Smartphones have become a fundamental tool in our lives. Whether for entertainment, work or study, we make constant use of it. These devices have advanced technologies, but we must keep in mind that they are not always perfect. In some cases, they can cause problems that hinder the use of the phone.
These failures that smartphones can present at any time generate a stressful situation for users. Therefore, we compiled a list of the 10 most common problems with smartphones and how they can be solved.
1. Storage space full
Who hasn’t ever received that ‘storage space full’ message? Unless you have a cell phone with 256 or 512 GB of internal memory, this is a common problem. People tend to store a lot of photos, videos, songs, documents, apps, etc., on their devices, which eventually ends up taking up all the storage space.
You can solve this problem in several ways. One way is to delete the apps and files you no longer use, as well as the cached data. Another solution is to transfer some files, especially photos and videos, to a cloud or install a microSD card to expand the storage space.
2. Short battery life
Newer cell phones have high-capacity batteries, around 5,000 mAh. This may be enough for most users. However, if the autonomy of your device is less than this amount, or if despite having a good autonomy, the device’s battery lasts only a short time, we recommend you to take some measures.
One option is to reduce the screen brightness; remember that this is one of the most energy-consuming elements. Another is to turn off some connections such as GPS, Bluetooth or even WiFi if you are not using them.
Some devices have a function to save energy; activate it to help your battery last a little longer. We also recommend that you check the Battery Usage option in your phone’s Settings to see if there are any apps that are using too much power.
3. The smartphone doesn’t recognize the microSD card
MicroSD cards are very useful to expand the internal storage of a device. However, there are times when installing one, the device fails to recognize it. It is common for smart phones, at some point, not to detect the card. If this is your case, you should check several aspects.
First, you must make sure that you are placing it in the correct position and that it is clean. To make sure this is the case, clean it before trying to place it in the computer. If after this, the microSD is still not detected, it is likely to have errors.
The way to fix this is to connect a microSD card reader to your computer and format the microSD about twice. Restart your phone and insert the SD card again; it should work properly.
4. Connection problems
It is also common for smartphones to have problems with their wireless connections, especially with Bluetooth or WiFi. The latter, in particular, may be lost or not allow connection to a local network.
In case of this type of failure, we recommend activating the Airplane Mode for at least 1 minute. Once this is done, you should reactivate the connection that is having problems. In most cases it works, but if it does not work, you can also reboot the device and, in a more extreme situation, reset the network (if the failure is WiFi) and re-enter the network name and password.
5. Applications that freeze
For some reason, active apps on the smartphone may stop from one moment to the next. This can be quite annoying and even problematic, as it is a bug that can be complex to fix.
This can be related to errors in the in applications, which are constantly being updated. It can also happen that certain devices cannot support the latest version of an app and therefore it starts to stop. In any case, the first solution to apply is to restart the cell phone and reopen the application that is causing problems.
If after restarting it, the failure continues, you can go to the App Manager and stop the app manually. It may also be useful to clear the cache data. If these actions do not solve the problem, you can try uninstalling the app and reinstalling it to verify that it was not an error that occurred during its update.
6. Overheated cell phone
This is another common problem that may be due to several factors. Overheating may be associated with a battery problem, but it may also be due to a problem with the charger, with the place where you charge it or with the use of certain applications that are too demanding.
To implement a solution, you must investigate the potential source of the problem. Check if the battery is in good condition or if it lasts as long as it should be charged, because if it runs down too quickly it could be a sign that it is failing. You should also check that the charger is OK and that the place where you charge the device is cool, as high temperatures in the environment can cause overheating.
If you notice that the device overheats when you are using a specific application, stop using it for a while to allow it to cool down. It is also advisable to deactivate services that you are not using, such as location, Bluetooth and other connections that can cause the device to overwork.
7. Freezing screen
Another error that may occur with your cell phone is that the screen freezes. In these cases, it is no good pressing the buttons, because nothing works. To make it respond, you will probably have to force the device to turn off. If it happens occasionally, there is no need to be alarmed, but if it becomes constant, you will have to take some actions.
This problem can occur due to an excessive use of apps that puts the computer to work beyond its capabilities, lack of storage space, or even malware. In any of these cases, the solution is to perform an internal cleaning of the smartphone.
This involves cleaning the data from the cache memory, deleting apps that you dont need, using a cloud to store large files and in general eliminating all the junk from the device. In this way, it is very likely that your cell phone will start to work more smoothly.
8. Wet phone
Wet phones are not an exceptional situation. You might be surprised to know that this is, in fact, one of the most common accidents among smartphone owners. If you are one of the many who have had the misfortune of getting your phone wet, take it easy. It’s hard to do, but it’s important to think with a cool head so you don’t make the situation worse.
You may have heard of the rice trick, but it’s not really the most effective solution. It is true that its absorbent power can help, but when corrosion makes an appearance, no amount of rice can do anything. Actually, the first thing you should do is turn off the cell phone (if it hasn’t already been turned off). This is important to avoid short circuits.
Once this is done, remove everything removable on the device: battery (if it is not integrated) and SIM and memory tray. Dry everything thoroughly and now use something to absorb the moisture. It can be rice, oat flakes, cat litter or even silica gel. After this, you will only have to be patient and wait at least 24 hours before turning on the device again.
9. Does not charge when connected to the charger
As with batteries, over time the charging port and cables can become worn, damaged and stop working. If your cell phone does not charge when you connect it to the charger, you should find out why.
The first thing you should do is check the charger to make sure the cable and transformer are working. If so, check the port to make sure it is clean. You can use a cotton swab or toothbrush to help you remove possible dirt in the port, which could be preventing charging.
If after these measures, the device still does not receive a charge after connecting it to the charger, it is possible that the charging port is damaged. If this is the case, you will have to take your cell phone to technical service to have it checked by experts.
10. Unable to connect to the app store
This problem can appear in both Android and iOS devices. When you enter the app store, you may have trouble navigating and receive an error message. The inability to connect to the store may occur due to a failure in the smartphone’s date and time settings.
Therefore, the solution in this case is to go to the settings section of the phone, disable the option to set date and time automatically and set the data manually. Make sure to set the current date and you’re done.
Have you had to deal with any of these problems on your cell phone? Now you know how to solve them.