How to Troubleshoot Common Android Problems and Issues

Android devices, phones and tablets, are some of the most reliable and ergonomic experiences around. Even moreso than iPhones – yeah, we said it. But that doesn’t mean you’ll never experience troubled waters with your Android. Like any technology based device, problems arise. But fortunately, it’s typically one of the more common Android problems and all of those are easily remedied.

Let’s look at the most common Android problems and how to correct them.

Overheating

Overheating isn’t an exclusive issue for Androids. Overheating is a notorious issue for computers, iPhones, and nearly all tech-based devices. When your Android device overheats, you’ll not only feel the warmth exuding from the device’s backside, but you may hear it humming. Computers often hum when they are in need of a cool down.

Overheating is an indication that your Android device is overworked, or overexposed to the elements (or maybe both). Overheating isn’t something you should take lightly. Although rare, an overheating phone can result in injury. Beyond that, overheating tends to damage devices.

So what causes your Android phone, and most devices, to overheat?

A typical cause of overheating is when you use your device in warmer weather. The air temperature doesn’t have to be super elevated if sun exposure is direct and dramatic. If the weather is hot, put your phone in shade and under cover. If your device feels hot, don’t use it, and get it to a cool spot. If you’re laying out in the sun, as hard as it may be, use your device sparingly.

Don’t use your phone while it’s charging unless absolutely nessecary. We know how tempting it is to use a charging device these days, but its a major cause of overheating.

Don’t use non-approved charger cables. These can compromise the charge intensity and lead to a hot run.

If none of this works, you may need to look into a new battery. Sometimes a bad battery overworks its efforts leading to a hotter experience.

Battery Drain, Sluggish Experience

When we purchase our fancy new devices, we are sold a world of amazing features. But overusing those features can cause the device to run hot. For example, having your screen brightness turned all the way up, overuse of Bluetooth and location services, and 5G, can all contribute to an overheating battery.

Don’t fret, this isn’t all bad news. Often, you can run these features just fine. What we’re suggesting is an overarching look at your features when your battery overheats.

Too many features don’t only contribute to overheating, but they can cause your device to become sluggish and unresponsive. Again, always look over your features when your device is experiencing issues.

Moreover, over-featuring drains the battery. And that’s never a good thing.

The Device Refuses to Charge

There is nothing more frustrating than a device that won’t charge. One of the major reasons for this isn’t the device at all, rather, the charging unit. Check the cable for dirt, try other cables, make sure all cables are approved by the manufacturer. These are the most typical resolutions to the irritating “my phone won’t charge” issues.

The Device Stalls, Freezes

When your device becomes unresponsive, it can be pretty irritating.

Sometimes, this means your device’s age is beyond the resources your most used Android apps need. Yes, this means the apps you enjoy don’t jive with the old OS or device hardware. And that can lead to freezing. If you open apps and they crash, or they crash during use, you may need to upgrade your OS or even the device itself. Or, trying finding another app solution.

Sometimes apps attempt to reference permissions that they don’t have and that causes them to shut down. This is typical of apps that need location features but you didn’t approve those permissions during app setup.

Device Won’t Connect

girl wearing headphone

Can’t fall or text? Turn the device on and off again (yeah, we are saying ‘restart’). Sometimes a restart helps the device find the cell tower again. If that’s not the case, you’ll need to check your SIM card. This often requires removing it for a minute and re-installing it.

No WiFi? Go into settings and “forget” the network and re-connect it. If this doesn’t work and you are at home, try unplugging the router for one minute and then restarting it.

If the issue involves bluetooth devices like headphones, go into settings and disconnect the accessory and re-pair it.

While these are the common Android dilemmas, they certainly aren’t’ the only ones. That said, most of these issues are common across most OS’s and devices. So buying an iOS device won’t exactly help other than having a fresh, updated platform. If you’ve had your Android for a while, it might be time to look into updating.

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