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Galaxy S6 constantly shuts down and won’t stay on, other issues

s6

One of the common problems usually submitted to us is that the Galaxy S6 won’t stay on or having boot- or power-related problems. Once again, we publish a post that entertains these #GalaxyS6 issues. Below are the specific topics discussed in this material:

  1. Galaxy S6 constantly shuts down and won’t stay on
  2. Galaxy S6 stuck in download mode after rooting
  3. Google Chrome app in Galaxy S6 does not go back automatically to Google search page
  4. Galaxy S6 “intelligenceservice2 has stopped” error after it got wet | Pre-installed apps on Galaxy S6 keep crashing after water exposure
  5. Galaxy S8 Plus Edge won’t turn back on

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Galaxy S6 won’t stay on and constantly shuts down 

Hi. I recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy S6 from India. I have been using it for over 10 days now. A couple of days ago, the phone suddenly turned off and wouldn’t turn back on. I connected the charger, and it had a charge of 34% and was charging further, but it wouldn’t turn back on.

I tried the next morning, it turned on, worked for 15mins or so and then turned back off. I tried restarting numerous times, and with all possible combinations: power, power-volume down, power-volume down-home, power-volume up, power-volume up-home, power-volume up-volume down-home. Nothing happened most of the time. Sometimes, some screen would come up and then go right back off. Sometimes I was left with a black screen and a blinking blue light. At times, the power-volume up-home combination shows a fallen android guy connected to a warning sign (exclamation mark within a yellow triangle).

It does get charged however, but doesn’t get detected on the computer. I noticed that something comes up for a short while if I try after a gap of 2-3 hours, i.e. the longer the time gap between attempts, the longer the screen stays on.

I used this to wipe the cache and perform a hard reset, both of which were successful (i.e. the phone didn’t turn off during the process), but it still didn’t solve the issue.

This morning, I tried again after about 8 hours of inactivity, and the phone stayed on for about 12 minutes. I also noticed that it turned abnormally warm during that period. The battery is on full charge, and it doesn’t get drained abnormally.

The Samsung service centre guys here in Manchester say that they do not have expertise in the relevant software for the phones manufactured in India.

Please help! — Lipsa

Solution: Hi Lipsa. Knowing that the phone does not show classic symptoms of battery malfunction effectively eliminates the possible involvement of battery failure in this case. That leaves us with three potential causes:

  • one of the hardware buttons is defective (usually the Power key),
  • a software glitch may have developed or one of the apps is problematic, and
  • an unknown hardware failure (probably a motherboard issue or one of the components)

The first and third involves some hardware troubleshooting and requires opening the phone to check it physically. We don’t recommend that you do these things yourselves as you may complicate problems further. You have to let a professional do the job to avoid damaging the hardware.

What’s left to do at your level is to check if software is to blame. You can start by booting your phone in safe mode. This will help you determine if the failure to boot normally or the system shutdown is initiated by an app you’ve installed. To restart your S6 in safe mode, kindly follow these steps:

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

The other procedure that you can do is boot the device in recovery mode so a factory reset can be done. Here’s how:

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

Now, after doing any of these procedures, you must observe the phone for at least 24 hours (if it stays on that long) so you’ll know the difference. We are aware that you’re having trouble booting the phone to other modes so if you can’t do it, you can safely assume that either the first and third causes is to blame. Call or go back to Samsung so you can file for repair or replacement request.

Problem #2: Galaxy S6 stuck in download mode after rooting

Hey! After quite a bit of persuasion from my friend, i decided to go ahead and root my Galaxy S6 [SM-G920T] but ever since i did (using CF Autoroot), I’ve been stuck on the booting page where it says Samsung Galaxy S6 and powered by Android. however the only thing different from the traditional booting screen is that there are small red letters in the top left which read, “RECOVERY IS NOT SEANDROID ENFORCING”.

At this point, there are only two things that i can do with my phone: Either i press Volume Down + Power + Home and manage to get to the download screen, or i can make it run out of battery and when i charge it back up, it returns to the booting screen.

I can’t access other screens such as the recovery menu. I don’t want to lose all the personal data which is on my phone so how would i go about reverting my phone back to normal and still have everything one it?

Many thanks. — Paul

Solution: Hi Paul. Although a lot of Android users modify the official software on their device in the form of rooting, not everyone enjoys a risk-free experience. Modifying Android has inherent risks due to a lot of factors that can come into play during the procedure. If you’re using a defective USB cable while changing critical files in the OS and some files are not copied properly to the device, it can potentially create a complication. The same can be said if the saving process is accidentally interrupted for some reason. There are other variables that can lead to  boot loop and similar issues. That’s why we don’t usually recommend rooting and flashing.

Well, since you’ve already committed to doing it, and you’re left without much leeway in this case, the only thing that you can do is to flash a stock firmware. This will allow you to boot back normally (and personally swear not to root again, hopefully). We trust you can find your way on how to do it, given the fact that you’ve even already rooted the phone, albeit unsuccessfully. Flashing a new firmware to your S6 will wipe the storage device so forget about file recovery, your files are good as gone now.

Problem #3: Google Chrome app in Galaxy S6 does not go back automatically to Google search page

Hi there! 🙂

Please accept my apologies in advance as I am completely new to the modern day smart phone technology after switching over from an old school flip phone that I’ve had for many years.

When I click on the Google Chrome icon on my Samsung Galaxy S6 cell phone to search on the internet, the screen unfortunately it takes me back to the site (i.e. Ebay, Amazon, IMDB, etc.) that I was just on last. This keeps happening even though I’ve clicked out of the opened search window or pushed the CLOSE ALL tab on the lower left corner of my actual phone. The only way that I can possibly get to a new Google Chrome search engine page is to keep clicking the back arrow on the bottom right corner of my actual phone. It has to go all the way back out of the program before allowing me to do any other searches.

Recently, I’ve called Samsung and spoke to one tech person on the phone and I also spoke to another tech person via the online chat support. They both had me try restarting it in various modes, clearing caches, and clearing data without any luck. Neither tech was able to help me fix the problem and said that I will need to reset everything back to the original factory settings for it to work correctly. I’m very reluctant in doing this as I have several hundred photos (which I have been able save to my desktop) and numerous videos of family events (which I can’t save to my desktop due to having an older computer by choice with basic Windows XP).

I’m extremely frustrated at this point and I honestly just feel like throwing my phone away.  If you could please possibly take the time to help me out with any suggestions, I would be so very grateful.

Thanks for all of your time and consideration in doing this for me. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Sincerely. — Dick

Solution: Hi Dick. We don’t think you need to do the drastic step of factory reset to fix this issue. If you’re running the updated version of Google Chrome app, there’s actually an option under its Settings menu that allows you to enable Home Page. The default home page is set to Google Search page (unless you changed it before). Enabling home page will give you the “home” icon at the top which you can simply tap to immediately go back to Google search page.

You can access Google Chrome settings menu by tapping on the three-dot icon at the top right section.

Problem #4: Galaxy S6 “intelligenceservice2 has stopped” error after it got wet | Pre-installed apps on Galaxy S6 keep crashing after water exposure

My daughter decided it would be a good idea to drop my phone in my drink and my phone has suffered water damage.

I did turn it on straight away and saw the screen had an error. I decided to turn the phone off and attempt to dry it out. 3 days since the phone switches on, however I am having issues with my pre-installed apps.

I have completed a factory reset and also wiped the cache partition numerous times however nothing seems to be fixing the issue of my apps constantly either stopping or saying it has stopped when I haven’t even opened up the app, such as Samsung Health. I also keep getting an error stating “intelligenceservice2 has stopped”.

I am now at a loss as to how to progress as i think the phone has completely dried out and i don’t appear to be having any hardware issues, just software.

Any help would be massively appreciated. — Peter

Solution: Hi Peter. First of all, we don’t want to give you the impression that everything is fine after exposing your S6 in water. Most of the cases wherein an electronic device saw water don’t end well. The curious thing about your situation is the fact that there seems to be only software problems after the incident.

The rule of thumb in dealing with a water-damaged electronic device is to see if software solutions can fix issues. If they don’t, then it can assumed that the software symptoms are being caused by a defective hardware. In your situation, the most effective software solution is factory reset. That it does not work in your case is an indication that the problem is never due to a software glitch in the first place. There is no other “advanced” techniques or troubleshooting that you can do on your level to resolve the issues. It’s likely that a water-damaged hardware component may be sending false signal to the circuit, creating a chain of commands that overwhelm the system, resulting to the errors that keep on popping up.

Call Samsung and see if you can have the phone repaired, or better still replaced.

Problem #5: Galaxy S8 Plus Edge won’t turn back on

I own a Samsung Galaxy S6 Plus Edge and I’ve only had it for a few months. Lately when it’s charging it says that it’s charging slowly and I should use the original charger. I’ve only ever used the original charger with this phone but unplugging and plugging again usually solves that issue.

Last night my phone was at 4% so I charged it and went to bed. When I woke up it was completely dead. The LED light wasn’t red or green and nothing was on the screen.

So I tried to play around with it a little and plugged it back into the wall and the icon with the lightning bolt showed up but it still wasn’t charging. I went through a couple of your suggestions from what I could find off of Google but nothing has worked.

I plugged it into my laptop and the lightning bolt showed up again but still no charging light. I don’t think it’s my charging cable as I’m charging my dead Galaxy S4 and the LED light on that is showing up and it’s charging fine.

Lots of your suggestions included resetting the phone but I can’t really “turn it off” or “reset” as it won’t even turn on!

Please let me know if there’s any other information I can give you. I hope you will be able to help me out with my problem. — Natasha

Solution: Hi Natasha. As discussed above, if you can’t boot your phone in any other mode like safe mode, recovery mode, or Odin mode, then the problem is most probably a failing hardware. It can be the device’s battery no longer holding a charge, or some other components. If leaving it charged for at least an hour won’t power it on, nothing will. Call Samsung or the relevant party so it can be physically checked and repaired if needed.

 

Engage with us

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

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

Galaxy S6 can’t connect to the internet when using home wi-fi, other issues

Welcome to another post that will try to fix issues reported by some #GalaxyS6 users this past week. There are 6 issues that we pick for you so we hope that you will find this material helpful.

s6

Below are the topics that we answer:

  1. Solution to “Unfortunately IMS Service has stopped” error on AT&T Galaxy S6
  2. Galaxy S6 won’t turn on
  3. How to create backup of files from Galaxy S6 if it keeps on rebooting
  4. Galaxy S6 drains battery while charging | Galaxy S6 only charges using a car charger
  5. AT&T Galaxy S6 Edge group messages is sent to both the original sender and members of the group
  6. Galaxy S6 can’t connect to the internet when using home wi-fi

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Solution to “Unfortunately IMS Service has stopped” error on AT&T Galaxy S6

“Unfortunately IMS Service has stopped”. Solved it differently from your way via S6 Settings > Applications > Messages > AT&T Messages Backup & Sync > Stop Backup (link).

This issue happened after an update to Marshmallow 6.0.1 and a prompt asking if I wanted to backup my messages to the cloud. I said yes. From that point onward, I had a spinning icon in my bar showing it was actively trying to backup and sync. Then a popup message every 15 seconds “Unfortunately IMS Service has stopped”. Click OK and 15 seconds later reappears. Read forums everywhere, including yours and NO ONE had this solution. All were way over my head techy. Please add it to your solutions. It addresses the actual problem. — Amy

Solution: Hi Amy. Yeah, we covered this issue in this post before. Errors due to carrier-specific app and/or service like IMS service can sometimes be tricky for us to resolve because we are not familiar with thousands of such apps around the world. The best that we can do is to offer general directions in troubleshooting such as booting the phone in safe mode, in the hope of isolating if the issue is due a third party app or not. And of course, for an issue that appears to be app-specific, wiping the app’s cache and data is also a must.

The thing with safe mode is that it only filters third party apps. Since IMS Service is an AT&T app (which we failed to identify initially), it won’t be snagged by safe mode, thus it would continue to run.

We thank you for your effort in letting us know of a solution for this particular issue. We think it will be very helpful for other members of Android community. If we are not mistaken, this issue also occurs in other devices  from AT&T as well so publishing your solution will be very valuable. Thank you.

Problem #2: Galaxy S6 won’t turn on

Hi! So I’ve had my phone, the Galaxy S6 for a year and a half now. Never had any major problems that weren’t resolved by a normal restart. I’ve always kept a good, sturdy case on it and it has never been cracked. But today, all of a sudden, the screen went black and showed to start up screen (all black with white letters “Samsung Galaxy S6, powered by Android”). It stayed like this no matter what I did. I tried restarting, holding down the power, volume, and home keys in various formations, but nothing. I left it alone for 2 hours and then the screen went all black and still wouldn’t turn on. I plugged it in the charger and it showed the charging symbol but has not made any progress in 40 minutes. Please help. – Steph

Solution: Hi Steph. The only potential solutions that you can try at your level are attempts to boot the phone in different modes. If your S6 remains unresponsive when you try to boot in either safe mode, recovery mode, or Odin mode, then the issue has now become beyond an average user’s ability to resolve. You must tap the expertise of Samsung or other qualified repair shops to help you fix whatever hardware issue the phone is having.

Problem #3: How to create backup of files from Galaxy S6 if it keeps on rebooting

My husband’s Galaxy s6 turns off every few seconds and won’t turn on at all without being connected to the charger but even then continues to turn off and reboot. He has been advised by US cellular to just send it in to Samsung because they don’t fix these issues but we desperately want recently taken photos from the phone before we do that and Samsung wipes the phone. The photos are recent and didn’t get backed up in time before issues arose and they are extremely sentimental as they are the only photos from the OR the day our son was born. Is there anything we can do? The technicians at US cellular were not very helpful and just kept telling us that they don’t work with these problems and to send it in. — Whittmcg

Solution: Hi Whittmcg. Like Steph above, the issue is most probably beyond resolving at your level right now. If the device keeps rebooting even when connected to a charger, the cause of the issue may be a bad battery, or another failing component. In order to access your phone’s files, we need to make sure first that the device’s power remains uninterrupted for at least a few minutes (depending on how fast you can move the files to a PC via USB cable). If you can’t achieve an uninterrupted mode on your S6, there’s just no way to move files. Needless to say, it may be too late now to try to save those photos as there’s no trick that can make your S6 remains stable for some time.

