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Galaxy S III

Canadian Galaxy S III Receiving Jelly Bean Update On December 3rd

Users overseas may have been a bit jealous that the United States has been getting their updates to Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S III earlier than just about everyone else. If you’ve been anxious to get that update on your device, well you’re in luck! Samsung Canada has announced via a tweet that they a OTA (Over The Air) update would begin rolling out next week, which is Monday, December 3rd. This update just happens to be Android 4.1.1, which should excite a lot of you Canadian users!

A lot of American carriers still aren’t pushing out the Jelly Bean update to the Galaxy S III, despite Sprint rolling it out to their devices on their network a while back. Regardless, hopefully with the announcement of Canada getting the update we will be seeing the update also roll out from AT&T and Verizon here in the states. With how long users have been waiting for this update, I would highly doubt Samsung — and the carriers — would keep their users waiting much longer. If you remember, a while back there were a few reports that December would be the month of Jelly Bean for a few of Samsung’s devices as well. With this update coming to Canada on December 3rd, I think we’re going to be seeing a lot of Jelly Bean just about everywhere.

In other news, there has been rumors going around the Samsung Galaxy S 2 update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is almost ready as well! Hopefully we’ll be hearing some news of this shortly here. We’ll keep you posted as to when we spot something!

Do you have any predictions as to when Samsung and the various carriers are going to start rolling out Jelly Bean for the S III and S II?  Any of our friends over in Canada excited to hear about the Jelly Bean update as well?

Sound off in the comments below!

source: Samsung
via: Talk Android 

A Guide to Fix Three Most Common Audio Problems on Samsung Galaxy S3 [Hardware Solution available]

Samsung Galaxy S3 audion problem hardware solution

Basing on the features and functions, it is irrefutable to note that Samsung Galaxy lineups are indeed among the finest smartphone series existing in today’s global mobile market. But problems can always occur to any device like the GS3, regardless of how powerful the technology is being utilized to form the entire smartphone system. Among the most probable issues that can occur to the Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone would include those associated with its hardware like audio problems. Hardware problems usually exist when the device was exposed to water, dust, damp surfaces, and also can be due to strong physical collision.

There are three types of audio problems that may transpire to the GS 3 handset, including:

  1. No sound is heard during dialing or receiving calls
  2. Extremely low sound
  3. Perceivable noise in the speaker

What to do when you hear no sound when dialing or receiving calls?

  • There are two things you can do as primary solution for this issue. First, restart your GS3 handset. After the restart, verify the volume settings to make sure it is set to the appropriate level.

What to do when the sound is extremely low?

  • Possible cause of this issue is usually some dusts amassed on the handset’s speakers and eventually barring the Speaker Diagram. As resolution, open the handset front-end cover and clean the speakers section using a cotton bud or any soft cotton cloth. If cleaning of the speakers area does not do give any good result, then you better replace the speaker with a new one.

What to do when unusual noise in the speaker exists?

  • Noise usually indicates that the speaker is faulty. So, in order to resolve this problem, have it replaced with a new or functional speaker.

What to do if the initial solutions won’t solve audio problems on your GS 3 device?

  • If prior workarounds are unsuccessful, then you may proceed to hardware solution.

WARNING:

Please do not attempt to perform the following procedures if you are not sure how to do it right. Otherwise, you may end up having other problems on your GS3 handset, afterwards.

To start with the hardware fix, separate your Galaxy S3 audio chip from the phone.

  1. Try to verify the volume level to ensure it is not what’s causing the audio problem.
  2. Check for any possible damages (physical or liquid) occurring to the strip or connector of your GS 3 handset.
  3. If certain damage exists to the strip or connector, then replace it with a new one.
  4. Carefully examine the Codec or Capacitor to make sure either of them is not faulty. If you see some damage to the Codec or Capacitor, replace the damage part.
  5. After performing the aforesaid solutions and re-assembling the handset, try to make a call to check if the speakerphone is working or not.

If problem persists, then please contact Samsung support to get further assistance in troubleshooting audio problems on Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone using other methods than what we have elaborated in this page.

Samsung technical support group can be reached via live chat at Samsung Support official website or over the phone.

Sprint issuing minor updates to the Galaxy S5 Sport, Galaxy Tab 4 and the Galaxy S III

Galaxy S5 Sport

Galaxy S5 Sport

Sprint has started issuing a new update to the Galaxy S5 Sport, the Galaxy Tab 4 as well as the three year old Galaxy S III. These are minor updates of course, so don’t expect a lot in the update change log. Apart from the usual suite of bug fixes, the update adds the Kids Mode feature to the smartphones, which has been available on flagship Samsung devices for quite some time now.

The carrier also mentions that there will be minor UI enhancements with the device, which could be the addition of an icon or two, so don’t get your hopes up just yet.

As usual, the update is rolling out in batches, so you might not see it popping up instantly on your devices. But if you’re already seeing the update on your Sprint branded Galaxy S III, Galaxy S5 Sport or the Galaxy Tab, make sure you let us know by dropping a comment below.

Source: Sprint (Galaxy S5 Sport, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Tab 4)

Via: Android Police

KitKat rolling out to Verizon’s Galaxy S III and S4 mini, Sprint’s S4 mini and Galaxy Mega

KitKat rolling out to Verizon's Galaxy S III and S4 mini, Sprint's S4 mini and Galaxy Mega

An avalanche of KitKat updates is all set to hit various Samsung devices. Verizon will begin rolling out the Android 4.4.2 update to the Galaxy S III and Galaxy S4 mini, while Sprint will be updating the S4 mini and the Galaxy Mega. All the updates are scheduled to start rolling out from today, and will be available over the air and, in case of Verizon, through the carrier’s Upgrade Assistant program. (more…)

AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy S III to get KitKat update today

AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S III to get KitKat update today

Galaxy S III owners on AT&T’s network are in for a treat, as the device will start receiving its KitKat update from today. The updat for AT&T’s variant comes a little over a month after Sprint became the first carrier to update the Galaxy S III to KitKat, and will bump the software version on the device to I747UCUFNE4 while bringing over all the KitKat goodies that we have come to expect. (more…)

How To Fix Samsung Galaxy S3 Common Problems [Part 17]

As you may have already known, we’ve been supporting a lot of devices but the Galaxy S3 Problems and Solutions is, so far, the longest running series. I started publishing posts like this a few months after the Galaxy S3 was release in 2012 (pre-Android 4.3).

Samsung-Galaxy-S3-Problems-17

Imagine, I’ve been supporting users of this phone for more than a year now and we’re still getting hundreds of emails from our readers daily asking how to solve their concerns. Why? Because Galaxy S3 is still one of the widely used smartphones with more than 40 million users. But majority of the problems we receive are related to apps and firmware, thus, minor.

In case you have problems with your phone, feel free to contact us via [email protected] and may include your problems in our next publication. But I urge you to provide as much information as possible. I don’t care how long your messages are as long as they make sense and help us diagnose what the problems really are. You can also reach us via our Facebook and Google+ pages; I am also one of the people that answers questions there. Lastly, try to go through each part of the series to see if we already addressed your concerns.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12] [Part 13] [Part 14] [Part 15] [Part 16]

Galaxy S3 Problems and Solutions

#1. Galaxy S3 shuts down multiple times

Q: Hi, after the latest update a few weeks ago, my phone has been shutting down and failing to reboot at least 20x/day. Most of the time, the phone would shut down and get hung up on the Samsung logo, then shut down again, stopping at that. Once in a while, it would reboot, but shortly after shut down again. The periods where it stays on without shutting down is now seldom.

Background

  • Right after the update a message had popped up stating that a Factory Reset was required since a data partition has been corrupted.
  • After backing up all the photos and data, I finally managed to attempt the factory reset. It took me this long due to the multiple phone shutdowns coupled with having to transfer via Bluetooth to my Mac desktop.
  • Phone is still shutting down while I am trying to start over after having done the factory reset.

Please say you can help me, and thank you! — Jocelyn

A: If the phone was just fine prior to the update, then it’s a software issue. At this point, we already know that Factory Reset could solve it and there are three ways to hard reset your phone.

The first is by going to Settings menu of the phone but as you said, it took you so long to do so because of the frequent reboots. The problem with it is that during the process and phone shuts down automatically, it may end up being corrupted and more problems will follow. So, if you prefer that procedure, all your need to do is boot the phone to Safe Mode and perform factory reset there. Here’s how you boot to safe mode:

  1. Turn the phone off completely.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. When the Galaxy S3 screen appears, release the Power button.
  4. Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume Down key until the phone finished restarting.
  5. “Safe Mode” will be displayed on the lower left corner of the screen.

The second way to factory reset the phone to delete all personal information and settings is by dialing a code using the phone’s stock Dialer/Phone app. To do this, launch the phone app and dial *2767*3855# (star-2-7-6-7-star-3-8-5-5-pound). It will automatically reset your phone.

The third way is a bit complicated but the most effective because it does not only delete your personal information and settings, it will also re-format the cache and data partitions. You can do this by booting to Recovery Mode:

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons.
  2. When the phone vibrates, release the Power button but continue holding the other two until Android System Recovery screen appears.
  3. Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’ and press the Power button to select it.
  4. Still use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘delete all user data’ and press the Power button to select the option.
  5. Once the master reset is finished, highlight ‘reboot system now’ and hit the Power button one more time.

I hope I provided all information need to bring your phone back to its optimal settings.

#2. Galaxy S3 charging problem

Q: Hey, I was reading your blog and would like to say that it’s really helpful. However I have a few problems of my own and would really appreciate if you could help.

Since a few months, I am experiencing problems in charging my phone (I know its been answered earlier but this is a bit different). Firstly it only charges with my own charger and refuses to charge with any other original Samsung charger. Further, if I charge it through my car or laptop, using the USB cord of my charger it actually drains the battery rather than charging it. I did a reboot and also cleared my cache but the problem remains.

Since a couple of weeks, when I put it on charging, it shows that its charging (the bolt sign shows on the screen) but it really does not charge. Also because of this, whenever I keep it on charging, I practically make sure that it does not get disturbed (as in moved or touched) but even then it constantly goes on and off from charging. Every now and then I hear that ping of it being charged. And thus, again the phone remains uncharged. I keep it on charging in the night. In the morning it shows 100% charged. But as soon as I remove the charger, it drains to 51 or 42%. I really am sorry as I know that these are a lot many questions but would really appreciate if you could help. Regards, Arpit.

A: If you think you’ve disturbed us by trying to explain what the problem is, well, you haven’t. I even appreciate the effort. In your message, you’ve already ruled out the possibility that it is just a charger problem. There is a very slim chance that 3 or 4 chargers will be damaged at the same time. That said, we are left with two suspects; the battery and the USB charging port.

I understand that you may not want to purchase a different battery kit considering there is no guarantee it would fix the problem. But honestly, there’s no better way to rule out the possibility that it’s a battery problem. If you know someone who owns a Galaxy S3, you may ask them to let you borrow their battery for few minutes so you could try charging the phone with a different battery.

If ever you get hold of a new battery, the first thing you should do is to try charging the phone and see if it does. If the phone charges fine with a new battery, our suspicion was confirmed that it was indeed the battery that has some issues, otherwise, you just have to look at the bright side that when the phone eventually get fixed, you already have a spare battery.

The other suspect is the USB charging port. This is where things get complicated a little. If you are confident you safely open your device and inspect the USB port, then do it. Otherwise, employ the services of an authorized technician. You may end up buying a replacement for this component but once replaced, your phone will be like new. Also, if you don’t want to buy a new battery, then bring the phone to a tech and have him check if it’s a battery problem or not. I hope I have somehow answered your questions.

#3. Galaxy S3 will not boot up

Q: Hello! I’m having trouble rebooting my phone. I wiped data/factory reset, and deleted “all user data” then pressed “reboot system now” however, when I pressed the power button it didn’t restart. Please help me with this, I figured it might be something with the USB port or battery but I’m not sure because even when I did the hard reset, it wouldn’t restart past the Samsung/android logo screen. I look forward to hearing from you, thanks!

