Samsung Galaxy Software Update Problems

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The current list of Galaxy S9 problems includes a lot of familiar faces. We’re hearing about abnormal battery drain, issues with first and third-party applications, issues with Bixby, connectivity ( Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS,) issues, clean install issues, UI lag, lockups and freezes, charging problems, data issues, Samsung Cloud problems, installation problems, and voice quality problems. Samsung is aware of the problem and is already rolling out a software update that should fix it. Until then, you can also go over to the display settings and color balance and manually adjust them. Samsung has acknowledged the S8 and S8+ Bluetooth issues and has released an update addressing the problem. Here's how you can check for updates: Go to Settings and scroll down until you find.

This roundup of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus problems will be updated regularly. Check back often if you’re running into issues you can’t solve.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are beautiful looking smartphones with near bezel-less designs, gorgeous Infinite Displays up front, and the solid metal and glass unibody construction that we’ve grown to love over the years.

The Galaxy S8 is a quite a departure from the norm for the company with previous signature elements like the tactile home button and the Samsung logo up front no longer to be seen. The location of the fingerprint scanner will take some getting used to, and features like Bixby aren’t ready for primetime just yet, but there’s no denying that the Samsung Galaxy S8 and its larger sibling are two of the best smartphones out there.

  1. Jan 01, 2019  Samsung Galaxy S7 Stuck On Software Update Issue & Other Related Problems by Chadwick Buenaflor on January 1, 2019 The #Samsung #Galaxy #S7 is one of the best Android smartphones released this year.
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  3. The current list of Galaxy S9 problems includes a lot of familiar faces. We’re hearing about abnormal battery drain, issues with first and third-party applications, issues with Bixby, connectivity ( Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS,) issues, clean install issues, UI lag, lockups and freezes, charging problems, data issues, Samsung Cloud problems, installation problems, and voice quality problems.

With Samsung having gone through the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, it’s no surprise that the Galaxy S8 is one of the most scrutinized smartphones ever. Unfortunately, some problems have crept up that users have come across since its launch, but luckily nothing as extreme as it blowing up in your face. We’ve rounded up some of the common problems faced by Samsung Galaxy S8 owners, and offer potential solutions on how to fix them!

Disclaimer: Not every Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus will suffer from these issues, and in fact, it is more likely that you won’t come across any of these problems at all.

Problem #1 — Red tint on the display

Quite a lot of users have found a red tint across the display, and it doesn’t seem to be related to any particular app.

Potential solutions:

  • Samsung is aware of the problem and is already rolling out a software update that should fix it. Until then, you can also go over to the display settings and color balance and manually adjust them till the display becomes easier to view.
  • There do seem to be conflicting reports about whether this is a software or a hardware problem. If the update doesn’t help fix the issue, your only option will be to pick up a replacement device.

Problem #2 — “DQA keeps stopping” error message

This an issue that has been making the rounds since the device launched, with the Device Quality Agent continuously showing an error message, seemingly without reason. This app is designed to monitor how a Wi-Fi connection is used across the device.

Potential solutions:

  • This is another problem that has been acknowledged by Samsung, and a software update is also now available that helps fix it.
  • If you haven’t received the update yet, you can force close the DQA app, or disconnect from Wi-Fi.

Problem #3 — Auto-rotate not working

A few users have found the auto-rotate function to not work on their phones, despite enabling it in Settings.

Potential solutions:

  • A rogue third-party app may be the causing this issue, particularly if you’ve found this problem to start occurring after some recent installs. Boot the device in Safe Mode (you can find the instructions below), and see if the problem persists. If it doesn’t, you will have to uninstall any apps that were added just before the issue started, and see if that fixes it.
  • This could also be an issue with the accelerometer and G-sensor as well. Download an app like GPS & Status Toolbox and re-calibrate the sensors, and see if that fixes it. If this proves to be a hardware issue, the only option will be to pick up a replacement device.
  • A temporary workaround that has worked for some is using an app like Rotation Control that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. This will let you manually trigger the switch to the landscape orientation.