Problem #4: Galaxy S6 drains battery while charging | Galaxy S6 only charges using a car charger

My Galaxy S6 will only charge when it is on the car charger (which is a lightning charger). When it is plugged into the wall unit (any wall unit – I’ve tried various ones) it won’t charge at all if it is dead. If it has a bit of a charge, it charges insanely slow. I plugged it in at 15% at 9pm, and at 7am it was only at 54%. Seriously?! I’ve never had this problem. It will charge slowly in my computer as well. I recently downloaded some spy app stuff on my daughters phone and not sure if some of it is on my phone too so maybe a 3rd party is doing this?? I tried putting it in safe mode to charge, but it didn’t charge any faster that way. It seems to only charge quickly when it is on the car charger. I really don’t want to do a factory reset. Is there any way I can remedy this without extreme measures?– Stacy

Solution: Hi Stacy. The first thing that you want to do in this situation is to make sure that you are using the right charging cable, with correct amperage, and charger (with correct amperage as well). We don’t want to go into technical details how to go about that but the simplest way to achieve that is by using the Samsung supplied USB cable and charger FOR this phone. That means using the cable and charger that came with the box. If you are no longer using that, get the correct charging kit for this phone model from any Samsung store or order one from their website.

Once you’ve established that the charging cable and charger are not the cause, you can further narrow down the possible causes to either the phone’s software or hardware.

Since booting in safe mode did not make a difference, the next logical step is to perform a factory reset. We know it’s a hassle but it’s the only way to help you check if the reason of the problem is software related. As an average user (and assuming you don’t do rooting or flashing custom software), there’s only so much that you can do to fix an issue like this. Factory reset is actually the last and final software “tweak” that you can do. If the phone remains the same and the battery continues to drain even when charging after you performed a factory reset (and without third party apps), you can assume that you have a hardware problem at hand.

And since hardware issue is almost always unfixable by average users, we don’t cover them in this blog. If you think you have the right knowledge and tools to perform hardware repairs, please look for guides somewhere.

For reference, below are the steps on how to perform a master or factory reset on the S6:

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

Problem #5: AT&T Galaxy S6 Edge group messages is sent to both the original sender and members of the group

So I just bought a Galaxy S6 Edge (I know, a little late to the party) and whenever people send group messages to me, I’m included as one of the recipients to the messages. In other words, my phone number is listed as one of the contacts to send the message to. Because of this, every time I reply to a group message, I receive the message myself in addition to everybody else in the group. So there will be a yellow sent message, as well as a blue received message that is from me. Is there any way I can turn that off? I’ve checked with my carrier (AT&T), and everything is good on their end, and I have reset my phone multiple times. Any suggestions? — David

Solution: Hi David. Messaging apps vary by carrier so we are not quite sure if this issue is unique to  AT&T’s messaging app on the S6 Edge. We don’t have access to an AT&T S6 in our laboratory so we can’t independently check the exact settings. The only suggestion that we can give is to check what happens if you play around with the messaging app’s Group MMS option under settings. Your carrier should be able to help you with this issue as it concerns their product but if they really can’t try to look for solution from AT&T’s forum site or other third party forums that talk about AT&T devices.

Problem #6: Galaxy S6 can’t connect to the internet when using home wi-fi

We have the phones in my house and all work on WiFi except the Galaxy S6. By work on WiFi I mean, they function on wifi the same as if they were using 4G. The Galaxy S6 works on 4G in the house but not on WiFi. It does however, work on my work’s wifi. My home connection is not slow. I know this because all other devices and computers use it just fine. I have tried everything except a factory reset because I don’t think that will do anything. I’m not sure why only the Galaxy S6 has problems. The problems started when we switched to a better router. The old router worked out with the S6 just fine but that router is very old and the new is a big upgrade. I have messed with all the settings I can think of to get the computer S6 to work but nothing works. — Jarom

Solution: Hi Jarom. First of all, we assume that when you say your S6 doesn’t work on Wi-Fi, you are referring to the phone’s inability to connect to the internet via your home wi-fi.

The second thing we want to point out is the fact that if your S6 works with other Wi-Fi networks, that’s a clear indicator that the issue may only be on how your home wi-fi network allows devices to connect, or that your phone’s network memory needs to be cleared (especially if the SSID or network name remains after switching to a new router).

Check router settings

In order to check if the issue is being caused by router-level restriction, you must ensure that your S6 is not blocked from connecting to the internet by the router itself. If you are the administrator of your home wi-fi, log in to your router’s graphic user interface (usually done by pulling up a browser in a computer and typing the router’s log-in page like 192.168.254.254). Every router has its own way of allowing access to its GUI so make sure that you consult the manual or contact the manufacturer for support. If this router was provided by your internet service provider, call your ISP accordingly.

Once you’ve logged in to your router’s GUI, check if you’ve accidentally blocked your phone’s MAC address or IP address. Doing so can result to your S6 being unable to connect to the internet. If the phone is not blocked, there’s also a possibility that it may be restricted or throttled down to only connect to the internet with a very limited bandwidth. Again, routers vary on how their GUIs look so make sure that you ask for assistance if you don’t know what we’re talking about here. Put simply, you want to ensure that your S6 is not blocked from connecting to the internet, or if it’s not, only allowed to connect but with very slow connection speed.

If there’s another family member acting as the administrator of your home wi-fi, make sure that you let him or her know whether or not the above scenarios are happening.

Do a factory reset

If everything is clear on the router level, don’t hesitate to do a factory reset. While “forgetting” then reconnecting to a wi-fi network is sometimes enough to fix this issue, yours may be different. Making sure that you set all software settings back to their default state may be the only effective solution for the problem. Before you commit to a factory reset though, you can also try to wipe the cache partition to see if that will work. Here’s how it’s done:

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

 

Engage with us

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

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

Galaxy S6 keeps making beeping sounds randomly, other issues

Hello guys! Here’s another post that covers 6 more #GalaxyS6 issues. As usual, these issues are taken from reports submitted by some members of our Android community. If you are yet to see your own question published here, make sure to keep watching for similar posts in the near future.

s6

Below are the specific topics covered in this post:

  1. Hardware buttons on water-damaged Galaxy S6 not working properly
  2. Transferring photos from a randomly rebooting Galaxy S6
  3. Galaxy S6 draining battery even while charging
  4. Galaxy S6 keeps making beeping sounds randomly
  5. Galaxy S6 Edge gets stuck in Samsung logo page after flashing stock ROM
  6. Galaxy S6 Edge+ screen keeps flickering

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Hardware buttons on water-damaged Galaxy S6 not working properly

I was out in a vacation one day doing island hopping when I brought my Samsung Galaxy S6 in the water with me, which I also secured in a waterproof pouch so to avoid being wet/soaked. However, few minutes later, I noticed that the pouch started to form moisture inside and I realized that the water was able to get in the pouch. I immediately get out in the water and took my phone to the boat and immediately wrap it in a thick cloth (that was about 2-3 pm when it happened).

Later at around 6pm, I transferred it to a rice container as advised by my friends. That was Thursday and after 58 hours (Sunday at 1am) I turned it on to check if it will work and eventually it did. However when I charged it, it doesn’t charged normally (after 30 minutes it was still at 11%). So I turned it off again (Sunday at around 8am until Monday 6am) and put inside the rice container again for another 24 hours (Monday 6am until Tuesday 6am). I charged it and it charged up to 100% and I was really happy. I started using it until I noticed that GOOGLE SEARCH and CAMERA would suddenly appear (even if I didn’t open it) while I do texting or scanning through my phone.

So I tried to check the settings and was able to found the settings for the camera which prevent it from suddenly appearing even if I don’t really open it and I also disabled the google search. However, google search still appears but not as often as the first time. Few days later, I also noticed that the POWER ON/OFF BUTTON and HOME KEY would SOMETIMES malfunctions. Like it functions during daytime, then at night it goes off (but not simultaneously though and not at all times). I tried to search for troubleshooting these concerns in the internet and I found this way through the accessibility > dexterity and interaction > assistant menu which I found really helpful as to avoid using the home key/power on/off key.

Is my unit okay or do I still need to have it checked for any possible defects? I am afraid to use the factory reset for fear that I won’t be able to use it with a sim afterwards. and maybe having it configured would cost much also. My unit is a Dual SIM one and it’s open line too. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you so much! — Maan

Solution: Hi Maan. If these issues were not there before you took your phone for a dive, then you can bet your S6 was indeed water damaged. We know you would want to hear good news on this situation but we’re afraid you really have to look for an effective resolution. And that resolution is phone replacement. An exhaustive hardware repair may have a small chance of fixing whatever problem there may be, but we won’t bet on it. Majority of the time, water-damaged electronic device eventually breaks down after repair so there’s really nothing much that you can do. Doing a factory reset won’t help in this case either as the main cause is hardware malfunction. If the phone is still within warranty, try bringing it to a Samsung store for replacement.

Problem #2: Transferring photos from a randomly rebooting Galaxy S6

On the “Thedroidguy” page the explanation about these phones shutting down randomly says “if the phone still shut itself down in safe mode, then the problem must be in the firmware or the hardware. You need to backup all your important data, especially ones that are stored in your phone’s internal storage, and perform the master reset.” Do you have a magic way to backup all your important data if the phone is constantly turning off?

My cloud has everything except for the last 3 months. Verizon decreased my cloud size causing my automatic updates to stop working. I have all my pics since June and would love to have the last 3 months. I have tried safe mode and even tried wiping the cache partition. Nothing works so I’m guessing it’s the firmware or hardware but I really don’t want to lose those pics. Help! — Denise

Solution: Hi Denise. There’s no magic way to create a backup of your files if there’s a very short time in between reboots. You need to have at least a full minute between reboots in order to move a few MBs of files from your defective phone to another device. A shorter time than 1 minute between reboots may not be enough to let your S6 initialize and establish a good connection with, say, a PC and transfer files. And remember, regularly interrupting a device while it’s trying to access its memory or saving something can also lead to file corruption. That said, there’s really nothing much that you can do in this case. Unless you can stabilize the phone long enough to move files, those important pictures are gone.

Problem #3: Galaxy S6 draining battery even while charging

I usually need to charge my S6 every night. No big deal. However, sometimes after charging all night (with the provided charger) it still does not completely charge. Sometimes on 50-60%, but sometimes completely. Last night, it didn’t charge at all and powered down during the night. Luckily, it went ahead and charged at that point. Unluckily, I was late to work because my phone is my alarm. What can I do to make it charge consistently? Secondly, it’s as if the phone goes “brain dead” sometimes. It seems to be overwhelmed when I ask it to do complex things like activate, or wake up. I’ll turn the screen on, touch a button and then it acts like it isn’t sure what to do. So I’ll try something else and maybe even a third time on something else at which point the phone does the first thing that I’d wanted. It’s very frustrating. I’ve cleared most photos out, and uninstalled any apps that I didn’t truly need hoping for better performance, but sometimes it still feels like my smartphone didn’t graduate smartphone class. — Darrinswait

Solution: Hi Darrinswait. The two issues may be related or not at all. In order to hit 2 birds with one stone here, we strongly recommend that you do a factory reset first so you can observe how charging works when all software settings are set to default. Make sure that you don’t install any app while observing the phone to see a difference. Try to observe the device for at least 2 days. For reference, below are the steps on how to do a factory reset:

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

If your phone charges fine during the observation period (at least 2 days and no apps installed), then the battery drain issue during charging must be caused by an app/s. Only install apps that are compatible and updated. Because there’s no specific way to know what may be causing battery drain  (other than by going under phone settings and checking battery usage), you must do a trial-by-error isolation yourself.

Problem #4: Galaxy S6 keeps making beeping sounds randomly

First off, I have a Galaxy S6. My phone keeps beeping at random but there’s no message or notification given. I have followed so many tips on line, shut off every notification i could find, and it still beeps like every 5 minutes or so. This just started. I did recently switch my emails on the phone (wicked annoying task to do) and maybe that did something? I have downloaded just two apps ever, and that was a long time ago, i hardly use them.

Also, I have noticed my Gmail and my EMAIL app no longer is syncing, sync is currently experiencing problems. It will be back shortly. both things are super annoying. — Lionettes

Solution: Hi Lionettes. There are a lot of things that can cause an S6 to make a sound notification so we can’t really tell where to start looking. The best thing that you can do right now is to try to remember what you did or changed differently prior to noticing the notification issue. If you can’t do that, consider wiping the cache partition to see if that will change anything. Here’s how to do that:

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

If nothing will change after wiping the cache partition, you can also try to boot your device in safe mode. If the beeping sound is due to a bad third party app, the issue should not occur in safe mode. That should help you then further narrow down on the third party apps you’ve installed recently. To boot in safe mode, follow these steps:

  • Turn off your Galaxy S6.
  • Press and hold the Power key.
  • When ‘Samsung Galaxy S6’ appears, immediately release the Power key and then press and hold the Volume Down button.
  • Continue holding the Volume Down button until the phone finishes the restart.
  • When you see Safe Mode on the lower left corner of the screen, release the button.

Of course, if nothing will change further, you must do a factory reset. Refer to the steps provided above. Doing a factory reset should also help you fix your email syncing issue.

Problem #5: Galaxy S6 Edge gets stuck in Samsung logo page after flashing stock ROM

Please help me!!! I bought a Galaxy S6 Edge 925F off the aliexpress site for 02 months. it came in version 5.0.2 of Android, and updated via OTA to version 6.0.1. A month after installing, the phone restarted alone without reason, and was repeatedly restarting the logo “Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge” until after a few times alone system started.