A: You’re lacking something here: what happened before this problem occurred? It’s very rare that the recovery ROM would be corrupted. Based on your message, I don’t think the battery or the USB port has the problem. In fact, I don’t even think it’s a hardware issue after all. We could assume a lot of things that may result to this problem: my first assumption is that you updated the phone and the process was interrupted. You attempted to reboot it but you were stuck on the Samsung logo, so you emailed. It could also be that you tried to root your phone or installed custom ROM. The point is, I cannot provide solution to a problem that I don’t even know what the cause was.

#4. Galaxy S3 internet connection is unstable

Q: Hello. I have went through all your pages that will actually open and I cannot find a solution to our galaxy s3 problem. Ever since day one of upgrading to 4.3 I’ve experienced problems on Wi-Fi. I constantly get a message on top that says “internet connection unstable”. I upgraded about three weeks before my wife and as soon as she upgraded she stayed getting the same message. It doesn’t matter what Wi-Fi we’re using whether at home, church, or public it’s the same so I know it’s not our router. It only happened after the upgrade. Is there a solution or are we forced to deal with it like we have been? Thank you so much for all you do. — Troy

A: The last time I encountered this issue, I just disabled a feature that allows automatic network switching and the problem was solved. The reason behind that is when that feature is enabled, the phone would have the authority to switch between networks depending on the quality of service or coverage. So, I want you to try that one first:

  1. From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Scroll to and tap Wi-Fi.
  4. Long press the network you’re connecting to.
  5. Tap Forget Network.
  6. Tap the Menu key again.
  7. Choose Advanced.
  8. Turn Auto Network switch to Off by unchecking the box.

If that procedure will not work, I urge you to back up all your important data and perform factory reset. You said the problem happens to your phone and to your wife’s after the update.

#5. Galaxy S3 mobile data gone from notification panel

Q: Hello. I’ve recently factory reset my S3 because I was trying to recover some preinstalled ringtones that got deleted some how. After the reset and setting up my phone to how I originally had it, the ‘Mobile Data’ button in the Notifications Panel disappeared. I went to the display settings and tried to reset the notification panel manually, but the ‘Mobile Data’ button didn’t even show up in the ‘Available button’ section. I’ve restarted my phone countless of times, I’ve tried the “battery pull” technique and have watched countless videos to restore the ‘Mobile Data’ button in the notification panel (which was no help because the software in the videos were the software before the update). Every time I have to use my data, which is a lot, I have to go through the settings just to turn it on and off. I truly miss just sliding my finger down from the top of my screen and having that option of my data to be on and off at the push of a button. Please help me, sir. Thank you. — Christian

A: Are you a Sprint, Virgin Mobile, or Boost Mobile subscriber? If so, then there’s nothing we can do about it because after the Android 4.3 update, mobile data switch/icon has already been removed from the notification panel. If you’ve updated your phone and the mobile data was still there after the update, the factory reset may have done it. You see, factory reset brings the phone back to the “default settings” of the current OS that is installed on the device.

However, if you’re not a subscriber of the carriers I mentioned, try swiping the notification bar. In the upper right hand corner you can see the settings icon (cogwheel) and just beside that to the right is the quick settings setup, tap on that. Now, items that have green bar at the bottom are the ones currently displayed on your notification panel, select mobile data and it should be displayed there.

#6. Galaxy S3 stops charging

Q: Hello! So my Galaxy S3 is giving me some trouble. It refuses to charge. I have tried multiple different chargers and it will just charge for a second then stop and keep on doing that and will not charge my phone over 15%. It is getting really frustrating. I’ve tried about 2 or 3 home plug in chargers and even a car charger so I know it has something to do with my phone. This has been a very recent problem it has been happening the past 2 days! please help! — Ally

A: Ally, it sure is a hardware issue. The first thing that comes to my mind is that the microUSB port on your phone is loose. Try wiggling the cable and I’m sure the phone would charge when there is good contact between the port and the cable but you have to hold it that way so it would continue charging. For this problem, please bring the phone to a technician and let him take care of it for you.

#7. Galaxy S3 screen flickers, network drops, battery drains faster

Q: I have recently getting problem regarding my Samsung S3, after its Android latest update. Phone battery is charged to 80%. While net browsing or during working on an application, the network of my phone suddenly disappears and the phone screen flickers. After this the screen freezes and nothing works. I have to shut down the phone. But if I try to power on the phone, it fails to do. The welcome screen comes and the phone does not turn on. Later if I try to connect my charger, it shows very low battery (nearly 2 %) remaining. Then I have to charge it all over again to use my phone. It seems that the sudden disappearance of network, screen flicker and screen freeze drains my battery charge. Is this problem related to software issues or battery issues. Kindly help me in this, if there is any solution to this problem.

A: It may seem like it’s a hardware issue but since you said these problems happened after you updated your phone, so there is a possibility that it could also been brought by bad update. I hope the update wasn’t, in any way, interrupted because if that was the case, then you need to reinstall the firmware and it’s not easy.

First things first, boot the phone to Safe Mode to rule out the possibility that a third-party app is causing it. I don’t know the frequency of the occurrence but based on your message I think it’s more frequent than I think. While in Safe Mode, observe the phone closely to know if the service drops and screen flickers. If so, then it could be an issue with the system itself, otherwise, an app caused them. Either way, it would still be wise to perform factory reset to bring the phone back to its original settings.

However, if Factory Reset won’t solve the problem, then it’s time you brought the phone to a technician and have it checked for possible circuit issues inside.

#8. Galaxy S3 won’t boot up after the update

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have updated firmware via wifi and after installing that update the phone rebooted. After reboot there is a screen of Samsung Galaxy S3 and then after few seconds only Samsung Logo with LED of phone is blinking. I have waited almost for an hour but no change in the screen so I have removed battery and again started phone, the problem is again the same (Samsung Logo with LED of phone blinking). I have tried this many times charged battery, replaced battery but still the same issue. So I have formatted factory reset the cell but still the same issue. Can you please tell me the way to solve this issue. Regards, Nagesh.

A: First of all, it could have been helpful if you mentioned the color of the LED that’s blinking. Secondly, I really want to know how your “formatted factory reset the cell” because I’ve already encountered users who said they performed factory reset but the fact is, they connected the phone to a computer and reformatted the drive as recognized by the computer. That is not factory reset! But here’s what you need to do, though:

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons.
  2. When the phone vibrates, release the Power button but continue holding the other two until Android System Recovery screen appears.
  3. Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power button to select it.
  4. Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’ and press the Power button to select it.
  5. Still use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘delete all user data’ and press the Power button to select the option.
  6. Highlight ‘reboot system now’ and hit the Power key.

Let me know if this works.

#9. Galaxy S3 displays grey battery icon

Q: Hi, hope you are well and can help me out. I’m having issues with my S3. I did an update to the new 4.3 when I was promoted to by the device, everything worked well and was having no issues for about 2 – 3 weeks. However I was in my room when my cell slipped off the bed and landed on the carpet (not hard surface) and started to reboot, It continuously restarted so I left it on and it drained the battery, I then plugged it in to charge and see if it had stopped its crazy ways as I plug it in the grey empty battery screen comes up and then restarts this continues over and over.

I have opened the device checked the checked all connections I have also checked the power on off button this seems to be triggering correctly, I haven’t been able to access the home button but this should not restart the phone if it is held down, only turn the screen on or off. Is there some device failure Maybe dead battery. I also tried disconnecting individual devices at a time to see if one was broken, camera, speaker, and this did not change the outcome. Regards,

Steven.

A: The grey battery icon that comes out whenever you connect the charger means that the phone doesn’t recognize it as the “original” charger and two of the most common reasons are the microUSB port is corroded with dirt, and one of the pins is bent that proper contact is impossible.

That said, inspect the port on the phone to see if there’s corrosion or if a pin is bent. For corrosion, a small and dry brush can help clean out the port. For the other issue, a toothpick could bend back the pin to its original location but be very careful when you do so, you might end up bending it beyond repair or breaking it.

If the port has already been cleaned and pins looked straight and in place, inspect both ends of the cable you’re using. The same things could happen. However, if all your efforts fail, bring the phone to a technician and have it repaired.

#10. Questions before resetting Galaxy S3

Q: Hi, my S3 after update is going slower by the day. I would like to do a factory reset but I’m not sure about the implications. What I would like to know is:

  1. How to ensure that my data is not lost?
  2. Will my apps go away when I do a factory reset?
  3. If not the apps, will their settings and bookmarks etc will go away?
  4. How to backup my contacts on Gmail / Samsung / hard disk of a computer?

In short I’m a bit scared to do a factory reset as I’m not sure what will be recoverable after I’m done with it.

A: There are actually free apps from the Play Store that would help you backup every bit of data on your phone. Try to find one that’s easy for you to use but as far as backing of data is concerned, just copy all your files including pictures, videos, music, documents from your phone’s storage to the microSD card mounted on your phone.

Yes, all third-party apps including their settings and bookmarks will be gone after the factory reset. But as I said earlier, there are apps that could help you backup your data including apps. After the reset, you can just simply restore them.

About your Gmail and Samsung contacts, you don’t have to worry about them because they are saved somewhere and they will not be deleted from those servers. After the reset, you can sync your accounts and they will be restored on your phone.

As long as you’ve backed up everything that you don’t want lost during the reset, you can always restore them. There’s nothing to worry.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.

image credit: iFixit

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems, Errors, Solutions and Workaround [Part 16]

This is the sixteenth part of our Galaxy S3 Problems and Solutions series and it tackles ten of not so common issues. We still have thousands of emails to be answered and problems to be addressed so you can expect that there will be more articles like this to be published in the following days, weeks and months.

Galaxy-S3-Problems-16

Aside from problems, we also received emails thanking us for the service we provide and that gesture, of course, makes us happy. At least, we know we are helping others. If you have problems with your Android phone, do not hesitate to email us at [email protected]. We cannot guarantee that we can answer all emails we receive but I assure you I personally read every email we receive. You can also reach us via our Facebook and Google+ pages.

If you currently have problems with your Galaxy S3, browse this post or the first fifteen parts as we may have already addressed them.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update  [Index] [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12] [Part 13] [Part 14] [Part 15]

#1. Galaxy S3 won’t turn on, re-flash may be needed

Q: Hi, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 which was working fine one day then suddenly turned off. I tried rebooting but no luck. I followed your instructions on your site but still it doesn’t power on. I took it to a technician in my area who advised that it’s not the power switch or battery. He said it needs to be flashed. He also advised there is no one in Saskatchewan who can do this. Do you think you can help me by telling me how I can flash my phone? It’s the gt-i9300 model. Regards, Shreekesh.

A: First of all, I just want to make things a little clearer; powering on is totally different from booting up. The phone may be able to power on but can’t boot up but NOT the other way around. Since you used the words “power on” in your email, I would assume the phone is totally dead. So, there are three possibilities that I can see here; it could be a battery problem, the power switch was damaged, or there is an issue with the USB charging port.

I don’t want to discredit the technician who told you the phone needs to be flashed but if he wasn’t able to bring the phone back on, how did he know the OS needs to be re-flashed? Even if the phone can’t boot up, it would still power on and you can boot it to either Recovery Mode or Download Mode provided there is to problem with its battery or other hardware responsible in powering it up.

About your question on how to flash the firmware, well, you need to boot up the phone to Recovery Mode and install the package from there (this is for rooted phone) or to Download Mode, which requires you to connect the phone to a computer, and flash the stock firmware using ODIN.

Let’s say your tech was right, the problem is neither with the battery nor the power switch, how about the USB charging port? And did he try a different battery already? If the phone just suddenly turned off, I’m sure it’s not the power switch that has a problem. It’s between the battery and USB charging port and you need the help of a technician who knows how to deal with these kinds of problems. Have the phone powered on first before you can re-flash the operating system. I hope I explained it clearly.

#2. Galaxy S3 says “Waiting for network…”

Q: I have a Galaxy S3 and I just got and the person I got it from did a factory reset and now it comes up select language and I press English then Start and it goes to a screen that says Waiting For Network… Activation can take a few minutes. Then after a little while it says can’t activate the phone call customer service. So I did and they said they would not unless I had an account with them. — Lindsey

A: It’s a provisioning issue. The phone should be activated by the service provider before it can register to the network and use everything that’s offered. If you don’t like the service provider the phone was connected previously, try contacting other providers and ask if you can bring your own phone and use their service for a fee. After all, what’s the use of a phone if you can’t make/receive phone calls or send/receive messages?