Problem #4 — Google Launcher not working

TouchWiz isn’t for everyone, so it’s great that users are able to download third-party launchers from the Google Play Store. However, while there aren’t any problems with launchers like Nova, the Google launcher doesn’t work, with the app not showing in the app drawer or home screens.

Potential solutions:

  • As mentioned, you are better off opting for another third-party launcher like Nova instead of the Google launchers.
  • This issue seems to be related to the Secure Folder. You will have to uninstall the app to be able to use the Google launcher, which is a problem if that is a feature that you use. If you’re okay without it, uninstall the app and the launcher should now work as expected.

Problem #5 — Push notifications delayed

Some users have found that notifications aren’t arriving instantaneously as expected. In some cases, they arrive after a significant delay.

Potential solutions:

  • This has to do with Samsung’s aggressive battery saving features as well as what is built into Android 7.0 Nougat. Go to Settings – Apps and select Special Access in the top right menu and go to Optimize Battery Usage. In the dropdown menu, go to Change To, and add any applications for which you want to get your notifications without delay.

Problem #6 — Issues with Android Auto

Some users have come across issues with pairing the device with Android Auto. Even if the device pairs with the car, some apps like Spotify don’t work.

Potential solutions:

  • To get this to work, all you have to do is uninstall, reinstall, and go through the Android Auto setup process once again. If it’s an app that isn’t working, uninstall both the app and Android Auto, setup AA first, and then download the app again.

Problem #7 — Connectivity issues

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues commonly pop up when you pick up a new smartphone, and the Galaxy S8 is no exception. Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues seem to be particularly prevalent with this device. Keep in mind that there is a specific issue with Wi-Fi that has affected the Korean editions of the device, that Samsung is rolling out an update for.

Potential solutions:

Wi-Fi issues

  • Turn the device and the router off for at least ten seconds, then turn them back on and retry the connection.
  • Go to Settings – Power saving and ensure that this option is turned off.
  • Use the Wi-Fi Analyzer to check how crowded your channel is, and switch to a better option.
  • Forget the Wi-Fi connection by going to Settings – Wi-Fi and long tapping the connection you want, then selecting “Forget.” Re-enter the details and try again.
  • Make sure the router firmware is up to date.
  • Make sure the applications and software on the device are up to date.
  • Go into Wi-Fi – Settings – Advanced, and make a note of your device MAC address, then make sure that it is allowed access in the router’s MAC filter.
  • Some users have found that disabling the Hotspot 2.0 feature seems to fix a lot of issues with Wi-Fi.

Bluetooth issues

  • Check the manufacturer’s manual for the device and the car and reset your connections.
  • Ensure that you are not missing a vital part of the connection process.
  • Go to Settings – Bluetooth and ensure nothing needs changing
  • Go into Settings – Bluetooth delete all prior pairings and try setting them up again from scratch.

Problem #8 — Problems where the only option is to wait for a software update

Some problems haven’t been solved yet, and the only option for now is to wait for an official software fix from Samsung.

  • Bixby not working —Many users have found that Bixby isn’t working as expected, and the button isn’t as responsive as they’d like. Keep in mind that this isn’t the final release version of the feature, so things should get better once the app is updated later this Spring. You can also try hitting the Bixby button faster, as explained here.
  • Random reboots —Some users have found that the device randomly freezes and then restarts, sometimes multiple times a day.
  • Wireless charging not working — Users have found that wireless charging doesn’t seem to work with some third-party wireless charging pads. While it is recommended that you use the Samsung wireless charger only, there still shouldn’t be an issue when using other chargers.
  • Facial recognition feature easily fooled — It’s been found that the facial recognition unlock can work even when using a photo of the user, which could be fixed with a software update.

Guides — soft reset, hard reset, boot into Safe Mode, wipe cache partition

Soft Reset

  • Press and hold the power button and volume down key simultaneously for about 10 seconds until the device powers off. This works when the screen is unresponsive.

