Technology issues are some of the most aggravating problems we face on a regular basis. Whether it’s a server crashing, our favorite website being down or a hard drive getting wiped out, tech issues take time and money to resolve. These issues can cause plenty of frustration and disruption to our daily lives.
What’s Wrong with My Phone?
Mobile phone problems can sometimes feel the most invasive. What’s worse, sometimes the cell phone solutions and fixes aren’t always easy to come by. We rely on our cell phones more and more every day, not only for personal use but for business use too. So, when we encounter difficulties with them and have to take them somewhere to get them fixed, it can be a real pain. Fortunately, many common cell phone problems are easy to resolve if you know how. If you’re experiencing cell phone problems today, these solutions offer some quick and easy remedies to try at home – before you take the phone to an expert to fix.
Check out our guide on how to fix the most common smartphone problems below. (But keep in mind that some cell phone solutions will require professional repair assistance!)
1. Your Phone is Responding Slowly
The issue that plagues most smartphone users by far is a device that appears to slow down over time. New updates to the operating system (especially on aging phones) along with apps that run when not in use seem to be what trigger slow phone responses most often. If your slow phone is not likely caused by its age, there are a few things you can do.
Solution: Clear the Cache and Make Some Room
Start by closing any apps that you aren’t currently using. Then, alter your settings to keep unimportant apps from remaining open in the background at all times. These eat up valuable RAM space. Feel free to delete apps and software that you don’t need and free up storage space by moving photos and other content to a cloud service.
If your problem is with slow internet speeds rather than phone speeds, try alternating between data and Wi-Fi to see which has a stronger signal. Close other apps or location services that may be taking up bandwidth. Just be careful not to go over your data limit if you opt to go with data over Wi-Fi. If you are experiencing lag as a result of a weak network, there may not be much you can do. If it’s because you are using an old phone that is incompatible with newer and better phone updates, you may want to consider an upgrade. The Whiz Cells makes selling your phone for cash and upgrading your old cell phone super-quick and easy.
2. Your Battery Doesn’t Seem to Hold Up
How can you use your phone if it doesn’t stay alive long enough? Battery problems are one of the most common phone frustrations. These mobile phone problems are usually caused by user abuse. Next time you find that your phone is taking forever to charge to 100% or that it seems to die on you way too fast, try changing a few of the following settings and clearing apps that can drain your battery.
Solution: Maximize Your Standby Time
First, make sure the charger you are using is optimized for your battery. Then, shorten your screen timeout setting so that your phone will fall asleep sooner when it is not in use. In addition, reduce your screen’s brightness whenever possible. If your phone has a battery-saving mode, initiate it whenever you need your phone to be accessible without plugging it in for several hours. Finally (and maybe most importantly), alter your settings so that system-hogging apps and updates don’t run in the background.
3. Your Screen Is Cracked
Since our phone screens are made of glass, it’s no surprise that sometimes an unexpected encounter with a hard surface, such as the ground, can cause them to break. Cracks may lead to problems with your touchscreen responses or let in moisture over time, so it’s important to have your phone repaired quickly after the screen gets damaged.
Solution: Repair for Now, Prevent for Later
If your screen has already cracked, you will want to have it replaced as soon as you can. After that, the best course of action, as with most smartphone problems and solutions, is all about prevention. Invest in a reliable case and screen protector or keep your phone in a padded pouch, wallet or something that will cushion the fall should it slip from your grasp. Learn how to fix a cracked screen from this informative blog article on our website.
4. Your Device Got Wet
Accidents happen to the best of us. It’s frightening when your phone gets submerged in water, especially if the display starts flashing or looking abnormal. You may think your cell phone is history. Fear not! Although it is true that water damage is perhaps one of the trickiest phone problems to deal with, there’s always still a sliver of hope. Your best bet is to get some professional help.