#3. Galaxy S3 gallery shows pictures darker

Q: Good day, I’ve got a Samsung Galaxy S3. Since the last update of my gallery it does some annoying things. When I have a picture that’s just clear, I click to view it and then it’s a lot darker. Little grey tint over it. And the date in the left bottom is annoying. Do you have a solution for the grey tint? Awaiting your reply. Thanks in advance!

A: Try to download any free gallery app from the Play Store and view the pictures to see if the grey tint is still there. If the tint is still present, please try to download those photos on a computer and view them from there. Now, if the tint is still visible in a computer, then it’s the quality of the picture that’s to blame and not the Gallery app. In case these photos were taken using the camera of your phone, the camera sensor may be at fault here.

However, if the tint is nowhere to be found with other gallery app, try clearing the cache and data of the stock Gallery app and see if that works.

#4. Galaxy S3 can’t download files

Q: Hi, I’ve scoured the net and cant find a solution to my problem. I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 on Verizon. For the last 15 months its worked great, but this weekend suddenly I cant download files from the internet. I haven’t rooted my phone or done anything fancy . Only have about 15 to 20 apps none of which are new. I’m using the blue globe icon fir internet same as always and haven’t had any other issues.

I’ve tried rebooting the phone, unmounting the SD card & reformatting it, even tried a new SD card, I tried clearing the cache and history, tried cleaning some files, I have 7.5 gigs of free space out of 16 on phone & .92 of .95 gigs free on SD card. Any ideas? — Jim

A: In cases like this, the user should be getting warning or error messages and the answer to your question is already included in those messages. However, try to double-check if the URL to the downloadable file is correct and if there are no security or anti-spam measures implemented per download. Also, go to Settings > Application Manager and clear both the cache and data of Internet app. As a workaround, try using other browsers like Firefox and Chrome.

#5. Galaxy S3 stuck on the welcome screen

Q: Hi! I really need your help, last 2 nights I updated my Samsung S3, it malfunctioned after the update, I can open it but it froze on welcome screen, I’ve tried your solutions already like wipe the cache, reset to factory settings, reboot, but no luck still the same. I wonder if you have some software for it or if you have some solutions. thanks a lot. – LG

A: Was it an official OTA update or you flashed custom ROM to your phone? But either way, you need to download the stock firmware and the popular flashing tool ODIN, boot the phone to Download Mode, connect it to computer and start flashing. No, we don’t have some kind of a software to help you out of it.

#6. Galaxy S3 camera failed

Q: Hello I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and my camera saying “camera failed” my husband tried replacing the back camera. The front camera works. A few months ago I took my last picture I have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED! We are thinking its hardware issues and I have straight talk phone service.

A: It could be a hardware issue but before you let your husband replace the back camera, have him perform factory reset first because may be it’s just a matter of messed up software data. I have encountered problems like this but before I recommend having the camera sensor replaced, I would clear the Camera app’s cache and data, and then do the factory reset. There’s always a fifty-fifty chance it would be fixed.

#7. Galaxy S3 music player malfunction

Q: I recently updated the OS system on my Sprint S3 and suddenly the music player is crap. When I hit play, it takes maybe 30 seconds then either freezes up, plays the song or skips around to some other song on a different album. Sometimes when I go back to the music menu, it looks like someone else is pressing songs and trying to make it play them, even though I’m not touching the screen. I’ve tried third party music players and get the same results. I’ve heard you talk about a “factory reset” but I have no idea what it means — sounds like a royal pain. The phone seems sluggish in other ways, but the music player is the worst. Never had this problem before the update. Thanks, Mike.

A: If the phone became sluggish after the update, then there’s a more serious problem than just the minor music player malfunction. This is very common with Galaxy S3 especially if it’s a huge update like migrating from Jelly Bean to KitKat. We also had a lot of readers emailed us about the phone being sluggish after Jelly Bean was rolled out last year.

Factory reset could surely fix the issue but it’s a pain having to backup every data you have including contacts, messages, pictures, etc. Meanwhile, to remedy the performance of the music player, go to Settings > Application Manager and look for Music, and then clear its cache and data. Be warned though, you will lose all your playlist and other settings but not your music.

#8. Galaxy S3 working terribly after the update

Q: My phone has been acting up terribly since the new updates for the Samsung Galaxy S3 … was this designed to frustrate me and force me to upgrade … constant dropped calls … internet going in and out … GPS not functioning correctly … delayed text messages … not charging properly … phone constantly shutting down … very dissatisfied … and prior to the updates my phone was working fine … can my phone be reset back to before being updated?

A: Yes you can but the warranty will become void once you do that. With the help of the popular flashing tool called ODIN, you can flash the previous version of Android to your phone by connecting it to a computer. From there, you can use Odin install the previous OS for you. But there’s one thing I want you to try before doing that–Factory Reset. It will clear old caches and data from your phone and forces it to cache fresher ones.

#9. Galaxy S3 can’t automatically connect to mobile network

Q: Hello, So I have recently been to the shop where I bought my Samsung Galaxy S3 but i do not find them very helpful. I’m not sure if you could possibly give me any idea of what this problem could be, and if you could help resolve it. When I am at home my phone is fine, but when I’m out using 3G I got to use the internet to search something or to go on my social networking site I find that may I have no 3G. When I went to the phone shop and told them the same they said when it happens I could turn my phone on to flight mode and then back off, and then it work but I don’t want to always keep turning my phone onto flight mode and then off again when I’m out, away from home. I’m just wondering if there is anything I could do to stop this, or why it is doing it? Please help me!

A: It is a minor issue and it can be resolved by booting to recovery mode and wiping the cache partition. Please refer to the step-by-step guide below. Don’t worry, wiping the cache partition will not delete any of your personal data saved in your phone. It will, however, delete all cached files to force the phone to cache newer and fresher ones.

Wiping Cache Partition

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons.
  2. When the phone vibrates, release the Power button but continue holding the other two until Android System Recovery screen appears.
  3. Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power button to select it.
  4. Highlight ‘reboot system now’ and hit the Power key.

After you wiped the cache partition, set the phone to automatically switch between networks. This will command the phone to connect to mobile data in the absence of a known Wi-Fi network. Here’s how you do it…

  1. From any Home screen, tap the Menu key.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Tap the Connections tab.
  4. If necessary, tap the Wi-Fi Switch to On. The Switch moves right and turns green.
  5. Tap Wi-Fi.
  6. Tap the Menu key, then choose Advanced Settings.
  7. Un-check ‘Auto network switch’ option.
  8. Now try to connect to your network.

#10. Galaxy S3 power switch problem

Q: Hi, firstly what a fantastic service you provide, giving us help to overcome Samsung problems. My problem is much the same as most posts on here. It randomly reboots and has trouble starting up. Right now I’ve taken the battery out for a while to see if that helps it boot up. Also I noticed that the close down screen was appearing all on its own and the power button (top right hand side) became sensitive so I took the phone apart and removed the button and that stopped the close down screen appearing. When I eventually get my phone back on, what can I do to stop it happening again? It hasn’t been dropped or water damaged. I need to keep the phone on as its my alarm for work. — Jason

A: Jason, the power switch button is replaceable and that’s what I think is the ultimate fix to this problem. But then there is a possibility that it’s just a matter of properly fitting the button so it won’t keep pressing the switch. You seem to be a techie person, I’m sure you can figure that out.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 starts getting KitKat update

Galaxy Mega 6.3

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 starts getting KitKat update

It seems to be raining KitKat on Samsung phones this week. We’ve seen US Cellular and Sprint roll out the KitKat update for the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, and now, Samsung is pushing the latest version of the OS to the Galaxy Mega 6.3, the largest phone in its extensive smartphone lineup. (more…)

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems, Errors after Android 4.3 Update [Part 15]

broken-glass-galaxy-s3

Welcome to yet another part of our Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems and Solutions series. This is the fifteenth segment and you can expect to be reading a lot of posts like this as there are still thousands of emails from our readers left unanswered.

If you have issues with your Galaxy S3, do not hesitate to email us at [email protected] and please provide as much details as possible so we would know where and how to start with our troubleshooting. It would be very helpful if you included information about the problem, what your suspects are, what your carrier is, and when the problem started. Alternatively, we have our Facebook and Google+ pages where you can post your concerns. Meanwhile, browse the problems listed in this post to see if there are some that are similar to yours. You may also brose the first 14 parts of this series for more information.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update [Index] [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12] [Part 13] [Part 14]

#1. Galaxy S3 will not charge, drains battery fast

Problem: Hi. I don’t know if you can help me. I have been having issues with my phone and it not charging. When it is on the charger it barely charges or all I hear is the beeps when it charges or not charges. Sunday night I went to sleep with it charging and woke up and it was dead. Last night I put my battery in my boyfriends s3 and his in mine. When he plugged his phone in to charge with my battery it charged right away. When we put my phone in to charge with his battery it went from 93% to 77%. I went home with my phone fully charged after switching back batteries. I turned my phone off overnight and now I have it at 53%. I think its battery but now after switching it and seeing that my battery does charge I’m thinking it is my phone. I have 5 months on my contract so I know I don’t have warranty exchange anymore but I want to know if there is anything you may think of that I can do just to get my phone to last me 5 more months. Thank you. — Colleen

Suggestion: You’re right, it’s not the battery that’s having some issues. I’m thinking it’s the USB charging port that has some issues. In other words, it’s a hardware issue and the best course of action at this point is to have the phone checked by an authorized Samsung technician. If I were right, then you’ll have to purchase the USB charging port; you can buy this component for less than $10.

#2. Galaxy S3 randomly reboots, refuses to turn on

Problem: Hello, I was reading your article regarding my problem and the problem with my phone is a bit strange. It has happened around 3-4 times over the last 2-3 months. My phone is working normally and it suddenly begins to restart on its own. Then it won’t even restart completely. It would just show the Samsung galaxy S3 screen and then again try to restart after repeating the same process. But it can never come beyond the Samsung galaxy S3 screen. Then I put the battery out for a few hours and it again begins to function normally. Could you please help me with this? Thanks a lot. — Harsh

Advice: So, basically you can still use your phone normally until it acts up again. Based on the frequency of the occurrence, it’s a minor problem and I think it’s even just a glitch. But at this point, there’s no way for us what the problem really is unless you observe it closely. The thing is it could be a minor glitch on the firmware, an app goes rogue from time to time, a RAM issue, or even a battery problem. The best thing to do is to observe the phone closely and be mindful of the apps that run when the problem happened. If you also have access to a new spare battery, please try to use that and see if the problem still happens.

#3. Phone stuck on Galaxy S3 logo

Problem: I have a Galaxy S3 that refuses to turn on and I have tried everything you said but it’s useless. The thing is that the phone turns on and the Galaxy S3 sign keeps appearing and disappearing constantly and it doesn’t stop until I remove the battery and if I try again it gives me the same result. What should I do? Answer me as soon as possible please. Thank you. — Samar

Solution: Well, you said you’ve already tried everything I said but they’re useless, so why ask if they’re other “useless” procedures I can give? Go bring your phone to a technician and have it checked.

Guys, the procedures I provide in posts like this are all based on a point of view of a technician with a little extra. But if you think they’re useless, well, I don’t force you to follow them. After all, there are thousands of Samsung and in-store technicians you can find, you just have to get in line though.

#4. Samsung apps update process interrupted

Problem: Dear sir, I’ve just updated my Galaxy S3 firmware to version 4.3 thru software update. the phone booted then after restart I got a notification that the Samsung applications are being updated but unfortunately it freezed after 172Kb downolad. I restarted my Wi-Fi connection with no response so I restarted the phone but the update didn’t start again. Now I have problem with applications like the phone log being greyed out & I can’t modify it settings. Thanks in advance. — Mohamed

Solution: Some settings and data may have been messed up when the download / installation process was interrupted. Try booting the phone to recovery mode and wipe cache partition. If that doesn’t do the trick, try clearing cache and data of applications you’re having problems with. If that fails, you have no other option but to perform factory reset just to delete corrupted data and bring the phone back to its original or optimal settings.

#5. Galaxy S3 phone messed up after 4.3 update

Problems: Dear Droid Guy, my Galaxy S3 was working flawlessly and lightning fast…until the 4.3 update. Now I’m experiencing multiple problems that have rendered my phone nearly useless: Extreme lag. Every operation, button press and keystroke has a 5-30 second delay.