After that every day was the same. To try to resolve, I reinstalled via Odin the most current stock ROM site SamMobile for the model, did the factory reset and also the cache cleaning as directed in site tutorials. At the beginning everything went well, but one week after cell did the same thing, restarted, was running several times the initial logo, to enter the system, and after a few minutes did the same thing. I do not know what to do, can you help me? Mobile is out of the company’s warranty period. Thank you very much in advance. — Allan

Solution: Hi Allan. If your phone starts working fine after flashing a stock ROM but then reverts to a problematic state afterwards, you should really question yourself what you did differently. There must be something you installed or changed that causes the issue. If you can’t figure out what may be causing the issue, flash a stock ROM again and observe the phone for long as you can, (at least a week perhaps) without installing any app or update. This will help you determine if something you’re adding later is causing the problem.

Problem #6: Galaxy S6 Edge+ screen keeps flickering

My Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ had a screen flicker – then black screen, but I could still answer incoming calls – not much else. I did a soft reset and the display came back, but only for about 20 minutes. Tried again and now only a black screen, but sounds and vibrations when buttons are pushed. Even on start up the screen stays black – therefore, it does no good to do a hard reset because I can’t see where to scroll to wipe the device. I tried doing a factory reset from my laptop in Google Play, but it can’t find the device. Verizon was no help. Samsung tried but couldn’t help in the store. They said mail it back and maybe there is a fix, maybe there isn’t. No clue which operating system is running – been trying to update for over a month but got an error message every time.  — Round

Solution: Hi Round. If the phone boots up fine (because it still makes sound notifications, receives calls, the LED light continues to flash), then you have a screen assembly problem. To fix that, you must submit the device to a hardware check so the screen or unit can be replaced. Our blog does not provide guides on how to replace parts so if you want to do the replacement yourself, try to look for instructions somewhere.

 

Engage with us

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

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

Galaxy S6 won’t turn off after Android update, other issues

It’s been over a year now since the #GalaxyS6 series was first released so it can be expected that many users are starting to experience issues with it.

s6

Below are some of the common problems reported  by some of our S6 users during the past few days:

  1. Galaxy S6 charging port not working | Galaxy S6 power button is defective
  2. Wet Galaxy S6 won’t hold a charge | water damaged Galaxy S6 won’t stay on
  3. Galaxy S6 won’t turn off after Android update
  4. Galaxy S6 keeps on rebooting on its own
  5. Galaxy S6 won’t charge | Galaxy S6 won’t turn on

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Galaxy S6 charging port not working | Galaxy S6 power button is defective

So I’m having some troubles with my Galaxy S6. it started last night when my phone went into a reset mode or something where a blue screen comes up and says downloading. It was locked up and unresponsive. I looked it up and got that fixed by holding the power and volume down key. However, after that, now the charging port will not work. I have to use a wireless charger, and my phone is now just going crazy. Sometimes I can’t turn off my phone off. Pressing the power key just doesn’t work. it gets very glitchy, and the Google page comes up out of random and when I try to close it, Google just comes back up again. I don’t know if you can help I’m afraid the whole system is damaged, hope you can help! — Drew

Solution: Hi Drew. We haven’t noticed you mention doing a factory reset so we suggest that you try that first. Afterwards, observe the phone for at least 24 hours without installing any app so you’ll know if one of your third party apps is to blame. To do a factory reset, kindly do the following steps:

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

If your phone continues to show abnormal behaviors after a factory reset (and without any third party apps), it’s time that you consider getting a replacement unit.

Problem #2: Wet Galaxy S6  won’t hold a charge | water damaged Galaxy S6 won’t stay on

About 2 months ago my phone was accidentally dropped into a pool and suffered a bit of water damage. I kept it in rice for about a week and then tried plugging it into a charger before turning it on. It recognized the charger and showed it was 96% charged, I let it get to 100% and then tried turning the device on but nothing happened, it just refreshed and the battery level went back to 96% charged (it was still plugged in).

I tried doing some damage control with the help of Samsung and even sent it in for repair, and tracking the whole process they sent the phone back almost immediately after receiving it labeling it as “beyond economic repair.” I returned from a trip abroad, and checked the phone and now it turns on when plugged into the charger. Everything on the device works perfectly fine, including the display, audio, etc. The only issue is that it won’t hold a charge, everytime i unplug it from the charger it turns off.

I spoke to Samsung again and they say they wont repair it because it had damage to the motherboard but I get the feeling they never even opened up the phone to check it out. Is there anything I can do to fix this problem? — Rima

Solution: Hi Rima. If Samsung won’t repair your water-damaged phone, your only option is to let a third party shop do it instead. As far as resolution on your end is concerned, we doubt that. Unless you have advanced electronic knowledge, can fix a specific Samsung device, and the special kit to do the job, there’s really nothing much that you can do. Software troubleshooting won’t help you obviously so simply let a professional check the phone.

Problem #3: Galaxy S6 won’t turn off after Android update

I think i gave you the right system. After the last update my phone randomly started rebooting itself. If i open a photo and hit share, it reboots itself. If i try to send an attachment it reboots itself. I cannot shut it down either. When you hit the power button, the shutdown/restart menu no longer exists. It just reboots itself when you hit the power button. The update before this it randomly froze and stayed that way for long periods of time in the reboot mode. Frozen, that stopped. Now it reboots randomly.

Also if i have set a background, when it reboots it erases that and puts it back to factory picture. I have not added any aps to my phone in a very very long time. The issues started at the same time as the update and i had also applied a different back ground in text from the theme store. Which came with the phone. I had just used it at that time coincidentally. I was afraid it was that so uninstalled it. I have read tips here but they require you to shut down the phone which I can’t do. — Rebecca

Solution: Hi Rebecca. The first thing that you want to do is to reset your phone. This can be done by pressing and holding the Power and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds. After doing a soft reset, you can attempt to shut the phone down again. If it’s successful, you then want to wipe the cache partition.

For minor firmware-related issues brought by apps and firmware updates, wiping the cache partition often does the trick. It’s because this procedure will literally delete all cached files in the cache partition, which will force the system to create new ones during the next boot up.

This procedure is also very helpful in fixing issues like random reboots, boot loop, stuck during boot up and random freezes after updates. Here’s how you wipe the cache partition on your S6:

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

If wiping the cache partition won’t work, the next thing that you can do is factory reset. Please refer to the steps below on how to do it.

In case soft reset won’t resolve your difficulty in shutting down the phone, consider getting a replacement phone as the Power button may have become stuck.

Problem #4: Galaxy S6 keeps on rebooting on its own

I want to ask for your help about my smartphone.

In this recent days, my phone keep rebooting by itself especially when I restart my phone (sometimes it can happen without restart my phone). After I restart my phone, It is absolutely keep rebooting by itself and I don’t know when it will stop, so I just leave it until it is finish.

I already tried 2 methods to solve that, the first one is wipe cache partition and the last one is factory reset. However none of that method work up on my phone.

Can you help me to solve this problem? Please I don’t know already what should I do, I just bought it 6 months ago and this phone already has kind of this problem. Is it possible the source of the problem is the newest OS?

And by the way, I don’t understand the meaning of carrier in your form

Thank you. — Anthony

Solution: Hi Anthony. There’s only so much that you can do when it comes to an issue like this. If factory reset did not change anything, consider installing another firmware, in case the cause of the problem is due to the poor quality of firmware running on the device. If you rely on your carrier to receive updates (OTA update),  you want to manually install the firmware instead via Odin mode. Now, manual firmware installation has its risks and does not guarantee a resolution. This is, however, the only thing that you can do on your end before you consider having the phone replaced. If you want to flash a new ROM or firmware to your device, use Google to search for a guide.

Problem #5: Galaxy S6 won’t charge | Galaxy S6 won’t turn on

It was on charge the other night, woke up and and went to go on the phone but it seemed to drain itself and then switch off? So I tried charging it but it would vibrate and go onto the grey battery icon with the lightening bolt in and nothing else. I would try to turn it on and it would switch off as soon as my homescreen loaded.

I tried several different cables and plugs etc, ones that i knew worked with family but still nothing. I tried clearing out the charging port as best as I could and still nothing. I then tried using a wireless charger from a friend and the same thing happens where it just appears with a grey battery icon and doesn’t actually charge. It’s been two days and now the phone won’t turn on at all and it wont let me boot into safe mode or do a hard reset. The only thing i can get up on the screen is the grey battery icon when the phone is on the wireless charging pad. — Charlotte

Solution: Hi Charlotte. There’s obviously nothing much that you can do about this problem on your own. Looks like you have a hardware issue right now. We know that Samsung Galaxy S6 phones are very reliable and we don’t think these issues just came out of the blue. Either the phone has been dropped or exposed to elements like water or heat. If none of these things happen to your device, there’s a chance that there’s a problem with the battery. Unless you have the required electronics skills and tools, there’s no way you can examine the phone’s hardware. So, your best course of action right now is to call Samsung so they can check the hardware or even replace the device. If your S6 is no longer in warranty, be sure to prepare to pay for the service required.

 

Engage with us

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

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

How to transfer files from Galaxy S7 to a PC, other issues

S7 edge

For those of you who sent us requests for assistance regarding #GalaxyS7 and #GalaxyS7edge, check this article out to see if we have a resolution for you. We plan on posting more materials about Galaxy S7 issues in the coming weeks so watch out for them.

Below are the specific topics addressed here today:

  1. How to transfer files from Galaxy S7 to a PC
  2. Galaxy S7 Messages app crashes when making attachment menu full screen
  3. Work email not working on Galaxy S7 edge
  4. Galaxy S7 keeps showing message not sent message when sending text with over 160 characters
  5. Galaxy S7 won’t charge after it got dropped in pool
  6. Galaxy S7 charges on and off and drains battery power fast | Galaxy S7 randomly reboots, shuts down on its own

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: How to transfer files from Galaxy S7 to a PC

Using the USB cable that came with the phone, I still cannot download my photos onto my computer. I saw on some forums that I need to unlock my phone in order to do this.  It appears, however, after looking around, that Verizon simultaneously says:  All 4LTE items are sold unlocked out of the box but then below it, I read that you can’t unlock your phone until your contract expires. 

I can’t make head nor tails out of any of this. Even if I got Verizon to cooperate, how do I “insert” my new sim code (that I’ll have to pay for) into my phone? 

All I want is to free up space on my phone so I can take more photos. 

Help! — Tina

Solution: Hi Tina. “Unlocking” your Galaxy S7 means changing some aspects in the software so it can be used with other networks other than Verizon. Doing so has nothing to do with the first thing that you want, which is to move some of your files to a computer so you can free up some space. Unlocked or not, you should be able to transfer files from your S7 to a computer via USB cable.

As a reference, these are the things that you need to do, assuming that you have a Windows computer. If you have a Mac, the steps should be slightly similar but the general steps should still be the same.

  1. The first step is to connect your S7 again to your PC via USB cable. Once your phone is recognized by the computer, you can already start moving your files such as music, pictures, and other contents. To easily restore contents after the reset, you can create new folders specific for each type of file on your computer. For example, you can create a music folder for storing music (audio) files copied from your phone to your PC.
    • Insert one end of the USB cable to the charger/accessory port located at the bottom of your phone.
    • Insert the other end of the USB cable into an available USB port on your computer.
    • Remove the USB cable from the charging head to access it when necessary. (The device driver software will then automatically install on the computer the first time you connect your phone to it.)
  2. On your phone, drag the status bar down to show to notification panel.
  3. Select a file transfer option. (An indication that your phone is already accessible through your computer is a message prompt that says “Connected as a media device” or “Connected as a camera.”)
  4. Tap “Connected as a media device,” and then check the box next to Media device (MTP). By then you may begin moving contents from your phone. Hint: Generally, “Connected as a media device” is an option used for most file transfers. If you want to change this option, simply tap the Notification in the Notification Panel. Doing so will open the USB computer connection screen wherein you can tap to select any of your preferred option.
  5. To start copying contents, click the option to “Open device to view files” on your computer.
  6. Navigate to the desired contents on your phone.
  7. Drag and drop the files into the selected folder to your computer.
  8. When you are finished copying all important files, safely disconnect your phone from the computer.

Problem #2: Galaxy S7 Messages app crashes when making attachment menu full screen

When I try to add an attachment through Messages (the regular text app, not Facebook), it works fine until I try to make the attachment menu full screen.  If I swipe up to enlarge it or rotate the screen sideways, it crashes and I get “Unfortunately Messages has stopped.”  It does this if I try to make Camera, Galley, or Other full screen. The normal camera app works fine, as does gallery. It only happens if I try to take make one of the attachment options full screen through Messages. I tried forcing the app to stop, clearing its data, doing a soft reset, wiping the cache partition, and finally doing a factory reset.  The problem is still there and it hadn’t been a few weeks ago. I thought the for sure the factory reset would fix it.  Any thoughts? — John

Solution: Hi John. This can be a firmware-specific bug, which means that it only exists for the Android specific version released by your carrier. We have not heard of this issue in the wild so we think that it may either isolated to your device, or to devices running the same Android build.

Try wiping the cache partition first and see what happens. If nothing changes, we don’t think doing a factory reset will hurt.

Here are the steps on how to wipe the cache partition on a Note 5:

  • Turn off the phone.
  • Once the phone has completely shut down, press and hold Volume, Home, and Power buttons at the same time.
  • Wait until the Samsung logo appears before releasing the Power button.
  • Once the Android logo shows up, release the two other buttons.
  • Wait for the Recovery menu to appear (may take up to a minute).
  • Go to wipe cache partition option using the Volume buttons, then press Power button to confirm.
  • Wait for the device to wipe the cache partition
  • Once the cache has been deleted, Reboot system now option will then be highlighted.
  • Press Power button again to confirm the reboot.

