As the Android operating system continues to evolve, it occasionally brings new challenges in the form of various software issues. I believe you must have also come across such hiccups while using your Android phone. Whether it’s frequent app crashes, overheating, touchscreen malfunction, or battery drainage, all of these can disrupt an Android’s functioning.
Anytime there’s a new release, Android gets bugged by new software errors, partly due to its versatility, and the vast diversity in its hardware and software configurations. When an update fails, Android’s open-source nature poses unique challenges while ensuring compatibility and stability across millions of devices.
While most are minor errors causing minimal damage, in worst cases, they can also lead to file corruption or data loss from your device. This blog discusses 14 most common Android software issues we have identified, and provides practical solutions to resolve them.
Types of Software Issues in Android and How to Fix Them
Whether you are a regular Android user or a fan of Android customizable OS, facing software issues can be frustrating, especially when you don’t know the cause or how to fix them. This section can help you understand several distinct Android software problems and fix them.
1. App Crashes
An app crash occurs when the app stops responding or shuts down unexpectedly. For example, if you are shopping online, booking a cab, watching a movie, or playing a game, and suddenly the app closes by itself or shows an error message, it can mean there’s a compatibility error between the app and your phone.
How to fix app crashes on Android?
- Clear the app’s cache and data: Go to your phone’s Settings, find Apps, tap on the app that’s crashing, and select Storage. Here, you can clear the cache first. If that doesn’t help, clear the app’s data (but remember, this might log you out or remove saved settings).
- Update the app: Open the Google Play Store, search for the app, and check for an update. App developers often release updates to fix bugs and improve performance.
- Restart your phone: Sometimes, a simple restart can solve many problems. This refreshes your phone’s memory and can stop apps from crashing.
If none of these steps work, uninstalling the reinstalling the app from the Play Store can also help. If the problem continues, it’s possible the app is not fully compatible with your device or Android version, and you might need to wait for the developer to fix it.
2. Battery Drainage
If your smartphone battery is draining fast, it can hardly last 8 to 12 hours even with normal usage. Rapid battery drain can make your phone less useful throughout the day.
How to fix battery issues in Android?
- Close/Delete Unnecessary Apps: See what apps drain the most battery by going to Settings > Battery. From the list of apps, if you find an app consuming a lot of battery, try to shut it down or remove it if not needed.
- Reduce Screen Brightness: If your screen brightness is set too high, your battery will drain faster. Try auto-brightness or reducing it manually.
- Disable Bluetooth, location services, and Wi-Fi: These features scan and consume a lot of battery when they are in constant use. Disable them when not in use.
Another useful feature is to enable Battery Saver mode, which is available within your phone’s settings. This will restrict background use and prolong your battery life. You should also keep the software on your phone and apps updated, since some updates also contain bug fixes for battery issues.
3. Overheating
If your Android phone gets hot especially when you’re browsing or watching videos, it can slow down your phone, cause apps to crash, or even damage your battery over time.Overheating might belinked to playing games, watching videos for long, or other activities that require extra RAM usage on the phone. This can also happen because of a software glitch or a problematic app.
How to fix overheating issue in Android?
- Close Apps – If your phone starts to heat up during games or streaming, close those apps and allow your phone some time to cool down. Use your phone’s built-in cooling feature, if available.
- Don’t use and charge simultaneously – Don’t use your phone for intensive tasks while charging it. This causes undue stress on the processor and battery.
- Check device for Updates: Go to Settings > System > System Update and check for any available updates.
If your phone continues to overheat even after attempting these measures, see if a certain app is the problem. Check your battery usage statistics to see if a certain app is the problem. Removing or updating that app may also help. If your phone continues to overheat, it’s advisable to reach out to customer service or go to a service center.
4. SIM Card Not Detected
When your phone displays “No SIM card”, SIM Card not registered, or can’t connect to your mobile network, and you cannot make calls, it can be frustrating. The error often occurs if SIM card is not inserted properly or because of a software glitch or update error. Don’t worry. There are easy methods to fix “No SIM Card” error on Android phone.
How to fix No SIM card error on Android?
- Clean the SIM card and Tray: Remove the SIM card, clean it gently with a soft cloth, and re-insert it.