Several apps no longer work. I uninstalled/reinstalled them with no success. 2 of my apps (Candy Crush and Photoshop Express) will not reinstall. I get a message that says “unknown error. (-24)” Random reboots. Sometimes upon attempting to use an app or function, and sometimes when idle. An entire page of text symbols is missing from the keyboard. This is not critical, but definitely a bummer. Did I get a bad update? Or is this Samsung’s way of “encouraging” me to get a new phone? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks, Amber.

Solution: Ma’am, you are one of the few people who have this problem. It is possible the update process was interrupted or some data were corrupted during the download/installation. One way to know if this is fixable without doing a factory reset is by booting the phone to recovery mode and wipe cache partition. If problems persist, then there’s no other way to fix this but to do the dreaded factory reset. Please backup all your data as they will be lost during the process.

#6. Galaxy S3 shows negative (-) notification

Problem: I have a Galaxy S3 (Verizon 4G) my email icon has started to read minus one ( –1 )? What is that all about? It actually reads one less than really there, and –1 when no new is present. How can I get it back to normal? — Dennis

Solution: It’s a minor glitch in one of the services that handles badges and notifications. Please follow the procedure below:

  1. Touch the More tab.
  2. Tap Application Manager.
  3. Swipe left to display the All tab.
  4. Scroll down to find BadgeProvider.
  5. Tap Clear Data button.
  6. Tap OK.
  7. Now, reboot your phone.

I hope this helps.

#7. Galaxy S3 drains fast, shuts down with sufficient battery

Problem: Hi there! I’m having an issue with my phone and haven’t seen a solution anywhere thus far and was hoping you’d be able to help me out. My Galaxy S3 will shut off all on its own on a low battery (low, not dead) after the battery drains at a fast rate may I mention. I manage to turn it back on just for it to shut down before it fully restarts. This only happens with a low battery (20%, 40%, etc). What might the problem be? Thanks in advance. — Jacqueline

Solution: There are two possibilities here: first, the problem could software- or firmware-related, and second, it could be a hardware issue. Try booting the phone to Safe Mode and observe closely to know if it would still drains the battery fast or shuts down randomly. If so, then it’s time you bought a new battery kit and observe the phone again to know if the problems persist.

#8. Galaxy S3 slowing down

Problem: Hello, my phone is Samsung Galaxy S3 (GT-I9300), Android version 4.3. My mobile is very slow from few days. Even it took long time to open contacts. I have removed photos and media files from mobile. Also I did clear RAM but it doesn’t show much difference.

My RAM usage are 681 MB/831MB. Please suggest me the proper solution. Thank you, Dr. Dewyani.

Solution: Doc, there sure are several reasons why the phone slows down but in your case, I think there’s a lot of apps running in the background. Go to the Home screen and then press and hold the Menu key. Close all apps you can see there. Then, go to the Application Manager and tap the Running tab. In that screen you will see everything that runs on your phone, I want you to close all third-party applications you can there by tapping on the app itself and then tapping the Force Close button. Please try to clear the RAM again. If the phone is still slow after doing those procedures, then I think it’s time you performed factory reset. I know it’s a hassle but that’s the only way that could bring the phone back to its original, optimal settings.

#9. Galaxy S3 contacts has stopped

Problem 1: Hi! After I updated my Samsung Galaxy S3 , I haven’t been able to make calls . Whenever I press the phone button , it would lag and the keypad won’t appear and after a minute a message saying “Unfortunately, Contacts has stopped” would pop up. And I also can’t view any of the miss calls I’ve received. I’ve even tried resetting my phone but that didn’t help. What should I do? Thank you! — Fatma

Problem 2: Good day. Kindly help me on my Samsung Galaxy S3 after I update the software the problem came. I already followed the steps and totally reset my unit but my phone still stuck on the same problem. I cannot open the contacts nor add numbers. Your response will be highly appreciated. Thank you. Regards, Anna.

Solution 1: Basically, the problem doesn’t just concern the Contacts app; there’s more to this problem than a glitch in that app. Please try booting the phone to Safe Mode, Fatma, and see if you would still encounter the same issues. If so, then the next thing you should do is perform factory reset. However, if the phone functions well while in Safe Mode, it means there are third-party apps, whose data may have been corrupted during the update process, that you need to uninstall.

Solution 2: As to Anna’s problem, I think yours is just minor and simple clearing of the cache and data would solve this issue. However, I urge you to backup every contact you have first and then turn off all contact syncs. If that doesn’t solve the problem, please visit this post (Samsung Galaxy S3 “Unfortunately Contacts Has Stopped” Error Message) and read it as my colleague explained this problem at length.

#10. Galaxy S3 drive mode randomly turns on/off

Problem: Suddenly the talk mode has started flashing on & off randomly. There is a symbol that looks like a uterus in a circle when the talk command mode comes on, I have never seen it before. I tried restarting the phone & removing the battery but neither one helped. Suggestions? — Tanner

Solution: Of all the things you can think, uterus was the first to come into your mind to describe the Driving Mode icon. But the immediate remedy to this kind of problem is to turn the Driver Mode feature off. Go to Settings > Language and input > Text-to-speech output > slide Driving Mode switch to Off.

If this problem, however, keeps happening, remove the battery of your phone. Get a dry brush (toothbrush would do) and gently brush the microUSB port. Moist and other dirt elements may bridge two ends that could trip the connection responsible in enabling Driving Mode. Let me know if this works.

#11. Apps gone, Galaxy S3 insists there’s no SD card

Problem: Hi, love my phone. However, today, all of my downloaded apps like Netflix, Xfinity, Live Poker, (about 10 of them) just uninstalled? I took the battery out and started it again – same problem. How did that happen and what do I do? It keeps insisting that I have no SD Card. Thanks.

Solution: When you say uninstalled, you mean everything gone or you can still see the icons but they’re greyed out? But if the phone keeps insisting there’s no SD card mounted even if you know there is, then it is apparently a microSD card problem. The apps there were affected are the ones you downloaded from the Play Store and installed on your device; pre-installed ones would still function normally. What you can do is remove your microSD card and let your computer or laptop read from it. Salvage any data as much as possible and they format the SD card into FAT32 format.

Once the microSD card has already been reformatted, insert it back and see if the phone can now read from it. If not, then there really is a problem with your card and you need to buy a new one.

#12. Galaxy S3 frozen after the update

Problem: Hi, I installed the software update yesterday and now my phone is almost permanently frozen. I need to reinsert the battery to reboot. I then have about 30 seconds before it is completely frozen again. Please help. — Julie

Solution: Julie, please try booting the phone to Safe Mode first. Observe if the performance returns to normal in that state. At the safe time, backup everything if you can while in safe mode. Either the phone performs normally in that state or not, it is necessary to perform factory reset. Boot to recovery mode and wipe cache partition first, after that perform factory reset while still in recovery.

#13. Galaxy S3 drains battery faster with mobile data on

Problem: Hello! I had a look through your pages on S3 problems, and I haven’t seen mine up there (however pages 5, 6 and 7 wouldn’t load for me). My 3G Network drains my battery. At least I believe it does. I will have my phone fully charged and after roughly 5 hours (with no play) I will be down to 30%-50%. If I turn my data off, it saves. Could this be a problem with the network/data or more with my applications? I’ve turned it on and off again but haven’t done a reset. What are you suggestions? Many thanks! — Anita

Solution: In truth, mobile data drains more battery than when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network plus your phone becomes hotter, which also contributes to faster battery drain. I’m sure how fast your battery drains but when you said that when you turned off mobile data your battery seems fine, I thought the phone drains the battery in a normal pace. However, if there’s always a problem with your network (for example, the signal is lost most of the time), it sure has a big impact on your battery life because the phone will keep connecting and re-connecting and pinging the tower. If you think the battery is faster than usual when mobile data is turned on, call your service provider first and ask if there are problems with the network or if you are in the area where there is good coverage.

#14. Galaxy S3 can’t dial a certain number

Our reader sent us two emails to make things clearer for us:

Email 1: My Galaxy S3 Mini phone has suddenly stopped allowing me to dial my home phone number. I can call any other number, and it responds correctly. My family members can even call me, but it won’t allow me to dial this one phone number. Can you help me with this issue?

Email 2: I’m sorry to send you an additional email, but to add some information to my home phone number issue, when I dial my home phone number (land line), I just get a recording saying, “Your call can not be completed at this time; please try again later.” However, a family member can call from this number, and I can receive the call. Any ideas what could be causing this?

Solution: The solution to this problem is actually to call your carrier or service provider. As long as you’re sure the number you’re calling from isn’t blocked, then there’s no reason to troubleshoot further. I personally encountered this issue when I was still a tech support for a wireless company that also offers home phones. Again, this pretty much is a carrier issue.

#15. Galaxy S3 mobile data is not working

Problem: Hi guys, I just got my phone, a Samsung Galaxy S3 and everything works except for the internet. In my plan, I got an unlimited data so I know it’s not my account however new it is. I can of course connect to the internet using the Wi-Fi but it doesn’t make sense if I paid monthly for the service I don’t use, right? Can you guys help me? I tried calling my service provider but I had to wait 30 minutes before I could get a human rep who is not very helpful because he too doesn’t know how to fix it. The second time I called the call got disconnected. I hope you guys can help me. Thanks. — Jeremy

Solution: I was actually waiting for you to mention what your service provider is. Okay so you made it clear that it’s not your account so the only thing I could think of that prevents you from using mobile data on your phone is your APN Settings. I understand you may have bought your phone from your current service provider together with your plan but that isn’t a guarantee everything will work fine or every setting is correct. So, please, try calling your service provider again and this time ask the rep to provide you with the correct APN settings and have him/her walk you through setting it up. That should solve the problem.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.

Galaxy S3 (Android 4.3) Problems, Errors and Solutions [Part 14]

broken-galaxy-s3

Twelve problems were addressed in this post and most of them are minor. This is the fourteenth edition of our Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems and Solutions, so there were already more than a hundred issues I’ve answered. If you have an issue with your phone, try browsing this post first to see if there are problems here related to yours. If not, try the first thirteen parts, links are provided below:

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update [Index] [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12] [Part 13] [Part 14]

If you think your problem wasn’t included in the list, send us an email and tell us about your it via [email protected]. You may also post your concerns on our Facebook wall but please note that I may ask probing questions so as to know or have an idea what the problem really is. So, please, don’t be disappointed if I asked a few questions. For those who prefer to use Google’s social media, we also have our Google+ page.

#1. Lag, voice commands, multi-window problems

Problems: Hello Droid Guy, thanks for helping out. After upgrading Galaxy S3 GT19305 to Android 4.3 the following problems.

  1. Annoying lag. With power-saving turned off. Also in Safe Mode.
  2. The voice commands for the camera only, turned off, cannot be activated. Greyed out in settings
  3. Shortcuts for lock screen missing. Greyed out in settings.
  4. Wake up voice command for lock screen missing. Greyed out in settings.
  5. Multi-window not activated. Greyed out in settings.

How can it be reset to previous android version? Thanks. — Schalk

Solutions: Schalk, thank for you specifying every problem you have with the Galaxy S3 after the Android 4.3 update. I have a feeling that these problems resulted from corrupt firmware data. You can actually try troubleshooting each problem but I’m pretty sure there’s more that you haven’t discovered yet. I understand why you want to roll back to the previous version but I tell you there’s no easy way, not to mention the risk of bricking your phone if you’re doing it yourself.

But I recommend you do factory reset first; this will rule out the possibility that the firmware package your downloaded and installed was corrupt, or has corrupt data. If that doesn’t fix the problems, bring the phone in and have your service provider or carrier do the roll back to the previous version. If you want to take the risk, root your phone, download latest version of ODIN and the previous version of Android, boot the phone to Download Mode, and flash the firmware to your phone. Please google the instructions as we refuse to link to articles or procedures that we know could compromise the safety of your phone. I hope this helps.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Camera Lagging and Freezing Problems [Troubleshooting Guide]

#2. Phone can’t continue reboot after update

Problem: Dear Droid Guy, this evening, I updated my Samsung Galaxy S3. The entire update process seemed to go fine, until the final reboot. I have encrypted my device’s memory, and I get as far as putting in my password to “use the encrypted device memory,” and then the Droid/gear logo as usual…And then the phone reboots again. I’ve gone through this process numerous times, and I’ve tried clearing the cache as you suggested for someone else in a recent update, but still no success. Help! Thanks, Josh.