Problem #3: Work email not working on Galaxy S7 edge

Thanks for all you do for the community. That said, I have yet to find any helpful hints for this issue. With both my S6 Edge, and now with my S7 Edge, I have the same issue – I cannot get the Android (or maybe Samsung) mail app to sync with my workplace email at all.

I put in the information manually, and it accepts it and seems to go into the inbox, yet it will not receive any emails, nor will it send them. I’ve enabled the sync settings within the app, as well as the master sync. I’ve removed and recreated the account, cleared the email app cache, and at this point I traded my S6 Edge in for the S7 Edge..still, I cannot get my company email on my phone. The closest I can get is opening up OWA. But, as a systems administrator for my company, I need to have immediate alerts and access to the email. Other users on other Android and iPhone devices have no problems adding their email accounts…Any thoughts about other configuration issues that might be causing my problem? — Kent

Solution: Hi Kent. An issue like this requires that you work with your IT department or Exchange administrators (assuming you’re having trouble with an Exchange account here) and not with us. We don’t have access to your corporate network configurations s so the best that we can do is speculate. With such a very general problem description, we can’t really pinpoint where the problem may lie.

If this is the first time that you’ve tried to configure your email account on a smartphone, there may be some settings that must be enabled by your corporate IT guys in order for the setup to work.

Problem #4: Galaxy S7 keeps showing message not sent message when sending text with over 160 characters

When I send a message longer than 160 characters, it says message failed yet the message is still received by the recipient. Also, if somebody sends me a message and I’m in the middle of using the phone and so reply using the pop up window that appears when the message arrives, I can only send a message of 160 characters. Yet if I open the messaging app fully and reply to the message that way, I can send any size message I want?

Also sometimes messages are being sent two or three times. I get an alert from giffgaff saying “that message was free…” every time I send a message and I am still receiving these even when a message is apparently failed. — Phil

Solution: Hi Phil. This can be an app or firmware bug so the first thing that you want to do is clear the cache and data of the messaging app. Here’s how:

  • Go to phone Settings.
  • Tap Device tab.
  • Look for Applications and tap it.
  • Once you’re inside Applications menu, look for Applications Manager and tap it.
  • Inside Applications Manager, tap All apps.
  • Look for the email app you’re using and tap it.
  • From there, you should see  a page that list app-specific information and options. Tap Storage.
  • Tap Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons.

If nothing will change, delete the cache partition (steps provided above). Still, if the issue remains, consider doing a factory reset to ensure that the firmware is refreshed.

Finally, call your wireless carrier first so they can offer you direct assistance in this matter regarding the message that keeps appearing after sending a text message.

Problem #5: Galaxy S7 won’t charge after it got dropped in pool

Good morning. I came across your article online and I was wondering if you could help me. I fell into my father’s pool with my S7 Edge + in my pocket 4 days ago. I was in the water a total of 5-10 seconds.

I made the mistake of drying it and trying to power it on and got the blue light then blank screen. So I tossed it into a bag of minute rice (only rice he had) and let it sit in that bag for 3 days. I also left it on a dry transformer to heat it up in the bag.

After all of the rice and heat and etc…. The phone actually began charging. It got to 2% charge (VERY slowly) and I tried to power it on.

The phone booted up, but died immediately due to low battery. Now when I plug it in, it registers the charge and even says fast charging and say “1hr19min until fully charged” which is the normal time for this phone at 0%. The phone does not charge though, just stays at 0%.

I really only want to get some pictures off this phone.

What are your thoughts? Thanks. — Chris

Solution: Hi Chris. Thoughts? Well, first of all, you must condition yourself with the idea that the phone may be gone. If the symptom you’ve described here was not present prior to exposing the phone in water, you can safely assume that the inside components of your device has been damaged. Whether or not the damage is extensive depends on the exposed components. If water is limited in the charging port area only, there’s a chance that replacement of micro-USB port may work. However, if water damaged has spread to other parts, or if it may have corroded the metallic components of the motherboard, the only resolution that you can hope for is unit replacement.

That you turn on your phone without making sure that there’s no more moisture or water inside may have also amplified the initial damage. In an ideal world, you’re supposed to immediately cut the power by physically removing the battery, which is not readily available in your case. Leaving the battery connected to a water damaged electronic device does not ends up well. Turning on the phone may have shorted some components at this time, complicating the situation further.

Since water damage automatically voids the warranty, you can’t count on Samsung to replace the phone free of charge at this time. If phone replacement is not an option for you, have the device checked by a competent technician so it can be cleaned and fixed if necessary. This route won’t guarantee that you’ll get the phone back to its previous working state fully, but it’s the only remaining option for you.

Problem #6: Galaxy S7 charges on and off and drains battery power fast | Galaxy S7 randomly reboots, shuts down on its own

A couple or issues that may or may not be related (IT idiot here).

Sometimes (and tonight has been especially horrible) the phone will be connected into the charger, and will not charge, or will continuously alternate between charging and not charging. I’ve tried cleaning out the port and have checked to see if the prongs are damaged but they appear to be okay. I’ve noticed that the battery is draining a lot quicker as well with the charger plugged in…like it’s sucking power out instead. I’ve tried a car charger, USB into computer and car jack, and also a wall charger (the wall has worked the best and kept it charging for the longer time).

Another issue, I don’t know if related or not, is the phone will keep shutting itself off when in my pocket. This only happens occasionally, but will do it several times in a row. And I never know that the phone has turned itself off until I go to press the main button on the bottom (not the power buttom), and it will turn back on and go throw the opening welcome pages.

This is all getting really irritating. I work a job that can be dangerous and I need to have this phone charged and working at all times. Also not looking forward to the prospect of having to replace it, can’t really afford it. Any help you can give is much appreciated! — Racheal

Solution: Hi Racheal. The general rule of thumb when troubleshooting an Android device issue like this is do software solutions first. We recommend that you do that as well.

That said, the first thing that you want to do is to see if a third party you’ve installed is causing it. Boot your phone in safe mode and let the phone run in this mode for at least 48 hours. This will give you ample time to observe the difference. Safe mode will prevent third party apps from running and only the basic ones will work. To boot your phone in safe mode, just follow these steps:

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

If the issue remains after observing the phone for a couple of days, do a factory reset so you can eliminate possible bugs that may have developed over time. Just like in safe mode, observe the phone for another 2 days to see for any changes. If that won’t change either, that’s an indication there may be a hardware error behind the trouble. Call Samsung and have the phone repaired or replaced.

 

Engage with us

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

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

Galaxy S7 is unresponsive, won’t turn off, stuck in decrypting process screen, other issues

Hello Android fans! Welcome to another #GalaxyS7 troubleshooting guide. This post brings you more S7 issues and solutions. If you don’t find any useful troubelshooting tip here, be sure to also visit our main Galaxy S7 troubleshooting page.

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

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

Problem 1: Galaxy S7 showing blue LED light but phone is not responding

It’s been doing this for about a month now. It’s under a year old. The first time is when it was on low battery, i had put it on charge. then it was on 100%, i switched it on, went on Whatsapp and when i went out it froze and then switched off.

 i tried troubleshooting. Didn’t want to work. i then left it till the next day and tried again, it didn’t work. i then put it on charge. it was charging and switched on and off about 3 times and finally working after.

It’s been about two weeks when this morning i was on my phone and it switched off again. And now there is a blue light but it’s constantly on and doesn’t go off and that didn’t happen the last time. Now, i tried troubleshooting but no luck, anything actually no luck. In the past, it was slow but it would occur a few times but it would freeze. what should i do? please help. — Charlette

Solution:  Hi Charlette. If your phone does not turn back on normally anymore (it must still be on because it’s showing a blue LED) and the screen is either unresponsive or stays black, there’s only one thing that we can suggest — boot it to alternate modes. Doing so will help you tell if the problem can be fixed on your end or not.

Below are the steps that you must try:

Boot in Recovery mode:

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

Boot in Download Mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume DOWN keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume DOWN keys.
  4. Wait until the Download screen appears.
  5. If you can boot the phone in download mode but not in other modes, that means that your only way out may be to flash a stock or custom firmware.
  6. Use Google to look for a guide on how to do it.

Boot in safe mode:

  1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Press and hold the Power button.
  3. Once the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7’ logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  4. Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  5. Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.
  6. The only difference of safe mode from normal mode is that the former prevents third party apps from running. If you can boot the phone in safe mode but not in normal mode, uninstall all apps until the issue (that prevents you from booting normally) is eliminated.

If your phone remains unresponsive and you won’t be able to do these different hardware button combinations, you have a hardware issue at hand. It can be bad screen assembly, or something else. Have the phone checked by Samsung or an independent service center.

Problem 2: Galaxy S7 stopped working properly with Garmin device after an update

My phone is a Galaxy S7 with AT&T. The problem that I’m having is that after the last two updates from AT&T (which have been within the last week or two), I only get an initial notice on my Garmin Vivosmart HR for a text message, but still receive notices of phone calls, voicemails, and missed phone calls. After the first message is received, the Garmin does not vibrate to notify me of a text message, but the phone does sound and vibrate as those notification choices were made in phone settings.

I have gone into my Garmin settings and chose to be notified and it is connected to the phone. I have also added message app on the Garmin, which hasn’t changed anything and have not had it before. I’ve gone looking for updates to my Garmin and have not found any, nor has it had any in quite some time.

I have turned the phone off, charged it fully and then turned it back on. have tried to doing a reboot, have turned my Garmin off and then back on, have disconnected them from each other and then reconnected and re synced them. i have removed the Garmin off the phone and then reconnected it as well. I don’t believe I missed anything in my description of the problem or attempts to fix it either. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely. — Brent

Solution: Hi Brent. Installing an Android update is basically changing core system files. Sometimes, bugs can develop because a developer fails to anticipate them. Knowing the true cause of an issue like this is impossible so you must try to narrow down the possibilities yourself.

We noticed you did not mention doing the usual software troubleshooting steps we recommend for post-update issues in a Galaxy phone. Below are the things that you should try:

Wipe the cache partition

Updates can sometimes corrupt the system cache leading to all sorts of problems. It’s good if you clear the cache partition immediately after an update so your phone will be forced to build a new cache. Here’s how it’s done:

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

Ensure that ALL apps are updated and compatible with the new Android OS

If the problem stays after wiping the cache partition, your next move would be to install updates for all your apps. Any one of them can be the cause of your problem. If you’ve already updated the apps before contacting us, try to boot the phone to safe mode to see if any of them is causing this. Here’s how it’s done:

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

Do a factory reset

Wiping your phone clean with factory reset should be the last step that you must perform on your phone. It reverts all software settings back to their known, working state so if the problem remains after that, there’s either a compatibility issue with your Garmin device, or that device needs troubleshooting itself.

Below are the steps on how to factory reset your Galaxy S7:

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

Troubleshoot your Garmin device

If you think the issue lies on the Garmin device, contact its maker and ask for assistance.

Problem 3: Galaxy S7 active speaker not working all the time for videos or alarm

My Galaxy S7 active has recently over the past few weeks had some issues using the speaker for videos and alarm. Sometimes there is sound and sometimes there isn’t. So far I have not had the problem with games or spotty which I find odd and I’m not sure how to fix this. Any suggestions? — Angel

Solution: Hi Angel. Try wiping the cache partition first. This should take care of a possible system cache trouble.

If that won’t work, a good next step would be to delete the cache and data of the apps you’re having problems with. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  2. Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6 or 7.
  3. Once in there, click on an application.
  4. You’ll now see a list of stuff that gives you information about the app, including Storage, Permissions, Memory Use, and more. These are all clickable items. You’ll want to click on Storage.
  5. You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.

Should wiping apps’ cache and data won’t help either, do a factory reset.

Problem 4: Galaxy S7 is unresponsive, won’t turn off, stuck in decrypting process screen

My Galaxy S7 is stuck on the decrypting part of the reboot process (an unlocked padlock appears with 2 spinning half circles around it). I had just downloaded a bloatware disabler and must have disabled a needed application. Prior to rebooting, the phone was unresponsive to any actions beyond the power button. I am open to doing a factory reset, but am unable to do so without getting the phone out of this process. Is there any way of forcing a power-off without waiting for the battery to drain? — Paul

Solution: Hi Paul. You can try a soft reset. Here’s how:

  1. Press and hold the Power (located on the right edge) and Volume down buttons (located on the left edge) for 12 seconds.
  2. Use the Volume down button to scroll to the Power Down option.
  3. Press the Home key to select.

If you’ll be unable to soft reset the device, you’ll have to wait until the phone turns off on its own, or until the battery runs out.

Problem 5: Galaxy S7 won’t allow access to Apple email

I have my email through Apple, but I am a S7 edge user. The app for my email has worked in the past but I changed my Mac password and now I can’t access my email on my phone but can on my computer via the internet and the resources on the laptop. Could you please tell me how to fix this. And how would i know if the issue is because of the 2-step authentication or if I even have it selected? — Utley2

Solution: Hi Utley2. We are not familiar with how your Apple email works. If you need assistance with it, you should contact Apple. They should be able to tell you if the cause of the issue is 2-step authentication or similar security process. With popular emails such as Gmail and Microsoft email (Hotmail, Outlook, etc.), 2-step verification process usually needs to be disabled first before you can configure an account in another email client. We don’t know if this true for Apple email or not.

If there’s no 2-step authentication in your account, try clearing the data on your email app and try reconfigure your email on it.

