S5 for Verizon a few days. When I turned it on, it connected to Google and Wifi. The updates began, and when I tried to listen using my wired headphones post the updates, the sound was low even when Media volume is highest. There is static and cracking noises (only when using the wired headphones, tried several different ones, no issue with the speaker when the headphones are out).

When I listen to a high quality mp3 using the headphones, the sound is very “thin” – i.e., no bass, the singer’s voice is barely audible, and you only hear the arrangement – as if some frequencies are absent.

Also, when I change the volume up and down a Google Voice recognition pops up expecting some action, even though I explicitly turned it off “OK Google” detection in Settings.

When I cleared the defaults, changing the volume up and down at times pops up the box below with: “Do you want to open with Google App or S Voice”? As if the microphone is reacting to the audio when the headphones are in, which is very strange. I disabled all the Motions and Gestures in Settings.

I tried the following to fix this problem without any success:

1) Cleared the cache partition

2) Removed and inserted back the SD card, battery, restarted the phone many times

3) Did a factory reset (it rolled back some updates, but not Android 6.0.1.)

4) Disabled/enabled Google app, re-installed YouTube and other key apps

5) Started in the Safe mode – same issue persists.

Perhaps something is wrong with the phone jack (I tried inserting the headphones better, cleaning it with air, etc., but I still suspect a software issue of some kind, based on how it works).

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! — Leonard

Solution: Hi Leonard. An audio problem like this can only be fixed if proper isolation is done first. We suspect that the problem is not software-related since you’ve already tried to do a factory reset. While Android system updates can sometimes lead to problems, they don’t normally affect how a hardware works because their drivers remain unchanged. In fact, we haven’t had any case documented before demonstrating that a headphone jack stops working properly after a system update.

If the problem does not occur when inserting the same headset to another device, you can rule out a headset issue. Headphone jacks can sometimes go bad, even on other electronics so the best thing that you can do right now is ask for replacement phone from your carrier.

Problem #2: Galaxy S5 loses Wi-Fi internet connection after an update

Hi. I did the system update through the phone as it downloaded automatically through wi-fi at work. Since then I have had no internet connection at all.

I have tried a soft reboot. Did the reboot deleting the cache.

Still no network connection. Network is definitely on when I turn off wi-fi.

Also went to the SIM card provider, Lebara.es, who sold me sim card in January and they can’t see anything wrong and it says I have internet credit. The setup is correct and they tried a new connection. This has all happened since the update. Connects to wifi fine! just no internet whatsoever. I am going to try another SIM in the phone tonight after work but am at a loss. Last option is a full system reboot to factory settings I believe so am backing up everything today while I am on wifi at work.

I am hoping you will come up with something so I don’t have to do that. Data network is definitely active. I’ve tried taking battery out as well as turning on and off multiple times.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Regards. — Toni

Solution: Hi Toni. There are only two things that we recommend if you encounter problems right after updating Android — wiping the cache partition and performing a factory reset. Assuming there’s no hardware problem involved, like a malfunctioning Wi-Fi radio, a factory reset should help you bring back Wi-Fi connectivity.

Problem #3: Galaxy S5 won’t connect to StraightTalk mobile data

I bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 used and bought an accompanying “bring your own phone” package. Everything set up fine and I used it for several months without issue. Recently there was a software update available which I started. There was a problem and the phone ended up getting turned off. The update was then failed and the phone would then only show me the screen saying that the update had failed and I needed to run the Verizon Software Upgrade Assistant (the repair portion) to repair the phone and finish the update.

After a few failed attempts, the repair assistant finally worked overnight while I was sleeping. The phone was usable again. It sent and received texts and calls and hooked up to wi-fi fine but will not connect to the internet via data.

When I go to look at the APN it shows VZWINTERNET and only that one. Doesn’t give me the option to add others either. (plus sign is gray and unclickable).

So I tried having StraightTalk update my APN and data settings but it shows up as an incompatible SIM, even though it is absolutely the same StraightTalk SIM I’ve had and was working.

Did the repair assistant mess up my SIM? Is there any way to fix it or do I now need a new SIM? Thank you in advance for your consideration. — Scott

Solution: Hi Scott. Verizon phones are notorious for giving problems to users if used on different networks. We can’t be sure if the Verizon update is responsible for the present issue so you have to talk to StraightTalk support for guidance.

Trying another SIM card is definitely a must in order to isolate the problem. If the second SIM fails, that’s a confirmation that some settings may have changed that prevents the phone from connecting to StraigtTalk’s services. Because we don’t know the full history of your phone, we can only speculate. You must work closely with your carrier to get this issue resolved.