Solution: Josh, I’m sorry you have to go through this kind of problem but the last option left for you to do is to perform factory reset. There is a possibility that the firmware package has been corrupt during the download process or installation. I understand you may not have backed up your data because apparently you didn’t expect this to happen but you’re in a situation where you need to make a compromise to bring the phone back to life. Boot your phone to recovery mode and do factory reset from there.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Stuck in Boot Loop

#3. Texts not arranged in chronological order

Problem: Hi, I am very pleased with my new Galaxy S3. However I have noticed in the past few days that when I am texting, my texts do not display in a chronological order. I can text a person and they will respond and then my next text will not follow theirs but I will find it next to my previous text. I hope this makes sense. It is hard to follow a conversation especially if you are asking questions as the answers do not always follow the question but my be visible before the question. Up until recently I didn’t have this problem. I have taken the battery out and put it back in but this did not help. I hope you can help. — Pauline

Solution: Pauline, I personally encountered this problem with my phone (not a Galaxy S3, though) but I haven’t been able to resolve it if I didn’t perform factory reset. But I asked my friend, an XDA Developer, about this problem and he said it could be that your phone’s time and date were messed up. So, you need to make sure they’re set properly.

As for messed up messages, there’s nothing you can do about them already. So, delete those messages that weren’t arranged in chronological order and set the time and date, if possible, set them to use the network’s time.

Galaxy S3 text messages disappear, can’t take screenshot, random overheating

#4. Recovering missing photos

Problem: Hi, I came upon your article regarding missing photos, unfortunately this has happen to me on my Samsung Galaxy S3. I have tried the steps you mentioned but none seem to be working. I have it setup where pictures are automatically saved onto the phone’s internal memory. I do not use an SD card. Would greatly appreciate, if you can assist me with my problem. Best Regards, Thinesh.

Solution: First off, I just want to make things clearer here, there is a big difference between the words ‘missing’ and ‘deleted’ (by accident or not). If your photos have gone missing, they could have just been moved to another directory. The best and safest way to find them is by going through every directory in your phone’s internal storage. If you’re using apps that hide files in your phone, you may check your hidden files and directories because those photos may have been included in the list of files hidden. If those photos were taken by your phone’s camera, you may want to launch the Camera app and browse your camera roll to see if they’re still there.

Now, if your photos couldn’t be found anywhere in your phone, then you could have deleted them. But don’t worry, there is a way to recover them and our friends over at XDA Dev forums provided a step-by-step guide how. Here is the link to that thread.

Missing Pictures in Samsung Galaxy S3 Gallery

#5. Contacts has stopped working

Problem: Dear Droid guy, I am experiencing an issue after I have updated my S3, which is I can’t access my contacts or making phone calls anymore, I have tried everything I found (changing the date and time format, call preferences, and factory reset) and its still not working. Would you be able to assist me? King Regards, Gabriel.

Solution: Did this problem happen immediately after you updated your phone or after several days / weeks? I understand you already did the factory reset but have you tried pulling up the contacts app right after your perform the reset just before you install anything else? One of the reasons why the contacts app crashes is when it tries to pull down information of a certain contact from the server and it never responds; the best example is Google Contacts. After the update, you may have been asked to enter your Google account so it’s possible the problem is related to syncing Contacts with Google. So try this, Home screen > Menu button > Manage apps > All > Google Contacts Sync > Clear Data.

Samsung Galaxy S3 “Unfortunately Contacts Has Stopped” Error Message

#6. Phone camera failed

Problem: Even after trying all the options listed in your post Samsung Galaxy S3 Camera Failed Problem [How To Fix] camera is still not working. Please advise.

Solution: You failed to mention when and how this problem started, I may be able to provide more information. Since you finished doing any procedure that could have led to the resolution of this problem, then I have reasons to believe it is a hardware issue. Bring the phone to a technician and have the camera sensor checked. Sorry, there’s only so much we could do when it comes to the hardware of your phone.

#7. Fast battery drain

Problem: When my Samsung Galaxy S3 was new it was working perfectly and had no issues. Even when I installed applications the battery was fine. It only used to drain small amounts while using apps. Soon, the battery started to drain massive amounts in a small amount of time. Just by leaving it on the table untouched with the screen locked it goes down by 10 in 20 minutes. Before it only used to go about 15 in 2-3 hours.

When I charged the phone from 0% to 100% it took 6-7 hours when it only used to take 2-3 hours. Same issue occurs with the mobile data on. Before when it was on and was just searching the web it doesn’t decrease much. Only a bit. But now it goes down about 10-15 in less than 10 minutes. And again it happens while calling or texting. I was having multiple conversations and the battery went down 15 for 10 minutes worth of calls and same with texting.

Even while watching videos from YouTube it decreases very much when before it never used to. So I contacted Samsung Support and they said to restore the phone. I did it but the problem is still there. Afterwards they said to take it to the support centre. I gave it in and after 2 days I received it back again restored. However, the problem is still there and has gotten worse than before I gave it to the support centre.

I sent another email to them again but they didn’t reply. Soon after a new software update was released for my phone. Android 4.3. After I updated it, the problem became MUCH WORSE. The battery literally dies much faster. Even when leaving it alone the battery drains. Please help resolve this issue. Thank You. — Rohit

Solution: What did the technician say about the problem? What were his recommendations? The main purpose why they requested you send the phone in was to know, in the first place, what the problem really is. After examinations the technician may already have known what the problem is or, at least, suspecting something that may have caused it. Even if the problem was solved, he should have told you about the issue in your phone.

The only thing I could think of while reading your message is that, it could be a battery issue. If you can get a new battery kit, that would be better. You never mentioned of any significant software-related changes so I assume this problem gradually showed until one day you noticed your battery was draining faster than before. It’s a sign that it has deteriorated over time and a sign to get a new kit.

Extending the battery life of Samsung Galaxy S3

#8. Phone slowed down

Problem: Hello, for the past 6 months or so, I’ve experienced a massive slowdown on my device. restarting doesn’t work, killing all apps doesn’t work, can’t really figure out what’s causing it…but the keyboard lags behind when you press keys, menus are slow sometimes, I don’t know what to do! any advice? Thanks, Russell.

Solution: It sounds like a typical slowing down of the phone. One way to know whether it is third-party apps that cause the problem or the pre-installed ones and core services, is to boot it to safe mode. While in that state, observe closely how the phone responds to your commands. If it performs way faster and buttery than its current performance, then there are apps that are causing all the lags.

However, if the phone still performs poorly even when in safe mode, it’s the pre-installed apps and core services that cause the issue. But either way, factory reset will fix the problem, you need to backup your important data before doing that, though.

#9. Phone stopped charging

Problem: Hi, my Samsung Galaxy S3 won’t charge. It just suddenly stopped charging. I took it to a place to see if it was the phone itself but they couldn’t tell me what was wrong & its not the charger or the battery I don’t know what to do. Thanks, Jae.

Solution: I would assume that you are 100% sure it is neither the battery nor the charger that has problems and if that’s the case, then it’s the phone or one of its components; I’m thinking about the USB port. I am not trying to discredit anybody here but if what the tech did was to charge the phone and gave it back saying he doesn’t know what the problem is, then he probably wasn’t suspecting the USB port. Again, I assume you’re certain it’s not the battery or the charger, so have the phone checked by another technician and have the USB port checked properly.

Galaxy S3 and S4 Charging, S Voice and Dictionary Problems and Solutions

#10. Galaxy S3 asks for Wi-Fi password every time

Problem: Hi dear, well finally I can vented my frustrations regarding this phone. I have a pain every time I get at home I have to enter my pass code for access my network (WiFi) the same happen when I go to my relatives home And I have to enter the codes all the time, before my phone was saving those networks…no anymore, this is a pain really because if I forget it I will be using Mobile date instead use the WiFi around. I will appreciate all your help. — Manuel

Solution: Hello, may be it’s just an issue with the Wi-Fi setting. Please follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
  2. Tap Settings then touch the Connections tab.
  3. Tap WiFi, then tap the Menu key again.
  4. Touch Advanced.
  5. Tick the option Auto Connect.

I hope this helps.

How To Fix Galaxy S3 WiFi Authentication Error

#11. Phone will not turn on

Problem: Hi there, my Samsung Galaxy S3 was turning on /off randomly for a few hours. When turning it on, it was not staying on for more than 1 min. Then after a few hours it wont turn on at all. I was not upgrading or installing any app before this happened. I removed the battery for hours, charge it, but still cannot turn it on – the screen is black. Samsung suggested that the only chance is a Hard reset , meaning everything stored on the cell gets lost. Any other suggestions? Thank you for your help, Adriana.

Solution: Well, I agree with the Samsung rep. Factory reset is an obvious fix for this issue and that’s the easiest way. But it seems to me that you don’t want to compromise data in your phone, so here’s what I suggest:

  1. Boot the phone to safe mode, this way we would know if the phone would still power on without any third-party apps running. If you can, then there’s a greater chance that a third-party app is causing the problem. You only have to find that app while in safe mode and uninstall it; start from the most recent installation. Every after you uninstall an app, try booting normally if you can. This will take time but it’s worth it. You may also want to backup all your data while you can boot to safe mode.
  2. Boot to recovery mode. This step will test if the device will boot up even without loading the main Android and TouchWiz interface. Do this if you cannot boot to Safe Mode. In this state, try wiping the cache partition and boot up normally. If the phone still can’t boot after that, there’s no other option but to do what the Samsung rep told you.

How To Fix A Galaxy S3 That Won’t Turn On [Troubleshooting Guide]

#12. Cannot make calls without rebooting

Problem: Hi, I found your website via a Google search for issues I am having with my S3. So here is the problem: when my phone is turned on and I want to make a telephone call, naturally I navigate to the phone icon located on the lower left hand side of the screen. The phones keyboard is displayed, I type in the phone number, including area code. The number dials…then the phone call is “ended”. Repeating this yields nothing but the same, the phone call ends before any kind of connection can be made. Very frustrating! The only “fix” I know of is to shut the phone down completely, wait a minute or two, start the phone up again, wait for everything to load, then, make the call again. Usually works. However, this is a very cumbersome way to use a phone. Please help! Many thanks, David.

Solution: Odds are there is a third-party app that is causing this problem or it is a hardware issue. To rule the first possibility, boot the phone to safe mode and try making a call from there. If you can make a call without having to reboot your phone, then you need to find the app that’s causing it. In case the problem persists, please backup all your data and perform factory reset. If that doesn’t help, then bring it in and have it checked by a technician.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.

AT&T Galaxy S3 Problems, Errors and Ways To Fix Them [Part 2]

ATT-Galaxy-S3-Problems

This is apparently the second part of our AT&T Galaxy S3 (i747) Problems and Solutions. The issues aggregated in this post are among the most common concerns AT&T customers complain about when calling the carrier’s support hotline.

We don’t wish to compete with the support AT&T provides to its customers. Rather, we want to make it easier for users to troubleshoot their problems, and eventually fix them, before they spend several minutes on the phone waiting for a human representative to help them.

So, if you’re a Galaxy S3 owners under ATT’s umbrella, please take time to browse this post to see if I already addressed your concern. You may also want to browse the first part I published more than a week ago.

AT&T Galaxy S3 (i747) Problems and Solutions [Part 1] [Part 2]

If you are a Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile or Straight Talk customer and also have problems with your Galaxy S3, please find visit the appropriate link provided after the break.

If your problems weren’t addressed in any of your previous post or you have a different issue, feel free to send us emails at [email protected]. I assure you I will read your email but I cannot guarantee that I can respond. We also have our Facebook and Google+ pages in case you want to use those media to get in touch with us.

#1. Gallery stopped working after update

Problem: Hi, recently my phone is acting up and I cannot view my images. When I open the gallery, I get this very annoying message “Unfortunately, Gallery has stopped” and I can’t do a thing but to tap OK. I’ve been reading your blog since 2012 and I give it to you guys, you can help a lot of people by doing this. I need your help now. I think you’ve already addressed this issue before but I don’t know how to find that post. If you can point me to that post, that would be great and if you’re so kind to address it, that’s much better. And oh, my phone is Galaxy S3 from AT&T. Thank you guys, Linda.