Hard Reset

  • With the device turned off, press and hold the volume up key, home button, and power button simultaneously.
  • When the Samsung logo appears, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume up and home buttons.
  • When the Android system recovery screen appears, release all buttons.
  • Use the volume down button to toggle the selection to “wipe data/factory reset,” then press the power button to accept it.
  • Use the volume down button to toggle the selection to “Yes — delete all user data,” then press the power button.
  • Wait for the reset to finish. You will eventually be prompted to “Reboot system now.” Press the power button to continue.
  • If the phone is on, go to Settings – Backup & reset – Reset device – Erase Everything.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Software Update Problems

Samsung

Wipe cache partition

  • With the device turned off, press and hold the volume up key, home button, and power button simultaneously.
  • When the Samsung logo appears, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume up and home buttons.
  • When the Android system recovery screen appears, release all buttons.
  • Use the volume down button to toggle the selection to “wipe cache partition,” then press the power button to accept it.
  • When the previous menu returns, go up and select “Reboot system now.”

Boot in Safe Mode

  • When the device is turned off, turn the device on again and press and hold the volume down button until a “Safe Mode” button shows up. Tap that button to boot your device in Safe Mode.

So, there you have it for this roundup of some issues Samsung Galaxy S8 owners have come across, and potential solutions to fix them! As you can see, most of these problems are easily fixable by software updates, so while it isn’t great that a flagship device has this many problems, Samsung will certainly be able to address them.

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The and are excellent phones that have topped our list of and since their release. We love these phones for their gorgeous screens, excellent build quality and amazing cameras.

However, no phone is perfect and that’s no different with the Samsung Galaxy S7. Common problems range from minor quirks to catastrophic hardware failures. You’re not alone if you've experienced these, as many Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge owners have reported the same problems repeatedly.

In this guide, we’ll analyze the most common Samsung Galaxy S7 problems and what you can do to fix them.

Audio distorting or crackling

One of the most common problems with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is crackling or distorted audio. There can be a few reasons why this is happening, so thoroughly work your way through this list to see if your problem is solved.

  • If you’re trying to play music from the Galaxy S7 speakers after dunking it in some water, your speakers may need to dry out first. Yes, the Galaxy S7 is water resistant, but playing audio through wet speakers will distort the audio.
  • Double check the speaker grilles after your phone is dried out to see if there’s any debris that could be affecting the audio.
  • Last but not least, there could be a software bug causing audio distortions with your Galaxy S7. Head over to Settings > Sounds and vibration and scroll down to Sound quality and effects. Here you can try toggling the UHQ Upscaler on and off to see if that resets the audio.

While you’re here, you can choose Adapt sound, which helps create a custom equalizer for your headphones for better sounding audio.

microSD card pop-up notification

One of the more annoying glitches on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is the microSD card pop-up alert that just won’t go away, giving users options to Explore or Eject the card.

Some users only experience this pest of a message after rebooting, but others see the message more frequently. You can obviously just dismiss the notification every time, but that’s not a good, long-term solution.

The easiest remedy to the problem is to perform a system update to see if the annoying bug is fixed. Some people have reported the notification going away after performing a software update.

If the problem persists after a software update, or if there isn’t an update available, you can try formatting your SD card. Be sure to backup your SD card contents before attempting this as formatting your card will wipe it of all data.

To wipe just your SD card, head over to Settings > Device Maintenance > Storage, then hit the three dots in the top right corner, and go Storage settings > SD card > Format.

If the problem still rears its ugly head, contact your carrier or Samsung directly to see if you’re eligible for a replacement device.

S7 green screen of death

If your screen has turned green, you’re not the only one. A small number of Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge phones have a problem where the screen turns and stays green.

The problem manifests itself typically (but not exclusively) if you have the always on screen enabled. The phone slowly fades to a green screen when the phone is locked. In some cases it will do this when unlocked too, in others it will look normal when the display is on like in this YouTube video.

If your screen is turning green, the display is defective and needs to be replaced. Contact Samsung as soon as possible to start the repair process. Some users have found that hard resetting the phone by pressing and holding the Power and Volume down buttons can fix the green screen issue, but only temporarily.