Problem #4: Galaxy S5 screen keeps flickering if phone is not connected to charger

After I uninstalled those two apps (Game of War and Clash of Clans. Installed them to get free stuff and then un-installed then phone started freaking out), I was recording a video on the camera. It suddenly shut off and then started flickering to the black start up galaxy screen off and on. It shows the galaxy screen and vibrates once like its starting up and then starts over doing it over and over but never fully turns on. 

I pulled the battery twice letting it sit for about 20 seconds and when i turned it back on it starting flickering again. I plugged it in even though I knew there was about 35% battery life and it started up and was working fine but only while charging. I went to bed and let it charge. When I got up this morning, as soon as I pulled it off the charger it started doing it again. It continues to flicker back on that screen every time if I don’t keep it on the charger. I did clear the cache but that didn’t help. Please help.  — Stevie

Solution: Hi Stevie. If the only you did prior to noticing the problem was to install the said apps, the best thing that you can do right now is to do a factory reset. Doing so will erase any glitch that may have developed after the installation. Here are the steps:

  • Power down the Galaxy S5.
  • Press and hold the Volume up button, the Home button, and the Power button together until you see the Android on screen.
  • Use Volume down to highlight the wipe data/factory reset option and press the Power button to select it.
  • Use Volume down again to highlight Yes – delete all user data and press Power to select it.
  • Use the Power button to select Reboot system now.
  • When the S5 restarts it should be completely wiped and ready to set up again.

Problem #5: Calls sound muffled using a Galaxy S5

Hello. I’m desperate. Found your site on Google. Didn’t see my problem so I’m writing hoping you still are active with site.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S5. Not sure if Android version is Lollipop. It doesn’t say.

Anyway I just turned phone in, because no one can hear me and when they do they say I’m “muffled” or sound like I’m in a “washing machine.”

Most times I have “2 bars” for my phone. When I received “new” phone, I still have “2 bars” most times. Does not matter where I am. I could be in middle of town where a tower is visible.

Anyway, my girlfriend has an iPhone and she can walk through out my house with no problems, like she is on a landline. I’m ready to either try another phone brand or phone company. Do you have any suggestions?

One more thing. When I talk on the phone, the phone at time puts my volume on “vibrate,” or my “settings” menu pops up. And if I text or hang up on call most times it will call person back. I’m at my wits end with this. Thanks for any help you can offer. — Dennis

Solution: Hi Dennis. The first thing that you want to do is check if the call problem you’re having is due to a bad microphone. To do that, try to record your voice using the phone and listen to it. If the audio is bad and sounds like the line is full of static, that’s an indication that you have a  hardware problem. The only solution is to ask for a replacement device from your carrier or Samsung.

If the microphone works fine though, consider doing some basic software troubleshooting. The first one that you can try is wiping the phone’s cache partition. This troubleshooting step is usually recommended if you have updated a device to another operating system version or if the phone is having some weird glitches. Despite not having installed the full set of new operating system files, we suggest the you do the following steps to erase possibly corrupted cache on your device:

  • Turn the phone off.
  • Press and hold the following buttons together: Power, Volume Up and Home.
  • Release the buttons once the Android system recovery menu appears.
  • Use the Volume buttons to navigate to Wipe Cache Partition option.
  • Press the Power button to confirm selection.
  • Select Reboot System Now option after deleting the cache. Wait for the phone to reboot.

You can also try booting the phone in safe mode to see if a third party application is the problem. While in this mode, your phone is put in a diagnostic state, allowing only first party apps to run. This is mostly performed if a user suspects that a third party app may be messing with the operating system, or if the phone suffers from performance issues. If your calls work just fine while in safe mode, that’s a confirmation that one of the apps you installed is the root of the problem. Just follow these steps:

  • Turn the device off.
  • Press and hold the Power key.
  • When ‘Samsung Galaxy S5′ appears on the screen, release the Power key.
  • Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
  • Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
  • Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
  • Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.

If nothing changes after doing these procedures, do not hesitate to do a factory reset.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Galaxy Note 5 battery drain issue after an Android update, other issues

Galaxy Note 5

As we prepare for the release of two new flagship devices from Samsung this year, the Galaxy Note 6 and Galaxy S7, we also continue to receive requests for assistance for older devices including the #GalaxyNote5. Below are the specific topics discussed in this post:

  1. Galaxy Note 5 lock screen options
  2. Galaxy Note 5 showing a flashing screen after trying to recover photos
  3. Galaxy Note 5 battery drain issue after an Android update
  4. Galaxy Note 5 won’t turn on
  5. Galaxy Note 5 overheating issue
  6. Galaxy Note 5 audio not working properly

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.