Solution: You’re right, Linda. I’ve already addressed this same problem on our previous post, titled “Galaxy S3 Gallery stopped working.”

It’s a common problem among GS3 owners that surfaced following Android 4.3 update. But since you are having a hard time finding it, let me give you a quick rundown of our previous recommendation.

I previously advised our sender to simply clear the Gallery app’s cache and data. While there are lots of workarounds available, clearing cache and data of the Gallery app is found to be very effective. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Touch Menu from the Home screen.
  2. Touch More tab.
  3. Touch Application Manager then swipe to display All Section.
  4. Scroll down to find and select Gallery.
  5. Touch Clear Cache to initiate clearing of cache from Gallery.
  6. Touch Clear Data and hit OK to start clearing data from Gallery.

If problem persists, then try this:

  1. From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
  2. Tap the More tab.
  3. Tap the Application Manager, then swipe until you get to Turned Off section.
  4. Scroll to and tap Paper Artist.
  5. Tap the Turn On button.

This should already solve the problem. Otherwise, please email us back so we can find other possible workarounds available for you. Previous content addressing this same problem is available here.

#2. Messaging app says -1 unread message

Problem: Hello Droid guy, I’m a Galaxy S3 user under contract with ATT. It’s kinda weird that my phone says I have negative one (-1) unread message. How is that even possible? I’m pretty sure it’s a glitch but I don’t have a clue how to fix it. It’s not really a problem but it’s annoying to be seeing that read notification all the time. Thanks. — Darren

Solution: Although this problem isn’t common, you’re not alone Darren. In fact, we had received lots of prior emails from GS3 (Sprint and Verizon) owners with the same email issue. Instead of showing 0, it prompted them with negative 1 (-1) unread messages.

A developer’s theory has explained the negative number denotes the notification was not properly set and therefore, suggested to set or configure the notification so as to get this issue fixed. Unfortunately, this DIDN’T solve the problem.

Then we tried to suggest Clearing of the Email Cache and Data as the next possible resolution attempt and that fixed the issue.

Important Reminder:

While clearing of email cache and data has been known to fix same email glitch, be reminded that the process will also delete personal settings and messages from your phone. So you may consider backing up all your important files first.

Here’s how to clear email cache and data on your GS3 handset:

  1. Go to Applications Manager to get started.
  2. Swipe to select All Tab.
  3. Scroll to find and select Email App.
  4. Touch on both Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons.
  5. Reboot your phone.
  6. Set up your email account again.

The above-mentioned procedure has worked well on our prior email senders with the email issue, and I hope it will do the same on you, Darren. You can find our previous content, addressing the same concern in this page.

There is one available solution online, and it’s basically the same as the aforementioned procedure but you’ll have to find the service called BadgeProvider.

  1. From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
  2. Touch the More tab.
  3. Tap Application Manager.
  4. Swipe left to display the All tab.
  5. Scroll down to find BadgeProvider.
  6. Tap Clear Data button.
  7. Tap OK.
  8. Now, reboot your phone.

I hope these procedures help.

#3. Phone will not continue booting up

Problem: Okay, I decided to email you guys because nothing on the web offers the same service as yours. I hope you can help me. My phone just received a new update and after that it won’t boot up. I’m pretty sure it’s not the battery because it powers on but it is stuck somewhere after the Samsung logo. The screen is blank or black but I’m pretty sure it’s powered on because I can see the logo just before the blank screen. I’m thinking of bringing it in for checkup but the nearest AT&T store is 75 miles away or so. I thought you’ve encountered this problem and I need your input on this before I decide to drive for hours back and forth. Thanks. – William

Solution: Many, users have encountered the same problem as yours William and some them have had relayed it to us already. Several workarounds have been made available to help GS3 owners deal with the issue on their device that stuck at Samsung logo after Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update.

I strongly suggest you to perform a wipe clear partition to begin with and then do a factory reset afterward. Both procedures must be done in Recovery Mode.

Steps to wipe cache partition

  1. Pop the back panel open and remove the battery for about 1 minute while the phone is ON.
  2. Place the battery back after the time has elapsed.
  3. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power buttons, simultaneously.
  4. Wait until the phone vibrates, then release the Power button first. Keep holding and pressing on the Volume Up and Home buttons until the Android System Recovery screen displays.
  5. Highlight ‘Wipe Cache Partition’ using the Volume Down button, and then press the Power button to select the current option.
  6. Once the device is done wiping cache partition, highlight ‘reboot system now,‘ then press the Power button to initiate phone reboot.

If problem persists after completing the aforesaid procedure, proceed to performing a factory data reset or master reset:

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power buttons simultaneously.
  2. Wait until the phone vibrates and release the Power button first. Keep holding and pressing on the Volume Up and Home keys until you see the Android System Recovery prompt.
  3. Highlight ‘wipe data/factory reset’ using the Volume Down button, then press the Power button to select the current option.
  4. Highlight ‘delete all user data’ using the Volume Down button, then press the Power button to select the current option.
  5. Wait until the master reset is completed, then highlight ‘reboot system now.’
  6. Press the Power button again to continue.

Important Note: While performing a master reset or factory data reset has been proven to solve GS3 problems like this, you have to remember that doing so will also delete all your customized settings as well as the files you’ve saved on the phone.

You may also check out our other solutions to different problems on Galaxy S3 after firmware update available here.

#4. Previous downloads reappear or re-downloaded

Problem: Droid guy, how are you? I have a slight problem with my phone (AT&T Galaxy S3). It happened after I updated the device to 4.3 last week. I downloaded a lot of files before and some of them are still in my phone but after the update, they seem to be getting re-downloaded. Every now and then the Notification Panel displays notifications that items were downloaded completely. I don’t know if they were actually being re-downloaded or something but I just want to stop this non-sense and I don’t know how. Can you help me. — Miles

Solution: We’ve heard of and addressed this same issue relayed by one of our readers, who owns a T-Mobile GS3 smartphone. The issue is similar to yours, in which downloaded items reappear on the notification panel after the latest firmware update. In order to resolve this issue, we recommend you to do the subsequent procedures:

  1. Go to the Home screen.
  2. Tap the Menu key on the left side of the Home button.
  3. Select Settings to continue.
  4. Tap on More tab.
  5. Locate and tap Application Manager.
  6. Swipe the screen to the left until All tab contents are shown.
  7. Scroll to and tap Download Manager. If you can’t see Download Manager, look for Downloads and tap on it instead and proceed to the next step.
  8. Tap the Clear Cache button.
  9. Tap the Clear Data button.
  10. Tap OK to continue.

To refresh your phone’s memory, simply reboot the device. That should do it.

More about GS3 problems and solutions: You may also browse for more information on GS3 problems and solutions on this page.

#5. Cannot download/update apps through Play Store

Problem: I don’t know when this problem started but my ATT Galaxy S3 cannot update apps. When I open the Play Store app and go to My Apps, I can see some of apps I installed on my phone have updates so I tried updating one and there was an error. I tried doing the same to other apps and the same thing happened. Now, when I tried downloading an app, I’m getting another error message and I can’t continue the download process. I called AT&T about this and the rep walked me through clearing data of the Play Store but apparently it didn’t help. AT&T don’t know a thing of fixing this problem so I was thinking maybe you could help. Thanks. — Melinda

Solution: Were you prompted with error 403? If so, then it is not a problem with your smartphone but rather on Google Play Store itself. This should be fixed any time soon or a little later, so all you have to do is wait.

But if this is not the case, I recommend you to uninstall updates from your Play Store app. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Tap the Menu key from the Home screen.
  2. Tap Settings to continue.
  3. Tap to select More tab.
  4. Swipe to the left twice, to choose/select All tab.
  5. Scroll to and tap on Google Play Store.
  6. Tap Uninstall Updates.

Wait until the device is done uninstalling Play Store updates and try to download a new app or update an existing app again. Hope this helps you Melinda.

#6. New laptop cannot detect the phone

Problem: First of all, I just want to know I’m a 65-year-old woman and I own a Galaxy S3 and a plan with AT&T. My 5-year-old laptop died on my last week so my daughter bought me a new one. It’s a nice laptop but it seems not to detect my phone when I connect it. Previously, I just have to connect my phone and I can copy my pictures and videos to and fro but not now. What must I do to help my computer detect my phone? I worked for a computer company before so I know a thing or two about computers and phones but technology evolves every day and I’m afraid I was left behind. I would greatly appreciate it if you can help me. Thanks. — Roann

Solution: Thank you for letting us know of this problem Roann, and I’d be glad to assist you on further.

Regardless of whether your new laptop is running on Mac or Windows OS, it is very likely that you need to install a device driver that will allow it to recognize your GS3 smartphone.

Windows computers usually have these little programs that function as bridge between the computer itself and other devices attached to it, including Android smartphones. However, there are lots of universal USB devices that can automatically be detected or recognized by a Windows computer once they’re plugged in.

In your case Roann, your new laptop probably needs to have those drivers for it to recognize or detect your Galaxy S3 device. But before you proceed to searching for a device driver, I suggest you to perform these first few methods to refresh your phone’s system.

  1. Turn off the phone.
  2. Remove the battery.
  3. Wait around 30 seconds then put the battery back on the phone.
  4. Connect the phone to the new laptop.

Isolate the problem

If problem persists and the new laptop still doesn’t recognize your phone after doing the first recommendations, try to use a different USB cable (if available) to connect the phone to your laptop. Also attempt to connect other USB devices to your new laptop, to check if the USB is just working fine. If the new laptop does not recognized the other devices, then it means there is a problem on its USB port. If you may, please check your laptop’s device manager and see if there is any reported issue for the USB controllers. Here’s how:

  1. Press the Windows key + X on your laptop and then select Device Manager.
  2. Click on the + sign to expand the “Universal serial bus controllers.”
  3. If you see a yellow exclamation mark or a red X mark over any USB controllers, then that means there’s a problem.
  4. Right click on Device and select Properties.
  5. Go to the General Tab and check the device status.

If the device status prompts any corrupt driver or if the driver isn’t loaded for a USB controller, you will need to update the device driver.

Hint: To know which driver is right your new laptop for this function, you may search the web via Google or Samsung website on Galaxy S3 USB drivers to see available drivers for your new device. Other option is to install Samsung Kies and use it to find the right driver for your device. You may download Samsung Kies app here.

#7. Wi-Fi can’t stay connected after update

Problem: I updated my phone last week and I encountered a lot of problems so I decided to do master reset. Now, the phone is normal again with its new firmware but the Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, I can’t get it to stay connected. I notice it disconnects every time the phone goes idle. Do you know how to fix this? Is it a software or a hardware problem? Thanks guys. I would appreciate it if you address my concern. — Nina

Solution: What you are experiencing Nina is more likely a software glitch and I believe it has something to do with the phone’s wireless network settings. Basically, the update to Jellybean 4.3 overrides the phone’s current settings, and so there’s a big possibility that your wireless network settings automatically changed.

I strongly suggest verifying of your phone’s network settings first and see if it’ll fix the problem. Here are the recommended workarounds for you.

  1. Tap the Menu key from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Settings.
  3. Scroll down to Power Saving Mode. If you see it’s turned On, slide the toggle switch to turn it OFF. Otherwise, leave it on.
  4. Verify/reconfigure wireless settings. Here’s how:

4.1. Go back to the Home screen and tap the Menu key.
4.2. Tap on Settings.
4.3. Tap Wi–Fi.
4.4. Tap the Menu key and select Advanced.
4.5. Tap the option that says, ‘Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep‘ and set it to ‘Always.’
4.6. Tap on Auto-Connect. Be sure to put a check on the box.

That should work. If not, then please let us know ASAP so we can look for other possible fixes available for this issue and get back to you soon.

#8. Phone auto corrects every word I type

Problem: I don’t know what happened with my phone but it seems to show me it’s a lot smarter than I am because it corrects every word I type. It could have been better if the words were right but 90% of the time they’re incorrect. I don’t know so much about the latest technologies in phones so I can’t tell if this is a problem with the software or not. Do you know how I can turn this feature off or fix it if it’s a known issue? — David

Solution: Hi David, the problem you have right now is caused by a phone feature called predictive text. For some reasons, certain phone updates may have reset some features and phone functions. If this is the first time you encounter such problem, I recommend you to verify some settings on your device, specifically on Language. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the Settings menu.

