Are you looking up a meeting time on your calendar or trying to find where you’re meeting a friend for coffee? I used to write this down on the calendar at home or just remember that there was a Caribou Coffee near my work but this usually happens when I’m on the road and don’t have access to my computer. So, I pull out my trusty cellphone and look everything up. However, when I look at my phone screen, it’s overheated or the app keeps crashing or freezing! Usually, I just turn the phone off and on again but this may not solve the problem. Here are 10 common issues and solutions for everyday cellphone problems.
- Slow Phone
Problem: Most of the time, a slow phone is an older model phone but this can occasionally happen with newer phones as well. This usually happens when the phone’s Random-Access Memory (RAM) is clogged or jam-packed with too many apps and files that aren’t in use that the phone operates slower. Think of a 5:00 traffic jam.
Solution: Clean up the phone and close or delete apps and files. You can also clear up cache data. Say you just downloaded an app and the phone starts running slower. Try uninstalling the app and see if the phone operates better. Still not doing the trick? Try saving all of your important information on cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud or e-mail it to yourself and save it on your computer. Every few weeks, I always back up all the pictures from my phone to my computer. After this, restore your phone back to factory data. You can always contact Integrity Device Repair and we would love to help you with this!
- Short Battery Life
Problem: You left from home and your battery life was at 98%. After several hours, you look down at your screen and see a battery life of 67%! You haven’t even turned it on! There are several things that impact battery life that you should consider before changing out a new battery.
Solution: First, try adjusting the screen’s brightness and turn off location services (like Google maps or Life360), WiFi and Bluetooth if they’re not in use. Every phone also has a “Battery Saving Mode” that helps extend the battery life. You can also check the “Battery Usage” in the phone’s “Settings” and see which apps take up more battery life. Similar to the “slow phone” issue, you can also close down or disable all apps that drain the battery if they’re not usually in use.
- Overheating Phone
Problem: When I ride my bike, I love to listen to podcasts or music. I keep my phone in a water-resistant mount on my top tube. After several hours of riding in the hot sun, my phone can overheat.
An overheating phone can be associated to battery life, charger and phone placement. Is your phone constantly in direct sunlight or in a hot area? Is it in the shade or exposed to the elements? If your phone is constantly overheating, get it taken care of ASAP because the battery and phone screen can be critically damaged as a result.
Solution: See the solution under “Bad Battery Life” to make sure this is a battery issue or not. Still overheating? Relocate the phone to a cooler place out direct sunlight. Then give it a few minutes to cool down.
- Lack of Storage Space
Problem: If you’re like me, you take way too many pictures of your kid’s activities or awkward selfies when you think the camera is facing out. Maybe you save songs or documents on your phone that you looked at six months ago and haven’t gotten around to erasing them. Did you download a game or social media app that you never use? When your phone is nearly full of storage, it can also slow things down.
Solution: The solution for this is basically the same as the slow phone issue. Delete those files and apps that you don’t use. Try deleting old phone or text messages that you don’t need. Clean up the cache data. Transfer files you would want to hold on to to an online cloud or transfer them to your computer. The fewer files I have in storage on my phone, the better.
- Apps Crashing
Problem: I’m in the middle of taking out the boss pig on Angry Birds 2 and the app crashes! What the heck? It took me 235 tries and 125 coins to get here! This equates to being next in line for a roller coaster ride that I’ve waited 2 hours for and being asked to go to the back! Although this is frustrating to no end, the solution isn’t that hard.
Many times, this is not your fault but the actual app. Sometimes, they have bugs or there’s an operating system update issue. Apps frequently add new options and refine certain details to improve performance. However, sometimes your poor phone can’t support the latest version and the darn app crashes constantly.
Solution: Try restarting your phone and re-open the app. You can also go to your phone’s settings and “force stop” the app. Cleaning up the cache data is also helpful. I like to only keep apps open that I’m currently using. Still not working? Uninstall and re-install the app. Maybe the app just had a few bugs and you needed the latest version.
- Phone Freezing
Problem: This can happen if your phone is an older model or if the storage space is full. Sometimes, just restarting the phone can do the trick or turning it off and back on. Just like the TV show The IT Crowd says, “Have you tried turning off and on again?” In the olden days (pre smartphone era), you could also take the battery out and put it back in. However, with most modern phones, all batteries are internal and you need a professional to do it. But, let not your heart be troubled, there is a solution!