Another workaround you can try is to go into the AMOLED settings and try a different mode. Go into Settings > Display > Screen mode and select AMOLED Photo or Basic to see if your problem is solved. This also sometimes works if you have strange green or purple bands showing up on your screen.

Unresponsive phone with black screen

Some Samsung Galaxy S7 users have reported on the “Black screen of death,” where the phone appears to still function but will not wake up no matter what buttons are pressed. Music will still play and the notification light will still blink, but users are unable to wake their phone up.

A temporary fix is to perform a hard reboot, which involves pressing and holding the Power and Volume down buttons simultaneously for 10 seconds. This will force the phone to reboot. If a hard reboot doesn’t work, you can try starting your Galaxy S7 in safe mode.

Here’s how to get into the Samsung Galaxy S7 safe mode:

  • Hold the Power button until you see the Samsung Galaxy logo.
  • Simultaneously release the Power button and press and hold the Volume down key.
  • Keep the Volume down key pressed until the device fully boots. You’ll know you’re in Safe Mode when you see “Safe Mode” in the bottom left corner of your screen.

If your phone doesn’t experience the dreaded black screen again, it means one of your downloaded apps is causing the issue. Retrace your steps to see if you recently installed an app that could be causing the issue and uninstall it. It’s also worth checking for updated versions of your installed apps to see if the bug has been patched.

As a last resort, you can try to factory resetting your phone from the recovery menu. Note that a factory reset will wipe your phone of all data, so make sure to back up your photos, documents and music before proceeding.

Here’s how to perform a factory reset from the Galaxy S7’s recovery menu:

  • Turn off your phone.
  • Press and hold the Home and Volume up keys and then press and hold the Power button.
  • Release the Power button when you see the Galaxy S7 logo.
  • Once you see the Android logo, you can release all buttons. Your phone is now in the emergency recovery mode where you can select Factory Reset using the Volume up and down buttons. Once you have Factory Reset highlighted, press the Power button to start the process.

Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting

This frustrating bug is tough to solve, but some users have had luck disabling Bluetooth in order to get a more stable Wi-Fi signal. This isn’t an ideal solution and it’s one that Samsung needs to address in a software update. Be sure to check Settings > Software update to see if there’s an update available.

You can also try resetting your network settings. To do this, head over to Settings > General Management > Reset > Reset network settings > Reset Settings.

If the problem still persists, check if your router has a firmware update. There are different methods of updating your router’s firmware so consult your router’s manual to see how to do this.

Camera crashes

The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have excellent cameras but that doesn’t mean anything if you can’t get to the camera in the first place. Users have reported that the camera app crashes with a “Warning: Camera Failed” notification.

The simplest solution is to simply reboot the phone to see if the error goes away. If rebooting doesn’t get rid of the bug, try clearing the cache of the camera app. Do this by going to Settings > Applications > Application manager and find the Camera app. Then tap Storage and you’ll see options to Clear Data or Clear Cache. Tap on Clear Cache to see if this fixes the camera crashing.

If the problems persist, there’s one last thing you can try. Some users have reported that Smart Stay, the Samsung feature that uses the front-facing camera to see if you’re still looking at the screen, is conflicting with the rear camera. You can try disabling Smart Stay by heading over to Settings > Display and turn off Smart Stay.

Shattering camera glass?

This is one of the few serious hardware issues we’ve seen reported about the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Some users that their rear camera glass shattered for no apparent reason.

So far, there has been no definitive answer from Samsung as to whether the shattering camera glass is a manufacturing defect. The smartphone maker recommends those affected by the shattered camera glass send their phones back so that they can track down the cause of the issue and get it repaired.

This is a frustrating solution for owners as they’ll have to be without their phones for days while it’s analyzed and repaired. Unfortunately, there’s not much more users can do.

Short battery life

While the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have larger batteries than their predecessors, some users still complain about short battery life. Thankfully, Android has a robust battery management application that can let you troubleshoot some of your battery life woes.