Problem 6: Galaxy S7 keeps showing “searching for service”  error and can’t send SMS

I recently switched from an iPhone 5 to a Samsung S7, but kept the same provider, Tracfone. As soon as I switched, I started having problems with texting, where there would be large chunks of time, sometimes over a day, when my phone would not send texts. Sometimes it says “searching for service” on the top left. The data and wifi and everything else works fine. It does not seem dependent on how many signal bars or time of day. I have been on the phone with Tracfone customer service every day and they have been little help, it seems random when it starts working again. The only time it started working immediately again was when they deactivated and reactivated the phone. But already, the next morning it says “searching for service” again for about 3 hours, though it just randomly started working again. I am starting to hope it is not an issue with the provider, because I am wasting hours every day on the phone with them. Any thoughts? — Gabriela

Solution: Hi Gabriela. Like you, there’s no way for us to know for certain where the problem lies. Based on your problem description though, it seems likely that it’s with your carrier. Your troubleshooting for this issue is limited to what you can do on your device, which is actually minimal. The most that you can do is factory reset. Other than that, the rest of the support should come from your carrier.

If you are using a SIM card, try inserting the SIM card in another phone and observe it for a some time. If the problem continues, talk to Tracfone so they can either do more advanced troubleshooting, or replace the phone (if again, the phone is to blame).

Problem 7: Galaxy S7 edge won’t turn on after it was accidentally dropped

Hi. I would like to ask for an advise. My phone Samsung S7 Edge just shutdown automatically while I’m watching Youtube video today. It is not overused, in fact I use it seldom but last night I drop it for 2 times from the bed to floor (approx. 20 inches drop) while playing an online game because of sleepiness. I’ve ask an advise to a technician awhile ago and he said that it’s possible that the motherboard died, because it cannot be detected in the computer using any USB port. It won’t turn on even if I already perform the hard reset (hold volume and power button), computer cannot detect the phone and it won’t charge at all. If the motherboard is the issue, how can I resolve it? Does the technician can troubleshoot it or it’s 50/50 chance? I think it was upgraded to Nougat but I’m not certain. Thank you. Regards. — Angeli

Solution: Hi Angeli. In most cases, repair has always a 50-50 chance. The more extensive the damage to the hardware is, the lower the chances of a successful repair.

Motherboard repair does not always guarantee a fix because there may be undetected problems during the check up. A technician can only fix a detected issue. If other components were damaged after you accidentally dropped the phone but your phone did not show any symptoms during diagnostics, a technician may not detect a problematic component. That’s why problems may still happen even after the phone has been “fully repaired.” Some motherboard problems are simply way too complicated that some technicians may be unable to fix them at all. We highly recommend that you get a new phone rather than go through motherboard repair. It’s not only a tricky business but the cost can be prohibitive as well. And there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a fully working phone afterwards!

As far as fixing a motherboard problem yourself is concerned, we don’t really think it’s a good idea. Electronics repair of this magnitude requires expertise and tools. Unless you are familiar with Samsung devices and has the right tools (not to mention the right components), we strongly discourage do-it-yourself repair.

Motherboard repair or replacement can cost you a few hundred dollars so we want you to think hard if you want to go through it, or simply get a new phone.

Problem 8: Galaxy S7 shuts down when Mobile Legends app is used

Hi. First of all, i want to thank your guys for the free posting about the android tips and problem.

So, my phone just updated after i done factory reset. My problem is, the phone just keeps restarting after i played games, Mobile Legends. Do i have any chances to fix this issue so that i can continue to play the game?

I managed to install Mobile Legends game for the first time and carry on playing for a week before the restarting issue began bugging me. Later, i done factory reset and update my android since my android version is outdated but the problem isn’t resolving. If i don’t start the app (Mobile Legends), my phone work just fine. The good news is the phone can function normally after i do soft reset but sadly , if i start the Mobile Legend app and start playing for 5 mins, the problem then start again ( the phone screen will shut down and the phone will restart). With your specialty , i need your help and advice on how to correct/fix this problem. Thank you. — M. Fatehi

Solution: Hi M. Fatehi. It looks like you have a compatibility problem here. Please contact the developer of the app and let them know about the problem so they can release a patch, or make it compatible with a phone running on a certain operating system like yours.

 

Engage with us

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

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

Delay in sending and receiving SMS on Galaxy S7 Edge, other issues

Hello our fellow Android users! Welcome to another #GalaxyS7 series post. Today, we discuss 6 issues reported by some users for the past few days. We hope this material can also help those suffering from identical or similar issues.

s7

Below are the specific topics covered in this article:

  1. Galaxy S7 Edge keyboard lag issue | Delay in sending and receiving SMS on Galaxy S7 Edge
  2. How to unlock a Galaxy S7 from Saudi Arabia
  3. Galaxy S7 not fast charging anymore
  4. Galaxy S7 is completely dead
  5. Galaxy S7 keeps dropping network connection
  6. Galaxy S7 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection | Galaxy S7 keeps rebooting on its own

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Galaxy S7 Edge keyboard lag issue | Delay in sending and receiving SMS on Galaxy S7 Edge

Hi. My wife and I have started using Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge cellphones since 3 weeks ago. We have to say that from day one text messaging is a real pain, whether we are the sender or the recipient. There are many big issues:

  1. The keyboard is very sticky every time we type in texts. So, we cannot type fast as we should be able to. And we have to wait until our message is successfully sent off to the system before we can start typing our next text. Chatting through text messaging is simply impossible.
  2. At least it takes 15 seconds or more after the ‘send’ button is pressed before our message can be sent to our Internet service provider’s server. In our case, it’s Telus Mobility’s.
  3. Then there is invariably a delay before the recipient can receive the message. A 4 to 5 minute delay is not unusual. Quite often, I sent my wife a text and it was not until 41 minutes later when she could receive the notification and the text message itself! The signal was, as shown on the phone screens, good. We were in mid-town Toronto but not in any remote areas. The delay is so unacceptable. We need to use texting to send urgent messages but it can no longer be relied upon. I have contacted Telus. They said we should bring the phones back to Samsung to see if there is a glitch issue. But interestingly, we do not have the above three problems at all when we use Whatsapp to do messaging! Please let me hear from you. Thank you. — Sai

Solution: Hi Sai. Whatsapp uses a third party server to handle your messages so if the above mentioned issues only occurs when using a specific application such as the native messaging app, the issue may lie on that app itself, or the network that manages your text messages. The first thing that you want to do is wipe the phone’s cache partition in order to refresh the system cache. Here’s how:

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

If refreshing the system cache won’t resolve the issues, make sure that you delete the cache and data of the apps in question. Kindly follow the steps below:

  • Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  • Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6.0.
  • Once in there, click on an application.
  • You’ll now see a list of stuff that gives you information about the app, including Storage, Permissions, Memory Use, and more. These are all clickable items. You’ll want to click on Storage.
  • You should now clearly see the Clear Data and Clear Cache buttons for the application.

Should there be no change after performing these two procedures, bring the phone to your carrier so they can check if it’s a unit problem or something related to their network services in your area.

Problem #2: How to unlock a Galaxy S7 from Saudi Arabia

Good day. I bought a Samsung Galaxy in Saudi Arabia about a month ago. I didn’t noticed that this phone can only be used here in Middle East & North Africa. It’s a SIM only based in the sticker outside the box. I browsed on the web how to unlock this phone without deleting my files saved in this phone. Did you hear about theunlockingcompany in the web? Is that legit? Or what should i do to unlock this phone.

By the way, I’m from Philippines and i will send this phone to my home country that’s why i want to unlock this before i send it home. Thank you so much in advance… — Ecarpena79

Solution: Hi Ecarpena. There are two common network technology being used around the world — GSM and CDMA. The former needs a SIM card in order to store subscriber and some network-related information, while the former stores the same type of information directly into the phone’s memory in itself. CDMA phones nowadays also sport a SIM card slot in order to use 4G and/or LTE technology but all subscriber information must be programmed into the phone itself and not stored in the SIM card. In other words, CDMA phones only uses the SIM card so it will be able to use LTE network while GSM phones uses the SIM card to keep the user’s identity and other important network details.

If your Galaxy S7 is a GSM phone, then the only things that you want to check these two things:

  1. Its frequency compatibility with networks in the Philippines, and
  2. that it’s network unlocked

The first one requires that your phone’s hardware is equipped to work with radio frequencies (or band) networks in the Philippines are using. Not all GSM phones are capable of working with the usual bands carriers are using so you must check this first. This means that even if you are in a GSM network in Saudi Arabia right now, there’s still a chance that it’s operating frequency may be different from your carriers in the Philippines. You did not provide the model number of your device so we can’t do a quick check about its operating frequency bands. You must do some digging online to do that yourself. Perhaps this Samsung page can get you started. Make sure that you use the correct the model number of your device when looking for information about its network specifications. Once you have the correct specifications of your phone, be sure to check if they are compatible with the operating frequency bands of carriers in the Philippines.

Frequency compatibility is determined by the available hardware in your phone. This means that if, for example, your Philippine carrier is only operating LTE in frequency bands 4 and 6 while your phone only works in bands 3 and 7, you will be unable to use LTE there. Since this is hardware incompatibility, there’s nothing that you can do to fix it and there’s no software hack that can change the situation. Don’t worry though as most GSM networks in Asia and Middle East usually operates in compatible multiple frequency bands so there’s a huge chance that your device will not encounter network issues in your home country. Still, we strongly suggest that you do basic research before pushing with your plan to avoid disappointing yourself.

Now, the second point is relatively easy to resolve. There are many shops, not to mention online ones, in almost every country that can unlock a GSM phone. We recommend though that you before you bring or send the phone to the Philippines, you ask one of your relatives or friends if there’s a shop in your location that can network unlock the particular model of your phone. Again, doing this in advance means saving yourself from disappointment.

We are not in the business of unlocking phones so we are not familiar with theunlockingcompany and their services. A quick search in Google provides some basic information about this online company but we still advise you to be wary, especially when providing credit card information or any payment. We don’t usually recommend going online when it comes to this job but if you can’t find any reliable shop in Saudi Arabia to do the job for you, then going online may be your only choice. Again, we don’t know of any online service that can unlock the particular model of your phone so it’s up to you if you want to take risks.

Problem #3: Galaxy S7 not fast charging anymore

About a 3 months ago my S7 won’t want to fast charge anymore. Started charging without fast charge. Then it started charging slower and slower. I only use Samsung charging cords. I bought a new charger. It started fast charging again however the same events occurred again. Since it charges so slow like 8 plus hrs to get to 100%, I’ve been leaving it overnight to charge. I woke up and it was at 0%. I restarted it and it took 9hrs to get to 75% and now its freezing and working slow too. I have tried restarting it in the past three times in a row and nothing. I’m afraid i might infected my phone by surfing porn. Not sure if I’m right but i need help getting it back to normal. — Sonia

Solution: Hi Sonia. The first step that you want to do is to see if one of your apps is to blame. Boot the phone in safe mode and see if there’s a difference. While in this mode, no third party app will be allowed to run. If one of your apps is the cause, the issue should not occur. To boot your phone in safe mode, follow these steps:

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

If nothing changes while the phone is in safe mode, consider wiping everything via factory reset. To do that, follow these steps:

  • Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
  • Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power keys together.
  • When the device powers on and displays ‘Power on logo’, release all keys and the Android icon will appear on the screen.
  • Wait until the Android Recovery Screen appears after about 30 seconds.
  • Using the Volume Down key, highlight the option, ‘wipe data/factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
  • Press the Volume Down button again until the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted and then press the Power key to select it.
  • After the reset is complete, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key to restart the phone.
  • Once the reset is complete, observe the phone for a day without installing any of your apps. If your phone charging behavior won’t change during the observation period, you can bet a hardware malfunction is causing the issue. Find a way to have it replaced.

Problem #4: Galaxy S7 is completely dead

I woke up and my phone’s dead. I attempted to put it on charge from 4 different chargers but it’s not acknowledging the charger. So I try to turn it on and it comes on with 50% battery randomly and then the battery starts dying, also saying my phones overheating. But my phone’s been off for 10 hours and was cold as ice.

Whilst I’m trying to call my mobile provider so I could reboot or get any instructions on how to fix the problem the battery dies. Now the phone won’t charge at all. It does switch on to tell me 0% then it switches back off. It’s been off for 24hrs. tried it today but it’s still not responding to charger so wtf. This is a Samsung issue as much as you want to say this is a batch issue. when i first got my phone it doid something similar. it wouldn’t switch on or charge. I took it to Samsung and Samsung said it was their fault due to some software issue that the company was having. He said another software update would be installed to prevent this from happening but clearly it didn’t work. I’ve had my phone for awhile and now it just randomly doing this. No red charger light appears, no battery symbol. I need to information on my phone before any reset so how do we do this? — Tantrumartist

Solution: Hi Tantrumartist. If your phone is totally unresponsive, there’s very little to nothing that you can do on your end. Try to check if you can boot it to other modes as detailed below:

Boot in Recovery mode

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

Boot in Download Mode

  • Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  • Press and then hold the Home and Volume DOWN keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  • When the Samsung Galaxy S7 shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume DOWN keys.
  • Wait until the Download screen appears.
  • If you can boot the phone in download mode but not in other modes, that means that your only way out may be to flash a stock or custom firmware.
  • Use Google to look for a guide on how to do it.

You can also try to boot in safe mode (steps provided above). If  all three button combinations won’t work, contact Samsung or your carrier for a phone replacement.

Problem #5: Galaxy S7 keeps dropping network connection

I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 through Sprint and for about a month now I have been losing network connectivity. The triangle at the top, where it usually says either 3G or LTE and then the triangle is “filled” to show how good your connection is, is completely empty with no letters next to it. Someone from Sprint told me that that meant roaming, but that is not what it means. When it is roaming there is an R and an “!” on the triangle. This usually happens at work but has happened at home. I have worked in this building for over a year and a half and have lived in my house for longer than I’ve had Sprint. I have never had problems before a month or so ago.

This started happening before a system update (and actually I have had 2 system updates since it started happening) and that didn’t fix the problem. Rebooting DOES fix the issue, but I’m getting sick of rebooting my phone 4-5 times a day. I have also been in contact with Sprint 3 times about this issue. The problem, though, is that I do what they tell me and reboot and it’s fixed and I won’t know if the issue is still there until the next day when I’m back at work.