Solution: Take It to the Repair Shop
Rather than panicking, immediately turn off your device. Then toss it in some rice if you have any on hand to help absorb some of the moisture. Take your phone or tablet to your nearest phone repair place. Don’t plug your phone in or attempt to fix it on your own. The technician will be able to determine the extent of the damage, take the device apart to dry out the pieces and repair or replace specific parts as necessary.
5. Your Phone Is Overheating
Holding a strangely warm phone can be a weird experience. It can be hard to know the best way to fix it without tossing the device in the freezer. Overheating can severely damage your battery and screen life; however, so would the moisture and cold from the icebox. If you notice your phone is running way too hot, here are some better ways to cool it down.
Solution: Keep It Cool and Inactive
For starters, your phone should be kept out of direct sunlight. It should also be stored in a dry, shaded bag or a pocket that won’t transfer the sun’s heat. After removing outside heat sources, take some time to relax your busy phone by reducing its screen’s brightness, closing any open apps and abstaining from overbearing Wi-Fi or data use. Make sure you postpone downloads or updates until you’re in more ideal circumstances, like when you plug your phone into its charger at night.
6. You’ve Filled Up Your Storage Space
People are taking pictures and videos more now than ever before. For that reason, storage space has become an all-too-common cell phone problem for a lot of smartphone users. Apps, downloads and new operating system features also contribute to the cramped space within a phone’s memory. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to clear some room.
Solution: Expand Your Storage Options Beyond Your Phone’s Memory
In the same way that homeowners invest in storage units to hold their extra belongings, you can find external or cloud-based services or devices for your phone’s data and its pictures. You can embrace a variety of cloud-based options, like iCloud or Google Drive, or you can transfer your content to external hard drives or a computer to remove miscellaneous archives from your mobile device. A third possibility would be to purchase a microSD card to give your phone itself some extra memory. You could, of course, also go through the old process of printing out your photos and deleting them from your device once you have a physical copy that you’re happy with.
7. Your Screen Keeps Freezing
When your phone is frozen and the home button won’t even work, the only thing you can do is force the device to shut down and restart. But what if it seems like it’s constantly happening? If your phone is freezing frequently, it can be extremely inconvenient. It’s usually caused by low storage space, excessive app use and, occasionally, malware infection.
Solution: Clean up Your Phone
Some form of housekeeping is likely in order. Close apps that are running, clear the cache, delete programs you don’t need, move some of your stuff over to an external hard-drive or get an app that literally cleans up the trash on your phone for you. Your phone will likely begin running much more smoothly after some of that extra data and activity is wiped away. You can also take some steps to protect your phone from viruses in the future.
8. A Particular App Is Constantly Crashing
Every once in a while, your favorite app may decide to give you some trouble. It may freeze, crash or glitch. If it’s just one app that’s giving you issues, it may have to do with the app not being optimized for your operating system. It can also mean that the latest version of the program simply has a lot of bugs. It can be hard to know what to do when this keeps happening.
Solution: Troubleshoot and Check with the App Developer
Start by quitting the problematic app. You may even want to delete the app and then redownload it to clear some unnecessary data. If you want to preserve your data on the app, try restarting your phone. If it continues to crash, head over to the app store of your choice and read the reviews. Other people may have left comments that indicate similar problems.
Next, look up the app developer on social media sites and see if they’ve released a statement or have provided tips to resolve the issue. From there, of course, you can always contact the developer directly about what you’re experiencing. It may be a problem they haven’t yet heard about.
9. The Entire Phone is Constantly Crashing
If it’s more than one specific app that is having issues and your phone sometimes shuts down or restarts on its own, you may have an entirely different problem on your hands. Bugs are common with new operating system updates, but if you haven’t recently downloaded anything new, diagnosing the problem becomes a bit tricky. There may even be some hardware kinks involved. Take a few initial steps to first clean up your system. After that, see if there are other measures that you need to consider.