Solution: Depending on the phone, here are the steps to restart:
- Apple (iOS8 or higher)
- Click “Volume Up” once
- Click “Volume Down” once
- Hold the “Power Key” for 15 seconds
- Apple (iOS7 or lower)
- Press the “Power Key” + “Volume Down Key” at the same time for 10 seconds or until the “Apple Logo” appears
- Samsung
- Press the “Power Key” + “Volume Down Key” at the same time for 15 seconds or until the “Samsung Logo” appears
- Sony
- Press the “Power Key” + “Volume Up Key” at the same time for 10 seconds
- When the phone vibrates, press the “Power Key” turn the phone on
- Nokia/HMD
- Press the “Power Key” + “Volume Up Key” at the same time for 15 seconds or until the “Android Logo” appears
Still having phone issues? Contact Integrity Device Repair and we’ll go through it together!
- Apps Not Downloading
Problem: Do you need to download an app for school or work? Are you looking for a way to pass the time while you commute on the bus or light-rail but the darn app just won’t download? This can happen frequently but have no fear! The solution is just a few steps away!
Solution: Just like in many other solutions, clean the app cache. If you use Google, try cleaning Google Play and Google Play Services history. Always restart the phone after this and downloading the app again. Remember, Integrity Device Repair is always here to assist you in doing this! 
- MicroSD Not Working
Problem: Sometimes, your phone is full of files that you want to keep or you’re just too busy to transfer them, so you store them on a microSD card you bought from Best Buy back in 2011. The problem is that every time you try to save the files, your device informs you that it no longer accepts or supports the microSD card.
Solution: What’s probably going on here is that your old microSD card may have errors and your phone isn’t recognizing it. Try connecting the card to your computer and reformatting it at least twice. Restart the phone, put the SD card in and try again. If you’re still getting an error message, you may have to just get a new microSD card.
- Wet Cell Phone
Problem: It was a beautiful, sunny day in the Bahamas (not the problem but keep reading!). I had been working on my tan for the better part of 15 minutes and I wanted to cool off in the pool. After entering the shallow end, I realized I had left my phone in my pocket! Panic set in as I quickly took it out and realized it was too late! Don’t feel bad when/if this happens though. The solution is easier than you think!
Solution: DO NOT TURN THE PHONE ON!!! This is one of the worst things you can do! If you can, remove the battery and put your phone in a bowl of rice. In the meantime, this will help absorb all the water. Don’t have any rice? Try oatmeal. Just dry the phone off as much as possible and call Integrity Device Repair! It isn’t the end of the world! We will take things from there!
- Damaged Charging Port
Problem: Nothing lasts forever like the pizza you’ve had in your fridge for the past 2 weeks or that vacation you just had or your phone’s charging port. Is your phone telling you that it can’t connect to a charge cord? Sometimes it’s an issue with the cord but other times, it can be the phone’s charging port. Charging ports are inclined to get worse with time and use. Just think of how many times a day you use it. Sometimes, it can be mishandled or get dirty too. If the issue is with the charging port, it needs to be fixed by an expert and that’s where Integrity Device Repair comes in. You can also troubleshoot a few things yourself.
Solution: Clean the charging port with a new, clean and dry toothbrush. You may also try cleaning it with a dry Q-tip to remove any dust and debris that may be blocking the port from completing the charge. If this still doesn’t work, it’s time to contact Integrity Device Repair. We’ll troubleshoot with you over the phone or come to you and personally check out your charging port for further issues!
- Phone Won’t Turn On or Boot Up
Problem: The other day, I went to turn my phone on but got nothing. Just a blank, black screen. If this happens to you, there may be a problem with your phone’s hardware or software components. Sometimes, software corruption is because of malware attacks or virus infections. Your firmware may also may be corrupted because of improper flashing procedures. Maybe your hardware elements like RAM chips, hard drives, processors or additional internal parts are impaired.
Solution: Charge your phone using a different adapter and cable. Still not working? Hold the “Power Button” for 10 seconds and the screen should come on. Try this several more times. Try the solutions in the “Phone Freezing” section. The final option would, of course, be to contact Integrity Device Repair and we’ll troubleshoot things from there. You’re catching on!
Of course, there may be additional problems you have with your cellphone, these are just the most common ones. If you’re having other problems that aren’t listed here, contact Integrity Device Repair and we’ll come to a solution that works best for you!