- Restart Device: Restart your Android phone after re-inserting the SIM card.
- Check Network Settings: Check your SIM card settings and network settings.
- Re-Check SIM card: Check your SIM card in another device or test another SIM card on your phone. This helps you determine the problem more closely.
If needed, call your service provider or go to a service center.
5. SD Card Not Detected
If the external storage or SD card not getting detected on Android phone, you won’t be able to view your photos, videos, or files stored in that SD card. This can be distressing if you have saved important files on your SD card as the files will not display on your device.
How to resolve SD card error in Android?
- Restart device: Restart your Android device.
- Clean SD card: Remove the SD card, clean it, and re-insert it correctly.
- Re-Check SD card: Check the SD card in another device or use a card reader with a computer to see if it works.
- Format SD card: Format the SD card after saving all the files elsewhere. Go to Settings > Storage > SD Card and choose Format.
- Physical Damage: Check if the card is damaged and needs to be replaced.
If these troubleshooting methods don’t work, try resetting your device or get the SD card checked properly from an authorized repair center.
6. Bluetooth Error
Connectivity issues often emerge after an Android update. Sometimes, Bluetooth devices may fail to re-connect after an update due to Android OS incompatibility. Bluetooth issues can prevent pairing your phone with headphones, speakers, or other Bluetooth devices.
How to fix Bluetooth error in Android?
- Restart Bluetooth: First disable and then enable Bluetooth on your phone.
- Check another device: Try connecting the Bluetooth device with another smartphone to rule out Bluetooth device damage.
- Reset Bluetooth profile: Clear unused or old paired devices from your Bluetooth list.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Bluetooth and delete its cache.
- Restart the phone and try pairing again.
If these troubleshooting methods don’t work, your Android phone may not be compatible with the Bluetooth device.
7. Wi-Fi Error
At times, your phone may fail to connect to Wi-Fi, the internet may not work even when connected, or the device may continuously lose connection with the router. This could be concerning if your work demands a stable internet connection. While this might be a router issue, a software glitch on your device could also be one potential reason.
How to fix Wi-Fi error in Android?
- Restart your Wi-Fi and Android device and try reconnecting.
- Reset network settings on your phone.
- Try connecting another device to the Wi-Fi router to rule out connectivity errors.
- Reset the Wi-Fi and reconnect with your Android phone.
- Update phone: Make sure that your phone’s software is updated.
- Install certificates: Check your internet provider’s help page and install missing Wi-Fi certificates on your device.
8. Device Screen Freezing
If your device screen is unresponsive, or frozen, you won’t be able to use or interact with the apps. Screen freezes are a distressing experience because you cannot pick up calls, read messages or call someone back when needed. This is a temporary issue but can remain for long. If excess apps are running in background, device is low on space, or CPU is overloaded, it can make your phone slow down.
How to resolve screen freezing in Android?
- Reboot Phone: Press and hold the power button to reboot your phone.
- Close unnecessary apps and clear Settings cache on your phone.
- Clear storage: Ensure your phone has sufficient free storage space.
9. Apps Not Updating
Some critical Android apps might not work if they are not up-to-date. Updating your apps to the latest version can help resolve app problem and ensure smooth app function. But, sometimes apps can refuse to open or get stuck in an update. Connectivity issues, lack of sufficient storage, software bugs, or app beta version could be behind this glitch.
How to fix apps not updating error in Android?
- Free up storage space: Free up the storage space on your android device. Ensure sufficient free space is available for installing and running the updates.
- Check internet connection: Try connecting to a stable network with high-speed internet.
- Disable VPN: Disable the VPN service and Antivirus protection that might be blocking the update installation. If needed, remove them temporarily from your device.
- Clear Cache: Clear cache and data for the problematic app. Go to Settings > Apps, open the problematic app and clear app Cache.
- Restart Device: Reboot your phone and try to update the app again.
If you still face errors, simply uninstall the app and re-install it from the app store. It will remove the previous app (beta version) and install a fresh new app with all updates.
10. Touchscreen Unresponsive
If your phone screen is not responding to your touch the device will be no more in use. While this is usually a hardware error, it can also occur due to device overheating, insufficient RAM, or OS errors. Unresponsive touchscreen resulting from software issues can be temporary, and you can fix them with minor troubleshooting.