 

Problem #1: Galaxy Note 5 lock screen options

First time switcher to Android on the back of a Note 5 purchase. For this reason I didn’t realize my phone’s lock screen was “absent” as my phone was being locked (fingerprint in my case) only directly to and from the home screen. I never saw the actual lock screen until I activated Smart Lock using the Bluetooth option.

As soon as this was enabled the screen lock appeared and I guess I found myself in the same position as 99.9% of other Android users.

Needless to say my preference is to unlock directly from the home screen. The closest discussion I could find after hours of web searching which mentions odd lock screen behavior being related to Smart Lock was this thread.

I finally bit the bullet and reset my phone in the hope of reverting back to home screen locking but this didn’t work and alas I’m now stuck with the traditional lock screen.

My question is simple. Is it possible for my Note 5 to recover its original home screen lock screen?

P.S. I do not wish to root my phone. — Patrick

Solution: Hi Patrick. We don’t think we understand what you really want to accomplish here. First of all, lock screen customization options are straightforward. Start by checking out Swipe, then proceed to the rest of other options to see if you can get what you missed after a factory reset.

Secondly, your phone’s lock screen mechanism will change once you enable Smart Lock regardless of which trusted lock you’re using. The “absent” lock screen will now be visible on the home screen if your device is not detecting the trusted Bluetooth device. This is how Google designed it and unfortunately, there’s no way to change it at this time. If you want to revert to the original lock screen set up, simply turn off Smart Lock.

Problem #2: Galaxy Note 5 showing a flashing screen after trying to recover photos

After losing my photos  and videos on my Note, I tried to recover it by Dr. Fone but not only did I not get my files but also phone didn’t boot any more. I tried to re-root it, it comes up but there were a webroot warning (secure anywhere) and a massage that the license has expired.

I tried to uninstall it but in initial process without confirming uninstallation it started to flash and restart. It didn’t help to get better. I don’t know what happened!

1-how i can get rid of this flashing (screen get on and off on secure anywhere) and it doesn’t allow to access anywhere?

2-how can i get back this license?

3-Knox warranty void:0x1 (4)??

Thanks. — Mohsen

Solution: Hi Mohsen. Let’s answer your points individually.

Firstly, the flashing message may be an indication that a software modification has messed up the system. Make sure that you perform a factory reset to restore the default settings of your phone’s operating system. For easy reference, here are the steps to do that:

  • Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.
  • Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.
  • Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.
  • The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.
  • Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.
  • The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don’t worry and wait for the device to become active.

Secondly, you have to contact Dr. Fone’s customer support for assistance on how to get the license of their product again, especially if you paid for it.

Lastly, we don’t know if your third point is a question what a “Knox warranty void:0x1”. If it is, this means that your phone’s KNOX Active Protection security protection had been tripped probably by your attempts to flash non-official firmware, or by rooting. Knox is an electronic fuse that tells Samsung if the phone’s software has been modified. Tripping the Knox counter means the device no longer has warranty and there’s no way to reset it back to 0x0 (original status).

Problem #3: Galaxy Note 5 battery drain issue after an Android update

Hi. I have an Note 5 which used to run perfectly on its stock Lollipop OS. But recently I was asked to install updates which claimed to optimize performance. The only thing I noticed after the update was a few apps re-skinned, but then the battery started draining like crazy. The phone gets hot when charged apart from when it is off, and to sum it all up THE PHONE IS ONLY 1 WEEK OLD.

Before the update battery life averaged 30 hours constant use, now I get less than 13 hours. ‘Android System’ takes up most battery and shows it to be consuming 40% of the total power when the screen takes only 12% on high brightness. This is clearly an Android issue, since the battery was perfect and there were no problems before updating. Please help, thank you. — Usama

Solution: Hi Usama. Android updates can serve different purposes like improving user experience, fix known bugs, update security features, add or remove services, among others. In general, they are intended to fix rather than to create problems. The thing is, installing an Android update does not necessarily mean you are updating your apps too. Outdated apps working with an updated Android operating system can be problematic and often results to issues including the one you are experiencing right now. Actually, this is only one of the many potential causes.

Make sure that your apps are compatible with the version of your device’s operating system. Official apps from popular developers or products are often up-to-date. The same cannot be said of old apps or those built by least known developers though. Get rid of apps that you haven’t used lately. A good rule of thumb when it comes to getting rid of apps is by going over all of them. If you haven’t used an app for the last 2 weeks, chances are it is not that important to you. Install as few apps as possible. The lesser the number of apps your operating system has to work with, the lesser the chance of conflicts and battery drain issue from happening.

