10 Common Phone Problems and their Solutions
Let’s face it—nowadays, we depend more and more on our smartphones. They have become essential to performing our daily tasks and have replaced devices such as cameras and video recorders.
With so much of our lives dependent on our phones, lag and glitchy apps or features can be a real problem. Fortunately, many common phone problems are easy to fix.
In this article, find out about the 10 most common cell phone problems and how to fix them.
1 – Short battery life
A short battery life is a common problem that can make you feel like you barely get to use your phone at all before it needs to be charged.
The phenomenon is completely normal for older phones—batteries become less efficient over time. However, if your phone is relatively new, ask yourself if anything you’re using it for requires a large amount of energy.
Ways to increase your phone’s battery life
First of all, try lowering your screen brightness and disable GPS tracking, WiFi and Bluetooth if you aren’t using them.
You can also turn on low power mode and see if that helps your battery last longer.
Finally, you can go into your settings to check which of your apps are using up the most battery. That way, you can turn off any that are non-essential but require a lot of energy.
2 – Overheating
It’s completely normal for your phone to get hotter when you use it for long periods of time. However, you need to remain on the lookout for overheating problems that stem from overusing your phone’s hardware resources.
Power-hungry apps such as games can increase the temperature of your phone enough to affect battery performance and damage some of its more fragile components.
Ways to prevent your phone from overheating
If your phone tends to overheat while charging, it’s best not to use it during that time. If possible, you should also try to keep it in a room-temperature environment while charging.
Make sure not to use apps that overwork the processor for hours on end. If you love mobile gaming, take breaks regularly to give your phone a chance to cool off.
Finally, check to make sure you haven’t accidentally left a bunch of apps running in the background.
If the problem persists despite your best efforts, you may need to have a technician look at your phone.
3 – Lack of storage space
People are taking more photos and videos with their smartphones than ever before. Consequently, storage space is becoming a real problem for many users.
Apps, downloads and operating system updates also take up memory on phones. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to free up storage space.
Ways to free up storage space
Did you know that you don’t need to rely solely on your phone’s internal memory to store data and photos?
There are a variety of cloud-based storage options like iCloud and Google Drive. You can also transfer content to external hard drives or a computer and then delete the larger files from your phone.
Another way to free up storage space is to purchase a microSD card to give your device additional memory. However, your phone must have a microSD slot (most Samsung phones including the earlier Galaxy models can take a microSD card, while iPhones cannot).
4 – Bluetooth connectivity issues
As phone accessories that connect via wires gradually disappear, you might expect connectivity issues to decrease. Unfortunately, Bluetooth pairing can come with its own set of problems.
When you have trouble connecting devices such as Bluetooth speakers or headphones, it can be difficult to figure out what the problem is. However, if you try the following solutions, you may find a way to connect your wireless device.
Ways to fix Bluetooth connectivity issues
First, check to make sure your Bluetooth device is compatible with your phone. The device you’re trying to connect may not be using the same version of Bluetooth as your phone.
You can also try placing the two devices next to each other to make sure that the problem isn’t being caused by an obstruction. For example, Bluetooth signals don’t travel very well through thick walls.
If you’re out of ideas, try restarting your phone and the Bluetooth device.
5 – A cracked screen
Everyone has accidents. It’s very common for people to drop their phones on the ground or on other hard surfaces. Even though smartphone screens are made of durable materials, they’re not drop-proof.
Dropping your phone can result in a cracked screen that affects the display. The glass shards and sharp edges can even cause finger injuries.
Fortunately, a cracked screen doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get a new phone.
What to do about a cracked screen
There’s no way to repair a cracked screen, but it can be replaced. The procedure is complex and requires great attention to detail, but it is possible to do it yourself. If you aren’t confident in your ability to replace your screen, you can have a professional do it for you.
Remember that when it comes to cracked screens, the best solution is to prevent the problem from happening in the first place by equipping your device with a sturdy protective case.
6 – A phone that has fallen in water
Even the most dextrous people sometimes drop their phones. Dropping your phone in water can be particularly problematic, whether it occurs while cooking, in the bathroom or during outdoor activities near pools or bodies of water.
Water and electronics don’t mix well. Any liquid that gets into your phone can cause a lot of damage and even render it unusable. However, if you act quickly after dropping your phone in water, you may be able to limit the damage and save the device.
What to do when your phone falls in water
If your phone has fallen in water, do not check immediately to see if it still works. Instead, remove the battery if you can and place your phone on a towel in a dry environment. Let it dry completely before trying to use it.
Another common technique is to place a wet cell phone in a bowl of uncooked rice for 24 hours. Uncooked rice absorbs moisture, which is said to help the phone dry faster and prevent damage.
7 – A glitchy app
Apps can sometimes malfunction and make your screen freeze. If only one app is affected, it may not be optimized for your OS, or the version you’re using may just be buggy.
What to do about a glitchy app
Glitchy apps are quite common and can be very irritating, but they’re usually not too difficult to fix. When a malfunction happens, the first step is to try restarting the glitchy app through the Application Manager.
Other options that may resolve the glitch include restarting your phone and clearing your cache.
If the problem persists, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.
8 – A defective charging port
Over time, a phone’s charging port can become less efficient, making charging more difficult. This problem can have a variety of causes, but the most common one is accumulated debris that prevents the electrical current from flowing properly between the power cable and the charging port.
What to do about a defective charging port
If debris is at the root of the problem, try using a new toothbrush or cotton swab to clean your charging port.
If the cable or wall adapter is defective, replace it. Unfortunately, if the charging port itself is broken, you’ll need to go to a cell phone repair shop to have the part replaced or to charge your device via electromagnetic induction.
9 – A screen that keeps freezing
It can be very frustrating to have your screen keep freezing. Frequent crashes are usually caused by insufficient storage space, excessive app usage or a virus.
What to do about a screen that keeps freezing
When your phone is completely frozen and even the home button isn’t working, the only thing you can do is force the device to shut down and restart.
If the problem keeps recurring, you most likely need to do some digital housekeeping. Close any apps that are currently running, clear the cache, delete any programs you no longer need and move some of your files to an external hard drive.
You can also take steps to protect your phone from viruses and malware.
10 – A lagging phone
Many smartphone users complain that their device seems to slow down over time. New OS updates and apps that keep running when not in use tend to be the main causes of lag, particularly on older phones.
That being said, if the age of your phone isn’t what’s causing the lag, there are a few solutions you can try.
What to do about a lagging phone
Start by closing the apps you aren’t using and change your settings to prevent non-essential apps from running in the background, because they can consume a lot of RAM.
Don’t hesitate to delete any apps you don’t need and free up storage space by moving your photos and other content off your phone.
If it’s the internet and not your phone that is lagging, try switching between data and WiFi to determine which has a stronger signal, and turn off any apps or GPS tracking services that may be using up bandwidth.
Got phone problems? Recycell can help!
If you’re experiencing one of the common cell phone problems listed in this article, there is a good chance that you’ll be able to resolve it yourself.
That being said, if your phone is too old to handle software updates or damaged beyond repair, it might be time to replace it!
At Recycell, we buy and refurbish used phones and sell them at a fraction of the original price. Check out our website to see which devices we have available, and take a look at our blog section for more tips on how to care for your phone!