Here is some (if not all, it’s hard to remember) of what I have done to try to solve this issue:

  • set Network mode to Automatic when that didn’t work set it to LTE/CDMA that didn’t work so it’s back at Automatic
  • I updated the Profile
  • I updated the PRL.
  • There have been 2 separate software updates
  • I wiped the cache partition. there was something that technical support had me do by dialing on my keypad some code that starts with a #, but I can’t remember the code.
  • I REALLY don’t want to do a factory reset… PLEASE tell me something else that I can try!!! — Chris

Solution: Hi Chris. The cause of the problem can be anything at this point so you really have to do all software troubleshooting, which includes factory reset, in order to isolate the it. Performing a factory reset might help in this case, especially if it’s just a firmware bug. If nothing works after a factory reset though, try to ask Sprint for a replacement phone so you will know if the current one is experiencing a hardware malfunction.

Problem #6: Galaxy S7 keeps dropping Wi-Fi connection | Galaxy S7 keeps rebooting on its own

Firstly, my Wi-Fi signal on my phone drops off constantly and I have to reconnect frequently. Have tried turning off modem for some time. Also have forget connecting to network and input the password.

Secondly, my phone keeps restarting when I take a picture or get a phone call or just generally many times in the day for no reason.

Thirdly, I charge the phone but seems to take longer now to charge the battery and also the battery loses power so quickly even though I shut down apps. Or it may still be showing about 20% and then turns off. I connect to a wall charger and is showing 0% please can you help. Thanks — Sodedra

Solution: Hi Sodedra. For your first concern, try to isolate first if the issue is on the phone or on the Wi-Fi network. Get a second smartphone or device, connect it to your Wi-Fi, and observe if the same problem happens. If it does, contact your internet service provider so they can help you fix your Wi-Fi. However, if the second device won’t show the problem you’re experiencing on your S7, then the issue is clearly isolated to your phone only. To help you fix the problem, try wiping the cache partition, boot the phone in safe mode, or perform a factory reset.

For the second issue, the same set of software troubleshooting can be done.

Finally, if the third issue won’t be resolved by doing the software troubleshooting steps, try using a different Samsung charger to see any difference. If the problem remains, the phone’s charging port or some hardware components that manages power consumption may be to blame. Find a way to have the phone replaced.

 

Engage with us

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

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

Android Marshmallow problems and solutions

Android Marshmallow

Just like any other Android versions, we anticipate problems with the #Android #Marshmallow (#AndroidMarshmallow) operating system on a wide range of devices. Below are some of the reported troubles with Google’s latest Android Marshmallow firmware:

  1. Galaxy Note 5 slow to or won’t send SMS
  2. Unable to access Galaxy Note 5 Message Center
  3. Galaxy Note 5 keeps forgetting apps selected as default
  4. Galaxy Note 4 unable to update to Android Lollipop or Marshmallow
  5. No update to Android Marshmallow yet for Galaxy Note 4
  6. Back and Recent Apps buttons on Galaxy S6 not working
  7. Micromax Canvas A1 app issues after updating to Android Marshmallow
  8. Nexus 6P (Marshmallow) not connecting to Wi-Fi automatically
  9. HTC M8 has missing apps after updating to Android Marshmallow
  10. Galaxy S3 bootloop and random reboot issues after updating to Android Marshmallow

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page.

 

Problem #1: Galaxy Note 5 slow to or won’t send SMS

I LOVED my Note 5 but I had to return it and downgrade to a Note 4 ? . When I was on a call I couldn’t use the internet. If I sent a text message it would take forever to send or it just “failed” to send. I could not use any other applications that required mobile data while in a call. Please let me know what needs to be done so I can upgrade again. Thank you! — Zulma

Solution: Hi Zulma. An issue like yours can be caused by a bug on the operating system (in your case Android 6 Marshmallow) running on your device. Make sure that you wipe the cache and data of the messaging app you’re using first. These are the steps to perform it:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Proceed to Applications.
  • Select Manage Applications.
  • Tap the All tab.
  • Look for the name of the messaging app and tap it.
  • From there, you will see the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons.

Problem #2: Unable to access Galaxy Note 5 Message Center

Recently purchased Note 5 (Verizon) Unlocked from USA and started using it in India. Everything works fine except outgoing text message. I am able to receive text messages though. When I contacted the mobile operator they are asking me to update Message Center Number, but I’m not able to see any option to update that. Is there a way to update the Message Center Number or any other solution to fix this problem? It’s really annoying when I’m not able to send text message. Thanks! — Rajesh

Solution: Hi Rajesh. The general method of accessing the Message Center option for a Samsung device can usually be done by going to Open Messages app>Settings>More Settings>Text Messages. If you are unable to go to the message center option this way, make sure to call your wireless provider so they can assist you with it.

Problem #3: Galaxy Note 5 keeps forgetting apps selected as default

So just like my Note 3, every time I’m doing something and i push the Home screen, it always asked which screen to go to. Shows up kids, easy Touchwiz, and the normal touch wiz. Every time. I have to select the one everytime and a pop up states if you want to change the default go to app and etc… but the default doesn’t save. I have cleared the cache and data practically starting phone over and it does the same. Please help. — Drew

Solution: Hi Drew. This issue is caused by any third party software that regularly deletes the phone’s system cache. Apps in the same category as Battery Doctor, Clean Master, DU Speed Booster & Antivirus, etc, often wipes the system cache in order to supposedly make a device faster. Keep in mind that wiping the system cache also deletes your customization and selected default apps. We recommend that you stop using battery power enhancers or the likes of the mentioned apps above. While wiping the cache is a good maintenance practice, doing it once every few months would suffice. Your phone does not need a wipe every other day as what these apps usually does.

Problem #4: Galaxy Note 4 unable to update to Android Lollipop or Marshmallow

Hi thanks for the help. I’ve gotten an unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 4 originally on AT&T but now my SIM is ‘3’. I currently have Android KitKat and want to upgrade to Lollipop or even Marshmallow but EVERYTIME I try to do so it comes up with this message “software update interrupted. Try again in 24 hours”. 

Please help. I’ve tried connecting it to Kies using the USB attached to a computer but even then it doesn’t have any ‘available updates’.

What are my other options? Thank you! — Joannes

Solution: Hi Joanne. Over-the-air (OTA) updates depend on a schedule set by your wireless carrier. If the phone is unable to, or initially detect an update but fails to download it completely, the issue may be server-related. Make sure that you talk to your carrier about the issue so they can advise you properly.

As far as we know, there’s no known Android Marshmallow update for Galaxy Note 4s yet. It may take several months at best for it to become available to your device. Again, make sure that you ask assistance from your provider on how to best update your Note 4.

Problem #5: No update to Android Marshmallow yet for Galaxy Note 4

Phone  (Note 4) won’t update to Marshmallow for some strange  reason. — Christopher

Solution: Hi Christopher. As mentioned above, there is known official update by any carrier yet for Note 4 devices. Kindly call your carrier when it will be made available for your device.

Problem #6: Back and Recent Apps buttons on Galaxy S6 not working

For some reason, my back button on my S6 doesn’t function properly. It performs the same action as the recent apps button. That is, both the recent apps button and back button bring up recent apps.

I tried downloading “All in one gestures” app to see if the app would override the error and restore the functioning of my back button but this does not seem to work either. — Niv

Solution: Hi Niv. Both the Back and Recent App buttons are soft keys so the issue might be software-related rather than hardware one. Make sure that you do a factory reset to see if the operating system has been corrupted. For reference on how to do a factory reset, just follow these steps:

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

Problem #7: Micromax Canvas A1 app issues after updating to Android Marshmallow

Hey urgent help needed. I just updated my Micromax canvas A1 (Android One) to Android Marshmallow. Almost half of the apps are not starting, they stop when opened… The apps which starts, gets back to its default settings when closed and reopened..! My contacts aren’t visible, no call logs either….

Please help..! I can’t afford to reset my phone too. — Harsh

Solution: Hi Harsh. If app issues started appearing after doing a software update, the first thing that you can try is to delete your device’s cache partition. Although any major Android update is designed to automatically replace the system cache, this doesn’t happen all the time. Manually clearing the cache partition often times resolves most app-related problems after an update. Here’s how to wipe your phone’s cache partition:

  • Switch off phone
  • Press Power button and Volume Up button simultaneously.
  • Select Recovery mode [VOLUME_UP to select. VOLUME_DOWN is OK].
  • Wait for Micromax logo and then a Dead Android with Test “No Command”.
  • Now hold Power button then tap Volume up button (in that order only) and leave it.
  • Congratulation! You are now in the stock recovery!
  • Select Wipe cache partition option.

You can also go wipe the phone clean in recovery mode if needed. Simply select wipe data/factory reset option. If you want to perform a factory reset, make sure that you save your personal data first (photos, videos, contacts, etc).

Problem #8: Nexus 6P (Marshmallow) not connecting to Wi-Fi automatically

Hi. I was wondering if, by any chance, you guys could help me with an issue. Google couldn’t help me and I didn’t know where else to turn.

I have a Nexus 6P with Google Project Fi. At work I get free internet (Wi-Fi) throughout the apartment complex. The coverage is pretty good except inside our maintenance shop, so we put a Linksys router inside to connect devices when we are inside the shop. My phone connects to the router just fine, but then when I leave the router’s range and come back, my phone will not connect automatically. I check it and all it does is “connecting… Getting IP address… Saved” and that’s it. And I can “forget” it and reenter the password and try again but it will do the same…The ONLY way that it will connect is if I turn the phone off and then back on. Then it will connect automatically, but I hate to be resetting the phone over and over.

The router supports 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, so I went and turned off 5Ghz to see if that helped, but it didn’t. As far as other Wi-Fi connections, like the one outside the shop, it works fine and connects every time, as well as when I visit other family members, it connects and reconnects fine.

Also, at the same time, other co-workers phones and laptops that have this Linksys router, they connect and reconnect fine, so it seems like the issue is only between my phone and this router in particular. Any ideas? I would greatly appreciate any help.

Router Linksys Model EA6900 V1.1

Phone Nexus 6P Android 6.0. Thanks! — Sadoc

Solution: Hi Sadoc. Try to wipe the phone’s system cache first to see a difference. We’ve seen other Samsung devices with similar problems in the past and the issue was effectively resolved by wiping the cache partition. This is also especially helpful if you recently updated to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). Here’s how to do it:

  • Power Down the Nexus 6P.
  • Boot the Nexus 6P into Fastboot Mode.
  • Boot the Nexus 6P into Recovery Mode.
  • Press the Volume Down Button to Control the Highlighter.
  • Highlight the ‘Wipe Cache Partition’ Option in Recovery Mode.
  • Then Press the Power Button to Select This Option.
  • Make Sure the ‘Yes’ Option is Highlighted.
  • Then Press the Power Button to Select This Option and Confirm the Wipe.
  • Wait Until the Nexus 6P Wipes the Entire Cache Partition.
  • Make Sure the ‘Reboot System Now’ Option is Highlighted.
  • Then Press the Power Button to Reboot the Nexus 6P.

If wiping the system cache won’t help, consider doing a factory reset to see the difference. These are the steps:

  • Open the Settings App on the Nexus 6P.
  • Then Scroll Down and Tap on the ‘Backup & Reset’ Option.
  • From Here, Tap on the ‘Reset Phone’ Button At the Bottom.
  • Tap on the ‘Erase Everything’ Button.
  • And Then Wait for the Nexus 6P to Reboot and Perform the Factory Reset.

Problem #9: HTC M8 has missing apps after updating to Android Marshmallow

I just updated my M8 GPe phone to 6.0 Marshmallow, and now my email and text messaging apps don’t exist. Even in settings, apps, all… They are not listed. How can I restore the original text and email apps? Or would I be better off to try out custom apps for this ? — Kirk

Solution: Hi Kirk. Something must have gone wrong during the update which affected the missing apps. Just like others above, make sure that you wipe your phone’s cache partition and do a factory reset. These are recommended software solutions for any issues arising after a major update.

Problem #10: Galaxy S3 bootloop and random reboot issues after updating to Android Marshmallow

I’ve recently flashed Lollipop 5.1 on my Sprint S3 and it ran great for a few weeks. I then flashed Marshmallow 6.0 and the stock gaaps package. It worked fine for a few days then started going nuts. It won’t stay on. It goes to reboot screen and just randomly shuts off. I’ve wiped cache, dalvik, and factory reset and still i run into this problem and this hasnt been the first S3 that I’ve experienced this with.

I’ve searched and have no answer. Please help any help would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance. — Ivan

Solution: Hi Ivan. The Samsung Galaxy S3 was designed to work optimally with older Android versions (Jelly Bean and KitKat) but not the recent Marshmallow. We haven’t tested how an S3 works with Marshmallow ourselves so we can only speculate. There may be some hardware limitations on this phone that developers has not anticipated at this time. The fact that you must be using an unofficial Marshmallow update can also cause potential issues. You have to ask assistance from the developer that released the firmware so they can iron things out.

 

 

Engage with us

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

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

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

Galaxy S7 keyboard lag issue when receiving and sending SMS, other issues

Hello Android community. Here’s another article that covers some #GalaxyS7 issues reported by some readers. If you tried to contact us but don’t see your issue published yet, continue watching for more of similar posts in the near future.

s7

In the meantime, there are the specific topics we discuss here today:

  1. Can’t access camera settings menu after Galaxy S7 installed an update
  2. Galaxy S7 is unresponsive
  3. Galaxy S7 bootloop issue
  4. Galaxy S7 keyboard lag issue when receiving and sending SMS
  5. Galaxy S7 in China only showing EDGE network
  6. Water damaged Galaxy S7 keeps showing SIM card needs to be inserted | Galaxy S7 screen not working properly after phone got wet

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Can’t access camera settings menu after Galaxy S7 installed an update

Hi. I am having a problem with my camera settings menu. This is for a Galaxy S7 which I purchased in May 2016. Something updated on the phone — I don’t remember what might have happened before this issue — and then I noticed my camera was making the click sound when I took a picture; this is an option which I had turned off when I got the phone. So I tried to adjust the settings and there is a problem. When I click the gear icon, the settings window pops up for 1 second and then disappears (it goes back to the camera mode). I have tried clearing my data and cache, a soft restart, rebooting in safe mode, and using Advanced Task Killer. I really don’t want to have to reset to factory settings or send it in for service for just this. Can you help? Also, if I do have to back up the phone using Smart Switch (before doing one of these more severe steps), I’m not clear on what I’m supposed to select from this website in order to back up the phone to my computer: https://www.samsung.com/us/smart-switch/ Thank you. — Melissa

Solution: Hi Melissa. There are 2 necessary things that you must do if you notice problems after an update — wiping the cache partition and performing a factory reset.