Solution: Restart and Reset
Begin by simply restarting your device to clear its temporary memory and its active app data. If the phone is frozen, you’ll need to force the device to power down. Then, check to see if you can widen your available storage space by deleting some unnecessary data.
In the end, if you’re still having trouble, a factory reset may be the best thing you can do. This cell phone solution will give your phone a clean slate. If the problem lies with malfunctioning or aging hardware, you may need to visit the repair shop and go from there.
10. You Have Bad Reception
While it’s more than likely your phone is not at fault for networking issues or poor cell signals, it’s worth including this common problem in this list. For the most part, changing the settings on your phone isn’t going to solve your connectivity dilemma. There are times, however, when it is your hardware that is causing the problem. In those cases, there are a few steps you can take, but it may require seeking outside help.
Solution: Try Some At-Home Fixes, Then Call the Experts
Before you do anything else, make sure that you’re not just experiencing normal, unavoidable network problems like a dead spot where no one can get signal. If other devices are having trouble connecting, it’s probably your network as a whole, not your phone that you need to address. In this case, try calling your carrier or internet service provider for some assistance. If your phone truly is the culprit, try restarting it first. Then, make sure you have the latest version of your operating system installed. At that point, if you still have difficulty connecting, you may need to do some web searching or call your phone manufacturer to help out.
11. You’re Having Trouble with Bluetooth
While fewer cables might seem like fewer problems, that is not always the case with Bluetooth devices. If a device isn’t pairing, it can even be more frustrating because you literally can’t see where the problem is. The issue might not be visible. If you try a few of these fixes, you should be able to figure out how to solve it.
Solution: Do Some Troubleshooting
First, make sure that your Bluetooth device compatible with your phone. (The device might not be universal for all phones.) You can also try placing the devices right next to each other to make sure that an obstruction isn’t causing the issue. Once you have attempted that and checked to make sure Bluetooth is turned on, you can always try turning both your phone and the device off and back on again.
12. Your Charging Port Stopped Working
Just as with phone batteries, charging cables and ports will wear down over time. Your phone’s little metal tabs (or pins) around the opening where you plug in your charger can become damaged or dirty over time. This can complicate or slow down its charging capabilities. It’s not always the charging port that is causing charger problems though; feel free to do a little troubleshooting before admitting defeat and shelling out for a phone repair.
Solution: Do What You Can, Then Have it Fixed Professionally
If you just need to brush away some debris from the port, try using an unused toothbrush or cotton swab to clean out the gunk that’s preventing a good connection. If it’s the cable or a wall adapter that’s faulty, swap them out. Unfortunately, if the issue is really related to a broken charging port, you’ll need to head to the repair shop.
Other Smartphone Issues and Their Solutions
If the problem you’re experiencing isn’t explicitly addressed in this list, you may be able to search for unique solutions online. Perform a few web searches using your phone’s make and model and the difficulty it’s currently experiencing. These cell phone problems may be common to your smartphone and there may be solutions or suggestions available online. You can also contact us for some additional assistance if the tips in this post don’t seem to fix the problem. We’re here to help!
Sell Your Phone to The Whiz Cells
If your phone is ultimately beyond repair, consider selling your phone to The Whiz Cells to get cash to put toward a new one. If your cell phone is not working, this can be the best cell phone solution to consider. If you’re ready for an upgrade anyway, this option is highly appealing. Instead of letting your old phone collect dust in a junk drawer, we can help!
We make it easy to sell your phone or your device to us and get paid fast. Our Stupid Fast Payment system will amaze you at how efficient it is. We also offer top dollar for cell phones and tablets that are cracked, broken or have bad ESNs or bad IMEI phones. Start by creating an account at The Whiz Cells online to get the process started. We accept a multitude of different cell phones, tablets and other devices.
We accept a wide variety of devices, pay our sellers faster than anyone else in the business and offer free shipping. So even if your mobile phone problem can’t be fixed with the steps we’ve listed above, you can be on your way to a new, problem-free phone in no time at all.