Also, make sure that you wipe the phone’s cache partition. The cache can sometimes get corrupted so you need to get the system create a new cache. Deleting the system cache won’t affect your personal date like photos, videos, contacts, etc so it’s perfectly safe to do. In fact, we recommend that you do it once every few months. Here are the steps how it’s done:

  • Turn off your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 completely.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.
  • Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.
  • Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.
  • The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.
  • Use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • When the process is complete, use the Volume Down key to highlight the option ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.
  • The reboot may take a little longer to complete but don’t worry and wait for the device to become active.

Among the issues that may be fixed by this procedure are…

  • Phone got stuck in the logo during boot up
  • Device entered the boot loop or can’t boot up successfully
  • Phone randomly reboots after an update
  • Device can’t get out of Safe Mode
  • Phone always freezes, lags, or becomes unresponsive from time to time

Problem #4: Galaxy Note 5 won’t turn on

My phone has had the issue that seems pretty common. The lock screen is unresponsive then the phone freezes up and then restarts.  It was been more and more frequent and then last night it went spastic, started restarting over and over again. 

When I woke up this morning, the screen was once again unresponsive, there was a LED notification flashing but nothing else. I let it sit for a few minutes and then pop it back in and power up the phone. Except as of almost 2 hours ago now, it will not power on.

When i put it on charger no battery charging light comes on. I am at a loss as to what to do at this point.  Can you help me? — Josh

Solution:  Hi Josh. The first thing you want to do is to try another charger, or connect the phone to a computer. This will help you determine if there’s a problem with the current charger or USB cord. Make sure to leave the phone charged for at least 30 minutes.

The next best thing to do is to check if you can restart the phone in another boot mode. We suggest that you try recovery mode first as doing so can give you options to either perform a factory reset or delete the system cache. Here’s how:

  • Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home buttons first, and then press and hold the Power key.
  • Keep the three buttons pressed and when ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key but continue holding the other two.
  • Once the Android logo shows, release both the Volume Up and Home buttons.
  • The notice ‘Installing system update’ will show on the screen for 30 to 60 seconds before the Android system recovery screen is shown with its options.

You can also try to boot in Download mode (by pressing Volume Down, Home, and Power buttons), or restart the phone in safe mode. For reference, here are the steps to boot safe mode:

  • Turn off the phone completely.
  • Press and hold the Power key.
  • Once ‘Samsung Galaxy Note5’ shows, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  • The phone will restart but keep the Volume Down button pressed.
  • Once the phone has finished restarting, ‘Safe mode’ will be display in the lower-left corner of the screen.
  • You may now release the Volume Down button.

If nothing seems to work, have the phone checked for possible hardware problems.

Problem #5: Galaxy Note 5 overheating issue

My Samsung suddenly went off and came on after a while on its own and started showing this animation like it wanted a reboot. This lasted for over six hours without any change on the screen. After some time, it came on but I noticed that the phone was unusually hot (very hot) and ever since then it’s remained that way — very hot.

Now it goes off and comes on on its own and sometimes refuses to come on. I have done a factory reset still same problem. Please can you offer any assistance? Thanks. — Chuks

Solution: Hi Chuks. Overheating is almost always a manifestation of a hardware issue. To see if our hunch is right, make sure that you do a factory reset first. Observe how the phone works after a factory reset (without installing any apps) for at least 24 hours. If overheating remains even after a factory reset, that’s a confimation that the phone suffers from a hardware issue. Make sure to have it checked by Samsung.

Problem #6: Galaxy Note 5 audio not working properly

I have a big problem with my Samsung Galaxy Note 5. I was listening to songs through my phone on my external Microlab speaker. For some reason i unplugged the audio jack and plugged it again. it was playing fine but after plugging again i did not hear any sound. Then carefully I heard the speaker is making very very low sound. I almost needed to put the speakers in my ear to hear sound. After that i unplugged the jack and tried playing songs or any music or video through my phone speaker. But it’s all the same thing. Very little sound is coming out of my mobile speaker too at full volume. Tried headphone — it’s the same. In headphone i can hear distorted sound. Very very low. when i make a call there is no sound on my earpiece and if i talk the other person can’t hear me. What could be the problem?

I tried rebooting many times. Tried factory reset and all other things i could find on forums. Nothing seem to work. i don’t think it’s a speaker IC issue as it makes very very low sound. And moreover, i can’t hear through earpiece or headphone on calls which i guess isn’t related to the speaker IC? this is really weird. Anyone got any help for me? — Vincent

Solution: Hi Vincent. If a factory reset did not change anything, that’s a clear indication that there must be a hardware problem behind this trouble. It can be anything from a bad speaker IC, malfunctioning headphone jack, to other audio-related components. A physical check of your phone is needed to know the exact reason for the audio failure on your device. If it’s still covered by warranty, make sure that you send it to Samsung. Otherwise, call your wireless carrier for a warranty repair or replacement.

 

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

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.

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.