Wipe the cache partition

The first one is intended to ensure that the phone refreshes the system cache, an important set of temporary files needed to load apps quickly. Sometimes, updates can make existing system cache corrupt or outdated. To minimize potential bugs, make sure that the system cache is fresh. Here’s how to do that:

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

Factory reset

The other solution that you should try is factory reset. We don’t know what other software troubleshooting solutions you’re expecting but factory reset should be one of them. Doing so will ensure that your phone runs a clean firmware as well as restore all software settings back to a known working configuration. There’s no set of software tweaks specially tailored for a camera issue you’re describing here. You either do factory reset or not.

Smart Switch

This page gives a short description of available smartswitch versions depending on the gadget you’re moving your files to. At the bottom part of the page, there are clear explanations on which version to use — Smart Switch Mobile, Smart Switch for PC or Mac, and For other devices, use the Kies app. If you’re planning on transferring your files to a computer, then select one of the two available options under Smart Switch for PC or Mac. Once you click on the link, your computer should start downloading the installation files. Simply follow the instructions once the program has been installed.

Problem #2: Galaxy S7 is unresponsive

Hiya, I’ve owned my S7 for about 6 months now, and the issues arose about 5 months ago. Until now, I’ve been following the instructions I found on this site, which have been extremely helpful. As time passed, however, my phone has only gotten worse. My phone freezes, crashes, and reboots in a vicious loop so frequently that I’m lucky if I use my phone for 20 minutes without a crash occurring. If I’m unlucky it won’t make it to the lockscreen before crashing again. Sometimes a reboot will reset my system preferences. And last night, the phone has become completely unresponsive. Holding down the POWER and VOLUME DOWN buttons won’t work anymore and it won’t turn off either. The Samsung Galaxy S7 starting screen had a glitchy and pixel-ly purple line striking it. If you can, please help! I’m afraid I’m at my wits end. -Lisa (P.S. I don’t recall what my android version is, and I wish I could check what it is) — Lisa

Solution: Hi Lisa. If you’ve been having intermittent problem for months now, you should not wait until the warranty has expired before calling Samsung or your carrier to demand for a replacement.

Also, if your phone has become totally unresponsive now, then there’s nothing much than we can do for you. Try doing a hardware button combination to boot the phone in a different boot mode like Recovery mode, download mode, or safe mode. Below are the steps on how to do each of them.

Boot in Recovery mode:

  • Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  • Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  • When the Samsung Galaxy logo shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
  • When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
  • You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.

Boot in Download Mode:

  • Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  • Press and then hold the Home and Volume DOWN keys, then press and hold the Power key.
  • When the Samsung Galaxy logo shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume DOWN keys.
  • Wait until the Download screen appears.
  • If you can boot the phone in download mode but not in other modes, that means that your only way out may be to flash a stock or custom firmware.
  • Use Google to look for a guide on how to do it.

Boot in safe mode:

  • Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
  • Press and hold the Power button.
  • Once the Samsung Galaxy logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume Down button.
  • Continue holding the button until the phone finishes rebooting.
  • Once you see the text “Safe mode” at the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume Down button.
  • The only difference of safe mode from normal mode is that the former prevents third party apps from running. If you can boot the phone in safe mode but not in normal mode, uninstall all apps until the issue (that prevents you from booting normally) is eliminated.

Contact Samsung or your carrier

As mentioned, if nothing changes after you try all the hardware button combinations, then your only resolution lies on getting a replacement. Call Samsung or any relevant party for unit replacement.

Problem #3: Galaxy S7 bootloop issue

Hello, I have had a Galaxy S7 for 2.5 months, and about a month ago the screen froze on me and I could not power it off. I ended up holding the Power and Volume Down keys to get it to reboot, and then it got stuck in a reboot cycle. I got it running again, but then the same thing happened and the next time I believe it was frozen on the Samsung Galaxy S7 startup screen. Since then I have tried: Master/ Factory reset…problem persists. Factory Reset without loading any 3rd party apps…was good for about a week, then problem came back. Booted phone in Safe Mode (following your instructions)…problem persists. Deleted system cache (following your troubleshooting instructions)…problem persists. According to your troubleshooting instructions, I should now take this in to my provider to have it repaired. What should I do or tell them to ensure that the repair shop doesn’t just do a factory reset and after a couple of days say that everything is fine and send it back to me without the actual problem being resolved? When I tried to drop it off for repair previously, the provider has told me that it’s likely a problem with my apps or a corrupt file, but I believe that booting it in safe mode disproves that theory? Any help or advice you can give me would be appreciated. — Diane

Solution: Hi Diane. Phone technicians are like medical doctors; they need as much input from the user in order to diagnose the issue. So our advise when bringing the phone to them the second time around is to give them the full history of your device, including obvious causes for hardware malfunction like water exposure, heat exposure, or times it fell. Technicians need some basic information to give them an idea where to start looking for the trouble. For example, if you dropped the device prior to the issue started occurring, you should mention it so they can check common vulnerable solder joints first.

And by the way, if your device is only a couple months old, we highly recommend that you go for a replacement from Samsung instead. Keep in mind though that Samsung will only honor the replacement warranty if there’s no sign of misuse, like a visible scratch, tampering of software or hardware, or water damage.

Problem #4: Galaxy S7 keyboard lag issue when receiving and sending SMS

Hi. Every time I am texting, and am in the middle of typing a text message and I receive another text message, my phone’s keyboard lags and I am unable to type until the full message has been received with a notification. And then after my phone catches up, I am able to text again.

Also, after I send one text message and go to send another, my keyboard lags and stops working until the message has fully sent and then it catches up and I am able to text again. I know it is a small issue but it is really annoying and an inconvenience when texting. — Cole

Solution: Hi Cole. Make sure that you clear the cache and data of the messaging app you’re using. Here’s how it’s done:

  • Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
  • Navigate down to Apps. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6 or 7.
  • Once in there, look for the application and tap it.
  • You’ll now see a list of stuff that gives you information about the app, including Storage, Permissions, Memory Use, and more. These are all clickable items. You’ll want to click on Storage.
  • You should now clearly see the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons for the application.

Problem #5: Galaxy S7 in China only showing EDGE network

I have bought a Samsung Galaxy S7 after I so tragically lost my S6 at the beach. I got the device from my home country Cyprus and I have moved to China. I got a SIM card with mobile data from China mobile but the internet speed is so slow. It is the lowest and I get the E signal everywhere, which hardly even works. I can’t even connect to my VPN most of the times.

Also, I can’t use the mobile data as a hotspot for my laptop. I have been to the store and they said that my device supports only up to 2G speed. The phone was not even locked when I bought it back home. The SIM card works ok but the internet is unbearable. Shall I change carrier? Or is there something I can download on my phone to speed things up? I am reallyyyy desperate here and would really appreciate your suggestion. I can’t bear thinking I got a mobile less than a month before which I can’t use it for anything… Thank you! — Marlen

Solution: Hi Marlen. There’s no app or software hack that can help improve mobile data speed if E (which represents Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (or EDGE)) is the only signal your carrier is offering in your area. EDGE only supports a maximum theoritical speed of 217 kilobits per second, which means it’s hardly able to even load a webpage decently. If you want to have at least a workable mobile data for browsing so you can also use hotspot, you must be in an area with a good 3G network coverage. If your current carrier does not offer 3G in your location, find a carrier that does.

Problem #6: Water damaged Galaxy S7 keeps showing SIM card needs to be inserted | Galaxy S7 screen not working properly after phone got wet

About 3 days ago I had noticed my Samsung was telling me I needed to put a SIM card in my phone. Which confused me because I forgot that I could even take out the SIM card. I had taken the SIM card out and replaced in back in the slot. But it still kept telling me there was no SIM card in my phone. After a couple of hours I tried to unlock my phone and the screen started glitching and showing all sorts of colors. After my phone’s screen would remain all black, even though I could tell it was unlocked. I believed I had caused it to get water damage. Since it has been raining where I live tons recently and It may have gotten wet while I was outside. However, over the last 24 hours I have turned it off and left it in some rice over night and it is still glitching. It is not as bad as it was 3 days ago (since I am currently typing on it) but I can tell it is still not working properly. I really hope you can help me figure out some solutions I could do to fix my problem. Since I do really love this phone. Thank you for your time. — Zoei

Solution: Hi Zoei. Water damage can lead to all sort of problems. The persistent SIM card error you’re getting may be a sign that the SIM card slot has malfunctioned after getting wet. The same is true for the screen glitch. Bring the phone to a repair shop so a technician can check if the phone can still be saved or not. Our blog does not provide hardware diagnostics and solutions so there’s nothing much that we can help.

 

Engage with us

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

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

Galaxy S6 lags with games like Pokemon Go and Clash or Clans, other issues

We seldom receive requests for assistance regarding a #GalaxyS6 with issues playing games so we’re pleased to publish about it here today. Other issues are included below as well.

s6

Here are the specific topics mentioned in this material:

  1. Galaxy S6 constant reboot issue
  2. Galaxy S6 won’t boot normally after a failed ROM flashing
  3. Galaxy S6 screen flickers when Power button is pressed
  4. Galaxy S6 won’t connect to the internet when in a specific Wi-Fi network
  5. Galaxy S6 lags with games like Pokemon Go and Clash or Clans

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Problem #1: Galaxy S6 constant reboot issue

I have been having the S6 reboot issue that you wrote about in March. I’ve followed your instructions in your article (first checking apps, then clearing cache, then factory reset). I did the factory reset three days ago, although I wasn’t looking at your article at the time so I just did the factory reset by navigating through the settings menu instead of doing it in recovery mode like you suggested. Now, three days later, I have started having the issue again and it has progressed to the barely usable level more quickly than the first time. Is there a difference between the factory reset I did and the one you recommended? Should I try the recovery mode version?

It may be a coincidence, but after three days of problem-free use after the reset, today I used the samsung smart switch app to transfer my contacts from my old S4. A few hours later I noticed the first auto-restart. The first time I had the restart issue, I had also used the smart switch app for the contacts, but that time it took a week before the issue got really bad. May just be a coincidence on timing but interested to hear your thoughts. Thanks! — Drew

Solution: Hi Drew. Factory reset done via Settings is essentially the same with factory reset through Recovery mode. The only differences when you do the are a) the Google account on the device will be deleted, and b) any root procedure you’ve done before will be undone. If the factory reset via settings did not change anything, do another round of factory reset through recovery and observe the phone for at least 24 hours. To also check if a third party app is causing the trouble, make sure that you don’t install anything during the observation period. If the problem remains after doing this, consider getting a phone replacement.

Problem #2: Galaxy S6 won’t boot normally after a failed ROM flashing

Hello. I was trying to download a custom ROM and did not follow all the directions by not clearing the data/cache when booting it up using an instantflash program. My phone is stuck in the Samsung Galaxy S6 screen and will not shutdown or boot up. I can hold down, Power, and Home to reset the Samsung screen and get into Odin Mode where I am able to restart my phone back to the Samsung screen or download, which I had sitting on the download screen for over an hour and nothing happened. I can reset it again and hold Up, Power and Home and it goes to the Android Guy icon but it has an error sign in his chest and no other options to reset or clear cache.  After a minute in that it just resets and goes back to the Samsung Galaxy  s6 screen.  It does seem to be looping as it just stays on the screen.  Any help would be appreciated.  Link is the Rom I tried to install. — Kody

Solution: Hi Kody. There’s really nothing much that we can do to help fix your issue, especially that it’s a product of unofficial software modification. Kindly do the usual software troubleshooting we suggest like attempting to boot the device in safe mode, or doing a soft reset (by holding Power and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds).

To boot in safe mode, follow these steps:

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

If the device remains stuck, that’s an indication that you’ve messed up the bootloader badly. Unfortunately, there’s no effective fix for this issue. You must find a way to have your phone replaced for resolution.

Problem #3: Galaxy S6 screen flickers when Power button is pressed

I’ve been having issues with the screen. Pressing the power button on the side to light up the screen reveals a white or very brightly lit display that flickers and fades. There’s nothing I’ve found that will ensure the screen lights up normally the way it used to. Occasionally it does, but it’s up to the phone or maybe sheer luck, but it doesn’t last. I’ve gone as far as to factory reset my phone and honestly it seemed to help for about 3 disappointing minutes. I’ve contacted my carrier and this is apparently a widespread issue they’re having with an ample amount of customers. They’re claiming to be “investigating” the issues, and have offered to replace my phone with a slightly cheaper version of the same phone that will run on different towers than my current, which means it most likely won’t work in the rural area I reside in. If you have any ideas on how to handle this handheld catastrophe, please let me know. I’m out of patience, and I currently I can’t afford to just go buy an entire new phone. I hope I’ve provided enough information about the phone/issue. If you need more information or have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thanks. — Ty

Solution: Hi Ty. As much as we would like to help you, the only resolution to your issue is a phone replacement. That factory reset did not fix it suggests the issue is beyond your ability to fix. There’s nothing that we will tell you that can fix it. This is obviously a hardware problem and since we doubt you can handle parts replacement (and may not even have the right tools), the only way out is getting the device replaced. If your carrier is aware of your problem then your phone is probably part of a bad batch. Kindly work with your carrier to get proper resolution.