2. Select Language and Input.

3. Check on the Predictive Text slider. If it is ON, toggle the slider to turn it OFF.

Hint: To prevent your phone from correcting every word you text, the Predictive Text slider must be set to OFF because doing so will likewise disable the phone’s Auto Correct messaging function.

#9. Can’t send MMS messages

Problem: Hi, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 I purchased from AT&T but since Straight Talk offers better unlimited service, I ported my number to use their service. I can make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, can connect to the internet but I can’t send MMS messages. I’m pretty sure it’s not a coverage issue because I can do things I previously mentioned that uses network connectivity. I’m at my wits end here and I tried calling Straight Talk but the representative told me my account is in good standing and I have unlimited plan so it’s not that. Is this a phone problem? Please help me. — Melody

Solution: The problem is not on your phone, Melody. Mobile data is one of the requisites in sending and receiving MMS messages. Unlike emails, you will not be able to send MMS messages even if your phone has Internet connection. In order to successfully deliver MMS messages to your recipients, an active mobile data is needed.

My first suggestion is to verifying your phone’s mobile data settings and make sure it is Enabled.

If it is already enabled but the problem persists, then it is more likely that the problem is due to incorrect APN settings on your phone. In this case, you will need to contact your service provider and ask for the correct APN settings.

There are also some instances when the Galaxy S3 cannot send MMS messages when it is set to Power Safe mode. To ensure this is not causing your problem, please turn this feature OFF.

#10. Wi-Fi auto reconnect gone

Problem: Hi guys! I’m an S3 owner and an AT&T customer. I received an update last week and everything went well. The phone is much better now that it runs the latest update but there’s one thing I’m missing. Before the update, my phone would auto-connect to Wi-Fi networks I often connect to and it’s gone now.

When I’m at home, I connect to my own Wi-Fi network but when I leave home for work, the phone will automatically connect to mobile data network in the absence of a Wi-Fi access point. And when I arrive in the office, my phone would auto-connect to the company network. But it’s not doing it now. I have to manually connect it to Wi-Fi networks I mentioned. How do I fix this? Thanks guys. Keep up the good work! — Roxanne

Solution:

Have you verified your phone’s Wi-Fi settings yet? If not, then be sure you do it first. It’s possible that the latest update overrides your previous phone settings, including the Wi-Fi auto network switch configuration.

In order to let your phone automatically switch and/or connect to an available wireless network, the Auto Network Switch has to be enabled on your phone. Here’s how:

  1. Tap the Menu key from the Home screen.
  2. Select Settings to continue.
  3. Locate and tap on the Connections tab.
  4. Turn WiFi On first (if it’s OFF), otherwise, leave it as is and proceed to step 5.
  5. Tap WiFi.
  6. Tap the Menu key.
  7. Select Advanced.
  8. Locate the box beside ‘Auto Network Switch’ and be sure to put a check on it.

Your phone should now be able to switch/connect to an available wireless network. But if problem persists after doing the aforementioned workarounds, be sure to let us know ASAP so we can assist you further with this concern.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.

Samsung Galaxy S3 gets unofficial KitKat ROM, ported from Galaxy Note II

Samsung Galaxy S3 gets unofficial KitKat ROM, ported over from Galaxy Note II

Samsung recently announced that the Galaxy S3 will not be getting updated to Android 4.4 KitKat, owing to memory issues that the company has apparently run into while putting the newest version of Android on its 2012 flagship. However, that’s not something that has deterred the resourceful folks over at the XDA community as a group of developers have managed to port the official KitKat firmware from the Galaxy Note II to the Galaxy S3.  (more…)

Fixing Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update [Part 13]

Sprint-Galaxy-S3-Problems-Solutions

Android 4.3 is as far as the Samsung Galaxy S3 can go, at least, for the non-LTE or ‘Generic’ variant. Samsung said KitKat is just too heavy for its 2012 flagship to handle with its 1GB RAM. We could easily accept that if the last update was stable enough to assure users that even if they will be stuck with Jelly Bean, the phone could function well but apparently that’s not the case.

That said, here is one of the emails we received from our readers who were so disappointed with the recent update.

Disappointed customer

Hi Droid Guy, we all I’m sure appreciate all the time and what now is I believe your 10th set of multiple problems with hundreds of thousands of customers that were forced to update are original software. I was more than happy with my phone and original software. This problem is so widespread across so many platforms with our phones Samsung Galaxy S3 4.3 update! Doe’s Samsung even care? Why can’t they create a patch that will fix all these hundreds of multiple problems were all having all at once! They caused this mess! I will also be leaving Samsung. I have grown to hate my phone with all these time consuming partial fixes. When over the next year most disgusted customers like us switch to I Phones. Result will be Samsung will lose millions of customers and dollars. Maybe then they will say Gee, guess we should have addressed this issue right away. Once I switch I will never buy a Samsung product again and I currently own 4. Good bye soon Samsung. Wise Up. — M. E. Anderson

PS: Thanks for your continued help. You should contact Samsung and tell them how disgusted with this untested forced update and how they’re going to lose a lot of customers as a result. Thanks

We received a lot of emails like this and after thousands of emails we received, I for myself could say that Samsung had to step up and roll out an update that would address problems owners were complaining about.

Now, this is apparently the 13th edition of our Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems series and we will continue providing support to our readers. So, if you have issues with your phone right now, shoot us an email at [email protected], or you may post on our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Please browse this post to see if your concern has already been addressed. If not, try the first 12 parts of this series, links are provided just after the break.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update [Index] [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12]

#1. Old download notifications keep coming back

Problem: With the latest Android s/w update, “notifications” (all old download notifications that I had previously cleared/deleted) keep coming back. I “clear” them and they go away for a while but then returns a few minutes later. Where are these notifications stored and how do I permanently get rid of them? Thanks for your help in advance. — Jae

Solution: Yeah, I heard of this problem so many times already, Jae. Don’t worry it’s minor and can be fixed by simple clearing of the cache and data. Follow the steps below:

  1. Go back to the Home screen.
  2. Tap the Menu key. (The key on the left side of the Home button.)
  3. Choose Settings.
  4. Tap on the More tab.
  5. Find and tap Application Manager.
  6. Swipe the screen going to the left until contents of the All tab are displayed.
  7. Scroll to and tap Download Manager (if you can’t find it, look for Downloads instead).
  8. Tap the Clear Cache button.
  9. Tap the Clear Data button, and then OK.
  10. You may reboot your phone to refresh its memory.

#2. Stuck on Samsung logo during the update

Problem: Dear friend, today evening I got a normal pop up on my Samsung phone for software update I choose the option to update and then I had a message on the screen that your phone will Re-boot it did install the software last I saw was 42% after reboot it only shows Samsung written on the phone, I tried to remove the battery restart my phone but still it shows me the same. Can you please help me to on my phone. Waiting for your earliest reply. Regards, Diksha.

Solution: Odds are the update was interrupted or it’s just a matter of corrupt data. If it’s the latter, then we can do something about that provided the phone could boot to the recovery mode. Follow these steps, please…

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons.
  2. When the phone vibrates, release the Power button but continue holding the other two until Android System Recovery screen appears.
  3. Use the Volume Down button to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power button to select it.
  4. Highlight ‘reboot system now’ and hit the Power key.

If you were able to wipe the cache partition, then the problem must be solved, otherwise, perform the factory reset via the recovery mode.

In case the update was interrupted for some reason and the phone couldn’t boot up whatever you do, the phone may have been soft-bricked. However, if you could boot it to Download Mode, you can flash the stock firmware using Odin flashing tool.

#3. Phone refuses to come back on

Problem: Hello, my Samsung [Galaxy S3] will not turn on. I hit the power button, it will do the following things but only if plugged in:

  • vibrate,
  • show the battery,
  • show the level of charge in the battery,
  • display the Samsung logo,
  • display the Samsung [Galaxy] S3 logo

…and then nothing. Please help!

Solution: I was curious about what happened to your phone or what the cause of the problem was. But it’s a good thing that you can reach up to the Galaxy S3 logo during boot up. There is a big chance you can boot to recovery mode and wipe the cache partition or perform factory reset. The compromise is that you would lose all data in your phone’s internal memory when you do master reset but there is a good chance the problem will be fixed.

#4. Exchange services stopped

Problem: Hi guys, since I updated software of my Samsung Galaxy S3 to 4.3, I’ve been getting a popup with “Unfortunately, exchange services has stopped”. It’s annoying! How can I get it to stop please. Thanks. — Charles

Solution: Exchange services handle data necessary to successfully sync with Exchange servers; it’s part of the Email application. Therefore, clearing the cache and data of the stock email app can solve this problem. This is how you do it…

  • Go back to the Home screen.
  • Tap the Menu key. (The key on the left side of the Home button.)
  1. Choose Settings.
  2. Tap on the More tab.
  3. Find and tap Application Manager.
  4. Swipe the screen going to the left until contents of the All tab are displayed.
  5. Scroll to and tap Email.
  6. Tap the Clear Cache button.
  7. Tap the Clear Data button, and then OK.

#5. Screen flickers, battery drains fast, high RAM usage

Problem: Hi Droid Guy, when I am using any application that requires the internet, my phone will occasionally begin to flicker. Then after about 4 seconds of flickering, the internet connection will drop out. The battery percentage prior to this is around the 70% mark. After this it drops from anywhere between 25% to 40%. Once this happen I open the “RAM Status” at it is reading somewhere around the 720+/831MB. Please help me!!!

Solution: It may seem that you have a very complicated problem but it’s not. Based on your statement, this is how I deducted it to come up with a solution: the high RAM usage was caused by a lot of apps running in the background or services you may not know running. Since there are so many apps running, the battery is depleted faster than usual and because of that the screen flickers every time you launch apps that require the use of internet.

The first thing you should do is close apps that are running but you don’t use, start by calling the Recent Apps window and end all apps you can find there. Then, call on the Task Manager and clear RAM. Somehow, RAM usage will lowered down. You may also want to disable your widgets for now or until the problem is fixed.

Now, boot to Safe Mode, fully-charge the phone and observe how long it would last. Also, try to see if the screen flickers when you open an app and uses the internet. A factory reset may solve this problem, too.

#6. Phone not receiving email messages

Problem: I have two Comcast email accounts set up on my S3. My PC shows about 23 new emails for today; my phone shows about 4. I’ve searched for an answer with no success. Maybe seems like this started happening after the 4.4.2 update done a day or two ago. Any help you can provide? Thanks.

Solution: I agree, the recent update could have messed something with the email app you’re using. Clearing the cache and data of the app and setting up your account again may solve this problem.

  1. Go back to the Home screen.
  2. Tap the Menu key. (The key on the left side of the Home button.)
  3. Choose Settings.
  4. Tap on the More tab.
  5. Find and tap Application Manager.
  6. Swipe the screen going to the left until contents of the All tab are displayed.
  7. Scroll to and tap Email.
  8. Tap the Clear Cache button.
  9. Tap the Clear Data button, and then OK.

#7. Long charging time, faster battery drain

Problem: Hi, hope you can help. I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 GT19300 version 4.3 I seem to have a problem with the battery when fully charged which by the way takes for ages the drain on it goes very quickly. I have tried loads of different things but I noticed that when I go into settings battery there is a list of things that use the battery the main one says SCREEN and this is at 62% which I think is way to high. Can’t seem to adjust it can you help? Thanks. — Clive

Solution: We only have two vague’ possibilities here: either it’s the third-party apps that’s causing all this or the pre-installed ones and core services. I already came across this issue before and I know that a factory reset could solve it but the compromise is that you will have to go through all the hassles backing up your data. So, leaving that as the last resort, try booting the phone to Safe Mode first and see if the screen still takes the first spot of being the battery hog. If it is, then it’s not third-party apps that’s the cause of all this, but the core services.

I know a couple of cases like this that was solved by wiping the cache partition. Apparently, some caches were still using data that handles services for the screen and the phone’s GPU; clearing them solved the problem. That said, boot to recovery mode and wipe cache partition from there. Now, if this step fails, backup your data and perform factory reset. I hope this helps.