The first thing you should do is head over to Settings > Device Management > Battery. Here you can see a graph of your battery consumption as well as a list of apps and services that consume the most power.

Your phone’s screen should draw the most power throughout the day, so if you see a specific app draining more battery than the screen there could be a bug with the app. Try uninstalling the power-hungry app to see if your battery life improves.

The next thing you can do to maximize your battery life is to disable some of the services Samsung enables by default like the always-on screen. Head over to Settings > Display and disable Always-on display.

Another thing you can try is turning down your screen brightness and setting a shorter display timeout. Head over to Settings > Display to turn down your default brightness and set your screen timeout for 1 minute or 30 seconds.

Be sure to read our for more tips on saving your battery.

Alarm doesn’t ring

Some Galaxy S7 users have reported that their alarms won’t ring any more. Most of these reports seem to stem from users using third-party alarm applications. One reason for this might be Android’s overly aggressive battery management called Doze.

To check to see if Doze is the cause of your problems, try using Samsung’s default clock app to see if the alarms ring. If they do, then your third-party application is likely being disabled by Android Doze.

To turn off the Doze feature, head over to Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery > Battery Usage > More > Optimize battery usage, then find your alarm app and tell Android not to optimize battery life for it.

Power and volume buttons not working

Samsung Galaxy S8 Software Update Problems

This is a pretty serious issue but a simple reboot usually solves any unresponsive buttons. You can force your Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge to reboot by holding down the Power and Home buttons. If this doesn’t work for you, the issue is more serious and your phone should be sent back to Samsung.

Overheating

There could be a number of reasons your Samsung Galaxy S7 is overheating. If your phone is getting too hot to touch while it’s charging, it could be because of the built-in fast charging technology.

While fast charging is great for getting as much juice as possible in a short period of time, it does heat up the phone. If you’re not in a hurry for battery life, you can disable quick charging by going to Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery > Advanced Settings and turn off Fast Cable Charging.

If your phone is heating up even when you’re not charging, there may be an app draining your battery in the background. You can see if there are any power-hungry apps in Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery.

You can also optimize your apps for the best battery life by going to Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery > Battery Usage > More > Optimize battery usage. Select All Apps and your phone should calibrate itself for better battery life.

As a last resort, you can wipe the Galaxy S7 cache partition in recovery mode:

  • Turn off your phone.
  • Press and hold the Home and Volume up keys and then press and hold the Power button.
  • Release the Power button when you see the Galaxy S7 logo.
  • Once you see the Android logo, you can release all buttons. Your phone is now in the recovery mode where you can select Wipe Cache Partition using the Volume up and down buttons. Once you have Wipe Cache Partition highlighted, press the Power button to start the process.

Slow performance

If your Samsung Galaxy S7 is slowing down, there are a few ways to speed it back up again. One of the biggest reasons for slowdowns is Samsung’s TouchWiz skin, which includes features like Upday/Flipboard Briefing. While it’s nice to get a live news feed on your home screen all the time, it does take up some unnecessary processing power.

To disable Flipboard Briefing, press and hold on any blank space on your home screen or simply use the pinch gesture. Navigate to the Flipboard Briefing screen, which is typically located at the far left. Deselect it by unchecking the checkbox up top and Flipboard will disappear from your home screen.

You can also try downloading a third-party launcher that gives you more performance options than the stock TouchWiz launcher. We like Nova Launcher for its endless customizations and performance tweaks.

To make your phone feel even faster, you can speed up the system animations or disable them altogether. To do this, head over to Settings > About Device > Software info and then tap on the Build Number 7 times to unlock the developer menu.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Software Update Problems

Back in the Settings app, you’ll find a new option at the bottom called Developer options. Scroll all the way down to the Drawing section where you’ll see options to change the Window, Transition and Animator duration scales. Set them to “.5x” or “Animation off” to save a few precious milliseconds when navigating around your phone.

Samsung Update Issues

  • Check out the best Samsung Galaxy S7 cases to avoid any physical damage