Problem #4: Galaxy S6 won’t connect to the internet when in a specific Wi-Fi network

Hey guys, so recently, my device has been having a very specific issue. Any time I try to connect to a Wi-fi network that requires “authentication” or agreeing to terms, it’ll say connected, but when it pulls up the Web page for me to “agree” or “sign in” it says that “Google cannot be opened, the page may be temporarily down or has permanently moved locations.” Even with mobile data on, it won’t load. I can pull up Google no problem on mobile data (but I’m trying so conserve it, hence why I’m using wifi over data.) This seems to only happen with these types of guest/public wi-fi that require a sign in. My home wi-fi has no issue. Not sure if it’s an issue with an app (I don’t really have any 3rd party apps to my knowledge, and haven’t downloaded anything recently either. This has started happening maybe 2 weeks ago.) It also makes me question if this is potentially a virus on my phone. Whatever advice you have, please let me know! Sincerely. — Nick

Solution: Hi Nick. We really don’t understand what you mean by this: “Even with mobile data on, it won’t load. I can pull up Google no problem on mobile data…” If you have an issue connecting to the internet when you are in a specific Wi-Fi network ONLY, then that’s a clear indication that there’s no issue with your phone or apps. Wi-Fi networks can have problems too!

There’s no way for us to know what the exact problem might be so you should talk to the administrator of the problematic network if you want a resolution for this. They may have set some type of filters that doesn’t permit your device from connecting. It’s also possible that they have set a limit on the number of users that can connect to their network to provide ample bandwidth. Again, you must ask support from the Wi-Fi administrator if you want to fix this issue.

Problem #5: Galaxy S6 lags with games like Pokemon Go and Clash or Clans

I’ve been using my phone for about 4 months now. I’m not much of a gamer but there are some problems with my phone that I’m only noticing now. My phone is quite powerful in terms of the performance. 3GB of RAM is more than enough to suffice for my gaming needs. In spite of its impressive specs on paper specifications, there are a few anomalies I just couldn’t ignore.

I installed Clash of Clan and it used to run on my previous phone just fine. Smooth running, but ever since I switched phones, I’m not quite happy. My current phone has a poor game rendition. There’s so much lag, it ruins the experience and frankly it’s a deal breaker. I tried a few high end games like GTA and they run just fine. But then I try playing games like Pokemon Go and I encounter the same problem. It’s extra laggy and not at all what one would call smooth running. I don’t quite know how to explain it but I’ll try to articulate it for you the best I can. For instance when I try scrolling through my Pokemons in the game it’s super laggy and the game is slow over all. Help me come up with a fix because I tried a ton of things. Any help is appreciated. Thanks a bunch. — Madhav

Solution: Hi Madhav. Keep in mind that it takes more than just RAM to run games smoothly. Your case is interesting though as the games you’ve mentioned work in our own Galaxy S6 phones just fine. That means that hardware-wise, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is more than capable to play these games. There must be other factors causing your games to run slowly. One thing you want to ensure first is to wipe the cache partition. The phone needs an updated system cache in order to load and run apps properly. Make sure that it’s fresh before attempting to play the games. To wipe the cache partition, follow these steps:

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

If nothing will change after wiping the cache partition, consider re-installing the games. If you’ve done it already, the next logical step is to ensure that said apps are installed in your phone’s internal memory and not in the SD card. If they’re in internal memory already, try to check if you have enough storage memory. Try deleting some apps or files to provide more space.

Should said games remain laggy or problematic, do a factory reset. Once you’ve wiped the phone clean, install these games and observe how the phone behaves. Make sure that you only install the said games during the observation period so you’ll notice any difference. If the problem remains, you can assume that your S6 is defective. Consider having it replaced.

 

Engage with us

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

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

How to fix Marshmallow-related problems on Galaxy S6 series, deleted emails keeps coming back to inbox, other issues

 

S6 Marshmallow

While Android #Marshmallow is well regarded compared to Lollipop, Google’s new OS is far from perfect. For the past few weeks, we’ve been getting a lot of reports from our readership about the new OS causing problems. This post discusses some of these issues that affect some #GalaxyS6 devices.

  1. Deleted emails on Galaxy S6 keeps coming back to inbox
  2. Galaxy S6 keeps on freezing and restarting on its own
  3. How to fix Marshmallow-related problems on Galaxy S6 series

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page, or you can install our free app from Google Play Store.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

 

Problem #1: Deleted emails on Galaxy S6 keeps coming back to inbox

Hey TheDroidGuy. I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 (not the Edge one). I have contacted my web and email hosts justhost.com about this issue, however I am not getting very far.

I have only recently installed a Samsung software update to the phone. Before the update everything email wise was working perfectly.

Now the update is installed, my emails have been coming in and I am able to send emails without any problems (as before). The problem I am having is that when I delete an email on my phone; at the next sync interval, the deleted email comes back into my inbox!!

I am using an IMAP format and my settings etc have not changed. I have deleted the email accounts (x5) and re-introduced them, being meticulous to get all settings, passwords etc etc correct, as per previous.

Is there something I can do without deleting the cache partition and restoring factory default settings please?

Or will this settle down eventually, given a couple of weeks? Many thanks on advance for your advice.

Regards. — Daniel

Solution: Hi Daniel. The best thing that you can do for now is to observe if the issue will continue in the next few days. There may be some sync problems on your email provider’s side preventing the actions of an email client (your device) from being implemented properly.

Keep in mind that email problems may not exactly be due to an issue on your device. There’s only so much that you can do on your end. The troubleshooting the you can do includes wiping the email app’s cache and data, deleting the cache partition, and ultimately, performing a factory reset.  Before you commit to drastic measures though, we recommend that you work with your email provider first to rule out possible server issues. We’re aware that you’ve already contacted them but if you’re paying for their services, they’re obligated to help you fix a problem like this.

Problem #2: Galaxy S6 keeps on freezing and restarting on its own

I have this issue of the phone freezing and restarting. Sometimes it just freezes. I already did a lot of factory reset and cache wiping but it still persist. One time I was playing Fallout Shelter and then Google Play games popped out because I achieved something and then the screen turned kinda like black and white stripes then rebooted. Then it starts freezing randomly. When I open messages, or settings, or when the screen locks, or before the phone shuts down, it freezes and the phone becomes hot as hell.

I’m thinking of updating my phone’s software to 5.1.2 or 5.1.1 (i’m not sure) as I’m currently running 5.0.2. Hoping it can fix it but as I download the OTA it freezes!! 15% of the download. Now i’m thinking how would I update the phone with this problem. I dunno what makes it freeze and restart like that. Phone doesn’t have warranty anymore. The phone’s never been soaked to liquid before. Help please. 🙁 — Aaron

Solution: Hi Aaron. We can point our finger to some known causes of freezing and random restart problems but identifying the exact reason can be tricky. Among the usual culprits include:

  • poor memory (RAM) management
  • network changes and bandwidth limitations
  • malfunctioning processor (CPU)
  • bad app
  • compatibility issues
  • insufficient storage space
  • nonfunctional SD card
  • low capacity battery
  • other hardware errors

Check for Android updates

Finding out which of these things is behind the trouble requires troubleshooting. You can start by making sure that you install the latest software update. We know you’ve already tried it once but we’ll ask you again to do it again. Before you do so though, you have to ensure that your phone boots in safe mode to minimize possible freezing, especially if there’s a chance that a third party app may be to blame. Simply follow these steps in order to boot your phone in safe mode:

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

Delete the cache partition

The cache partition is a repository of system files used by the operating system during app load times. Rather than come up with sets of files to hasten  loading times, your Android device “caches” previously created system files in the cache partition so it can access them easily the next time an app is loaded. In an ideal world, files in the cache partition should be refreshed automatically during an app or system update. This doesn’t happen most of the time though. Sometimes, manually wiping the cache partition is necessary in order to refresh it. Because the files themselves are temporary, they can be deleted safely without impacting the operating system or the apps. The system will automatically create a new set of cache files that next time you load your apps.

Wiping the cache partition has proven effective in fixing minor app-specific issues as well as freezing and random reboot issues. If you haven’t done this step yet, simply follow these steps:

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

 

Clear app cache and data

This troubleshooting step goes hand in hand with wiping the cache partition, albeit for targeted apps only. If the issue appears to be limited to a specific app only, deleting its cache and data may easily fix the problem for you. Here’s how it’s done:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Proceed to Applications.
  • Select Manage Applications.
  • Tap the All tab.
  • Choose the name of the app that has been going rogue.
  • From there, you will see the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons.

Uninstall apps

Many Android users think that updating the operating system also means apps are automatically updated in the process. The truth is quite the opposite. Improperly coded apps can lead to a variety of problems so make sure that you only install official, and regularly updated apps. Not every developer is keen enough to update their product and/or fix bugs when new OS updates are released. If you have unused apps sitting idly for over two weeks, chances are it’s not necessary. Keep the number of your apps as slim as possible and remember to stick to products built by reputable developers.

Perform a master reset

Nobody wants to do this but if nothing seems to work, you really have no other choice in terms of troubleshooting left. Restoring firmware and app settings back to defaults may eliminate bugs that developed after installing third party apps or updates over time. Here’s how it’s done:

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

Time for hardware checkup

If the problem persists after doing all of the above, you can safely assume that a hardware issue may be to blame. At times, a damaged battery can make the phone lose power in a very short time. Because the S6 has a non-removable battery pack, you must let a professional or Samsung do some checks on it. Bear in mind that a faulty processor can also result to freezing or random reboot issues and diagnosing it can be a difficult business. If you suspect that some internal components is to blame other than the battery, finding a way to have the phone replacement is always better than having the device repaired.

Problem #3: How to fix Marshmallow-related problems on Galaxy S6 series

Since Marshmallow was pushed to my phone my email will not sync both ways.  If I receive an email it will appear on both my phone and my laptop.  If I delete if from my S6 it will delete it from my laptop.  If I delete from my laptop it will not delete from my phone unless I manually delete it.  Everything worked fine before the new software.  I have talked with Sprint, CenturyLine (my email carrier) and Samsung.  They all have no clue as to why this is happening. I have hard rebooted my phone, Sprint has reacquired my phone and have cleared the cache. — Mike

 

Received the Marshmallow update two days ago, now my voicemail number is linked to my daughters phone number on my account.  When calling her number, it’s labeled Voicemail.  Also, when receiving MMS messages, when I reply, it adds my daughters number to the messaging and it looks like she is the one replying to the text thread.  Not sure if any of my other contacts are linked together. — Valarie

 

Hello! I am writing from Europe. Here they’ve just released the latest update 6.0.1 which I’ve done for my S6. I had a few problems at the beginning which I’ve managed to solve except one: I set a photo from my gallery as home and lockscreen and anytime I restart the phone it’s gone. The display goes back to the pinkish/blue default Samsung background for the lock screen and the blue one for the home screen. Any suggestion? I wouldn’t want to make a factory reset for such a silly issue…

thanks in advance! — Barbara

 

My phone was recently updated to Android 6.0.1 and now my email is not syncing correctly, I am syncing to my work email through Exchange Server.  Before the update my phone had no issues receiving and sending email but now it doesn’t seem to be working correctly.  I have check all setting and they are the same as they were before.  I am wondering if I need to uninstall my Exchange account and reinstall it to see if that will work.

Thanks. — Don

 

I’ve recently updated to marshmallow. But since the update my S6 is so slow. Weather I’m browsing using wifi or without. And using my phone in general e.g messing, openings contacts list to make call, email etc. Keeps lagging. Response is so so slow from my phone. Can take upto 10secs to complete an action. Is there anything i can do to make my phone normal again? 🙁

Thank you. — Salma

 

My phone forced me to do the marshmallow update. Now I have to swipe the screen prior to using my pattern to login. (I have kids and this can be difficult when I am doing things one handed.) It also changed my email so I can’t just swipe across the email to send it to trash. I have to check the box next to the email in order to delete it. Swiping it gives a menu or will open the email. Is there any way to disable the extra login screen and change the email back to deleting with a single swipe of the message? I have tried to find it in the settings menu and haven’t been able to find a fix. Thank you! — Dana

Solution: Hi Guys. Post-Marshmallow update issues on the S6 are mounting fast during the last few weeks so addressing them in bulk in this post looks reasonable enough. Although it may appear that each problem may be separate from each other, the reason why they’re happening in the first place lies in the fact that they were triggered by installing Android Marshmallow. This doesn’t mean that Google’s new operating system itself is purely to blame. There are many other variables that can come into play when running a developing operating system. The interaction of Marshmallow with other apps that may or may not be optimized to work with it can create a lot of possible points of failure. It’s not surprising that average users will right away blame the new operating system as the villain.

Fortunately, fixing whatever problem you may be getting following any Android update is easy enough in most cases. In general, the basic software troubleshooting steps like the ones outlined above can effectively counter most update-related problems. Those issues that remain after wiping the cache partition or doing a factory reset are most likely app-related, which means that either they’re poorly coded, or their developer did not bother updating it to work with the new OS. As mentioned above, not all developers see the need to ensure that their product works in harmony with the new OS. In fact, a big chunk of available apps in Google Play Store right now are still not optimized to work with Marshmallow because developers simply don’t care. An app designed to work with Android KitKat or Lollipop does not necessarily mean to work smoothly with Marshmallow. If you are an early adapter or Marshmallow, or if your wireless carrier “forced” the update to your device, make sure that all your apps are fully updated. Don’t hesitate to temporarily uninstall an outdated app, especially if you’re having problems after installing Marshmallow.

As a general rule of thumb, make sure that you wipe the cache partition and do a factory reset after a major update. Please check this post for more discussions about Android Marshmallow.

 

Engage with us

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

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