#8. Adding contacts to a group

Problem: I can add new contacts, but it will not allow me to add the contact to a group. I have cleared cache as you suggest in a previous article. Please advise.

Solution: Oh, I’m sorry my previous suggestion didn’t work but please try these. Go into the contact that doesn’t appear, tap the Menu key and choose Edit. Now, scroll all the way down and you should be able to see group setting. That’s where you can add the contact to a group but it must be classified as ‘family’ or ‘friend’ to be added. Another thing, the contact must be saved in either Google or Samsung account and doesn’t match any name that’s already saved in your contacts list. Do let us know if this helps.

#9. Reset password without factory reset

Problem: Hi dear, my name is Joseph, I have S3 I changed my password and I couldn’t remember my pass word. There many guys can reset the password and data will be deleted, but I do need to reset the pass word without losing the data. It’s very very important for me to keep the data, is there any way to solve this problem? Thank you. — Joseph

Solution: Hi Joseph, I understand how important your data are and it is possible to bypass the password or any security type on the S3 without performing the factory reset; I know a couple of developers who can do this kind of job but I am not going hook up with them for this. Yes, we do offer free advices to our readers for as long the safety and security of their devices will not be compromised. That said, we can’t verify if it’s really your phone or not, and we have no right to verify whose phone is that. The ‘other’ guys may be able to help you with this, but not us.

#10. Keyboard doesn’t function after update

Problem: I have updated my Galaxy S3 to Jelly Bean 4.3, today but unfortunately my Keyboard is not functioning. What should I do? — Richard

Solution: It could just be a ‘messed’ up setting. The immediate remedy for this kind of problem is clearing both the cache and data of the Keyboard app or service. But please note that you may lose some of your data like custom words.

  1. Go back to the Home screen.
  2. Tap the Menu key. (The key on the left side of the Home button.)
  3. Choose Settings.
  4. Tap on the More tab.
  5. Find and tap Application Manager.
  6. Swipe the screen going to the left until contents of the All tab are displayed.
  7. Scroll to and tap Samsung Keyboard.
  8. Tap the Clear Cache button.
  9. Tap the Clear Data button, and then OK.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.

Verizon Galaxy S3 Problems And How To Fix Them [Part 2]

[UPDATE] We created an index for all Samsung Galaxy S3 problems, errors and glitches we’ve addressed, I suggest you visit our Galaxy S3 Troubleshooting page. I’m sure there are problems related to what you’re having now as we’ve addressed more than 500 problems already.

verizon-galaxy-s3

This is the second part of our Verizon Galaxy S3 Problems and Solutions. There are twelve issues addressed in this post but there are still a lot of emails left unanswered in our mailbox. We will be publishing articles like this as long as there are readers who ask for our help.

If you own a Verizon Galaxy S3, try to browse this post to see if your problem was already addressed. You may also browse the first part of this series or the entire series of our Galaxy S3 problems and solutions.

Verizon Galaxy S3 User Problems And How To Fix Them [Part 1]

Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems After Android 4.3 Update [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12]

If you think your problem hasn’t been addressed yet, feel free to send us emails at [email protected] or post your concerns on our Facebook wall. We also have a Google+ page in case you want to use that medium to communicate with us. We are open to your suggestions and concerns but please provide as much detail as possible.

#1. Galaxy S3 overheats, drains battery faster

Problem: Hi, I have the Samsung Galaxy S3 and have noticed that it overheats while I’m sleeping and not using the phone. The phone is on my bed and sometimes gets under my blanket. What is the cause? I’ve never had this happen to any other phone and the battery will go from completely full to 45% when I wake up. I have the Verizon variant running Android 4.3. I will appreciate it if you can provide solution to this problem.

Solution: I’m pretty sure there are apps running in the background that eats up the battery faster than before. The first place to look which service or apps are the culprits is the battery usage. Usually, the screen is in the top of the list of the services that need more power and the Android system, second. But there are also third-party apps that cause this so I would recommend you boot your phone to Safe mode and observe if it still heats up and drains battery faster. But as for me, if you can solve the battery drain problem, you will also solve the overheating.

#2. Corrupt pictures on Galaxy S3

Problem: Hi there. I have a 5 month old Samsung Galaxy S3 from Verizon. Just recently, I’ve noticed that when I’ve downloaded a pic from Facebook or browser. After I’ve come out of the browser and closed it down I go back to look at the pics and they are all corrupted. This is from the device storage as I don’t have a memory card. It never used to do this so I’m rather baffled. Help. Thank you. — Gin

Solution: Yes, it is possible that pictures can be corrupted but I haven’t encountered a single Android smartphone having this problem. I don’t want to discredit you of your assessment that the pictures you downloaded from Facebook were corrupted but I was curious to know what image viewer you used in viewing the pictures that could have helped you assess they were corrupted. The Gallery has the capability to detect all image files stored in the phone’s memory and can read almost all of image format. So, if the image you download has a format that is readable by the Gallery, I don’t think they would be corrupted unless they were already corrupted during the download. Try to move those corrupted pictures to your computer and see if they can’t be opened using Windows image viewer.

#3. Restore previous settings

Problem: I spend hours downloading apps, configuring pages, organizing things and getting everything to work together. I love my S3. My daily productivity is markedly more efficient than with past smartphones. But I’ve had to replace this phone 3 times for hardware problems. Each time restoring from various backup programs was a painful process. Although I got everything back, I then had to recreate all the pages, reconfigure settings to the phone and apps, and reorganize everything, right down to the live screensaver. A very long process. What’s available that is a true backup and restore? Something that would allow me to do a hardware reset if necessary, then restore my phone to its previous settings of everything. This can’t be a unique issue, or am I just missing something obvious? Thanks!

Solution: That’s a good point but unfortunately, there isn’t any app or service that could actually backup all your settings, apps, data, and everything and restore them without changing anything. In Android, factory reset means uninstalling apps and services that didn’t come pre-installed with the device and rolling the phone back to its original or default settings and that’s, basically, the opposite of the thing you want to happen. But I do hope some developers out there can conceive a better app or system that could preserve everything in your phone to be transferred to another.

#4. Auto correct issue on Galaxy S3

Problem: Ben from PA. I have a S3 with Verizon. I have had my S3 for about 9 months . I don’t remember specifically but about 2 months after it s purchase I began experiencing the auto correct issue. I visited the Verizon store that I usually deal with The sales person after I described my issue suggested a replacement phone . At the time I was pleased, but after receiving my replacement phone ( a new refurbished unit), I experienced the same issue.

Solution: That’s the dilemma, your smartphone is trying hard to be smarter by auto-correcting words you type but the thing is, auto-corrected words are incorrect. The feature comes native with the phone so we can only do so much about it. The good thing is you can turn it off especially if you used to abbreviating words when you text or compose an email. Just go to Settings > Language and Input > toggle the slider Off beside Predictive Text > Auto correct is now disabled.

#5. Erasing issue with Galaxy S3

Problem: I’m with Verizon and have the Galaxy S3. I was having the same problem until the latest update then the problem went away. The fix seemed to fix all the issues I had after the Samsung update. Just wanted to let you know there is hope. I love my phone again. Thanks for all your info.

Solution: Well, that’s good news. The fact is majority of Galaxy S3 owners who updated their phone to Android 4.3 are actually enjoying their phones right now. There is only a small portion of owners who are experiencing problems. But it’s good to know all your troubles with your phone were gone after the update.

#6. MicroSD card got damaged

Problem: Why does my memory card always get damaged while still in the slot? Yesterday, my external storage card was working fine; I could open any files and everything. In short, it was working perfectly until today. Why does this issue happens? I have a Galaxy S3 from Verizon.

Solution: If you want a blatant answer, well, I don’t know. But if you happen to use SanDisk microSD card, it is possible you got the one that has manufacturing defect. The company already acknowledged this problem last year. There’s nothing we can do about that, to be honest, but SanDisk may replace it with a better unit. Contact SanDisk and tell them about it. However, if you’re using a different brand, then it’s time you bought a new microSD card.

#7. Galaxy S3 shows -1 notification

Problem: My work email is set up on my s3. If all my emails are “read” my inbox shows a -1 in stead of 0 unread emails. How is that even possible? How do I fix it? Thanks.

Solution: It’s a minor glitch but can be easily fixed.

  1. From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
  2. Tap the More tab.
  3. Tap the Application Manager, then swipe to display the All section.
  4. Scroll to and find BadgeProvider.
  5. Tap Clear Cache, and then Clear Data.
  6. Reboot the phone.

#8. Can’t install app from Amazon on Galaxy S3

Problem: Hi, I’ve had a problem for a few months now with installing apps from any site other than the play store. I can’t even install the Amazon app store app. I’ve checked the box to allow third party apps, so it’s not that. I even reset to factory settings to see if that helped. Nope. Any help you can give me would be great. I have a Samsung galaxy s3 on Verizon. Thanks.

Solution: It wasn’t a common problem but many actually experienced not being able to hit the Install button after you downloaded the app from the Amazon app store. The most effective remedy, albeit temporary, was to reboot the phone. This is based on people who have encountered the problem first hand. It would also help fix the problem if you cleared both cache and data of the app. Reinstalling the app was also proven to have worked. So, try these procedures.

#9. Emails don’t stay in the inbox

Problem: Hello, I am having problems with the touch wiz email app. I have a company POP3 email account. I am not receiving any of my emails, and when I do the email will not stay in my inbox. When I check all my folders it is nowhere to be found. I have cleared the data on the app rebooted my phone and set the email app up again. Still the same issue.

Solution: I am pretty sure your email account was setup to another device or a computer. The problem is not with the phone or the app you’re using to download those emails, you just have to make sure that the ‘Leave a copy of message on the server‘ option was checked under the advanced tab of the email settings in your computer. When that option was unchecked, you are instructing the computer to download all messages from your inbox and delete them from your server leaving nothing for your Galaxy S3.

#10. Possible earpiece, microphone issue

Problem: Hello, I am having this weird problem with my S3. I have tried to look for a solution online or perhaps even another helpless person with the same issue, but have so far been unsuccessful. What happens is this:

When on a call, randomly, the audio both ways drops out. By this I mean I cant hear the person who I am on a call with and neither can they hear me. The audio comes back in about 10 seconds or so (havent really been able to time it) and the call can continue as normal. If I try to hang up during this period of ‘black out’ the phone says ‘Hanging Up…’ until (what I would assume) the time it would have taken for the audio to come back.

I am currently on a Cyanogenmod nightly, the latest, running on the International Samsung Galaxy S3. Before you say anything else, I faced the same problem when I was running stock Samsung ICS and JB versions as well. That was what influenced me to root and flash CM onto my phone. I figured it might be a software issue. But it still occurs even now, in fact sometimes even twice in a call these days. I am confused and desperate. Please help.

Solution: It is apparently a hardware issue. I won’t discredit you with your claim that this problem happened when you were running the stock ROM and it still happens while you’re running a custom ROM. No, I wouldn’t say anything about CyanogenMod ROMs because, honestly, a couple of my devices are running the most recent CM ROMs and I don’t have complaints. So, my advice is bring your phone to a technician and have it checked physically. It could be just as minor as loose connection but could be as complicated as a circuit problem.

#11. Can’t move apps to SD card

Problem: Hi I am a big fan and enjoy your information all though I’m not very good at technology any way my question for you is why can’t i free up memory on my galaxy s 3 by having the option to move any thing to my SD. Card on my old galaxy sky rocket you could.   I would really love it if you could tell me how. Thanks. Hope to hear soon.

Solution: What version of Android your phone currently runs? The new Jelly Bean already has the option to move third-party apps to microSD card. Please make sure your phone runs the latest firmware. But you should also know that there are apps that couldn’t be moved to SD card especially the ones that came pre-installed with the phone.

#12. Problem downloading from different sources

Problem: I’m not able to download apps from Samsung directly. I get a message something to the effect that my settings are set to only download from Google Play store. However I can’t find how change this in settings. Can you help? Thanks!

Solution: There is an option under the Developer Options to allow the phone to install apps from ‘Unknown sources,’ make sure that option is checked and proceed with downloading and installing apps from other sources.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via [email protected] any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.