How to fix touchscreen not working issue in Android?
- Properly wipe the screen with a soft and dry cloth.
- Remove any protective film that might interfere with the touch sensitivity.
- Cool down device: If the device is overheating, let it cool down and try using it again.
- Clear storage: If the touchscreen works, try clearing up storage space to avoid the problem.
- Remove the device battery if possible and clean the internal components.
- Restart your phone to reboot the system.
- Hardware defective: If the screen is only partially not working, it can be a hardware problem and requires repairing.
11. Fingerprint Sensor Not Working
If your fingerprint sensor fails to function, unlocking your phone or apps that usually open with the fingerprint sensor can be difficult. This can be concerning because you will remain locked out of critical apps that only open with fingerprint unlock.
How to resolve fingerprint sensor not working issue in Android?
- Clean sensor: Try cleaning your finger and the fingerprint sensor first.
- Clear Data: Remove saved old fingerprints and save new ones in Settings.
- Update OS: Restart your phone or update your OS or lock app software.
If the above methods don’t work, there are some technical ways to fix fingerprint sensor not working issue or a device reset could help.
12. Phone Not Charging
If your phone is not charging at all and you are unable to use it, try the below provided troubleshooting methods or rule out the causes. While it’s usually a hardware error, it could also be a software issue.
How to resolve phone not charging issue:
- Use an alternative charging cable and adapter to check if this works.
- Try to get your charging port cleaned by a professional technician, or DIY carefully using a toothpick or soft brush.
- Check and reset battery settings.
- Update the battery software if it demands.
- Reboot your phone, if it still fails to charge, go to a service center.
13. Performance Issues
Many factors can drive performance issues or lag on your Android device. If your phone slows down or lags too much, it can take longer to perform even the simplest of tasks. You can fix a slow Android device with the help of below methods.
How to resolve performance issues in Android?
- Turn off the background apps and remove the apps you do not use.
- Clear cache data and free up storage space.
- Run an antivirus scan on your device, install one.
- Update your phone’s software and important apps.
- Clear cache and rubbish files in Settings.
14. File Corruption
Are you unable to open files on your Android phone? Sometimes, images, video clips, audio, documents or even other files can refuse to open or may partially display the content on your Android phone. This usually happens if the files are corrupted. File corruption generally happens because of OS issues, malware infections, or technical glitches, or interruptions while saving the files.
How to fix corrupted files in Android?
- Open in other device: Try opening the file on another computer.
- File Repair Tools: Use photo or video file repair software to repair corrupt files.
- Run an antivirus scan on your device.
- Eject don’t remove: Always properly eject SD cards and USB flash drives, avoid removing them physically.
These are some of the most frequent Android software issues and their solutions. By knowing why they occur and how to remedy them, you can keep your phone running smoothly.
How to Recover Lost Data on Android Due to Software Issues?
Lost files without a backup or don’t know how to recover deleted files from Android? If you have deleted critical files by mistake or lost them due to a third-party app or software malfunction, you can recover them with Stellar Data Recovery for Android.
Stellar Data Recovery for Android can scan your Android device (tablet or phone) and look for missing files from the internal memory. The tool works even if you are facing data loss due to severe software issues on your device, such as a system crash or a broken device. It can retrieve all files, such as images, videos, messages, contacts, documents, etc.
Note: If you experience data loss, stop using the device immediately to prevent data overwriting and increase your chances of recovery.
The DIY tool is easy to use. Simply download and install the software on your computer, connect your Android device to the computer, run the software, and let it scan for lost files. The easy-to-use software comes with a guided and simple interface, and can be used even by non-tech-savvy users.
Strategy to Maintain a Healthy Android Device
The health and performance of your Android device are essential for a smooth user experience. In addition to the troubleshooting solutions we’ve discussed, there are a number of best practices you must follow to avoid and resolve common software-related problems.
- Back up your device’s data on a regular basis. This would include your photos, contacts, documents, messages, and any other important data.
- Regularly update your device’s OS, security software and apps.
- Clear your device’s junk and cache occasionally and remove unused apps or files.
Using these best practices and troubleshooting procedures, you can maintain your Android device in working order and lessen the consequences of software-related issues.
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