How to fix common bugs and problems with Galaxy S4

Galaxy S4 users have reportedly been hit by numerous inherent bugs and problems in the Android KitKat update, while Samsung is yet to roll out the highly-anticipated Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade with potential fixes for its former flagship phone.

IBTimes UK explores some of the most common bugs or problems affecting Galaxy S4 users along with potential fixes for the same in this comprehensive guide.

There is still no word on the exact release window of Lollipop update for the Galaxy S4, and hence those who are in pursuit of temporary workarounds and potential solutions can try a few possible fixes that are outlined below.

Random reboot issues

Several Galaxy S4 users have been complaining about random reboot issues without warning messages for quite some time.

As there is no permanent fix for such a weird issue, we could try a few workarounds such as booting into Safe Mode or uninstalling a problematic app after isolating the root cause.

Just to ensure that inherent bugs are eliminated, try updating all the apps installed on the device.

Besides, there is a known issue with some microSD cards causing random reboot issues on the Galaxy S4. So, you could try removing the microSD card and check if the issue is resolved.

Performance issues

Reports of Galaxy S4 users facing intermittent lags and sluggish performance has been a major concern for the ageing smartphone.

Nevertheless, affected users could try something as simple as clearing the cache partition and eliminating the use of wallpapers on the device, besides disabling Transition effect.

To disable Transition effect, hold down on some blank space on the screen and choose Home Screen > Settings > Transition effect and then select None.

For beginners, here are the steps to clear the cache partition on your phone:

• Power off the Galaxy S4.
• Press and hold Home, Power and Volume Down buttons together until the device vibrates.
• Release the buttons soon after the Samsung logo appears on screen.
• Tap Volume Down repeatedly to bring up the Wipe Cache Partition option. To choose the option just tap the Power button and then hit Yes to confirm.
• Wait until the process completes as it could be a bit time-consuming.
• Reboot the Galaxy S4.

Turning off NFC is another quick-fix that you could try to reduce the lag and improve overall system performance.

Camera problems

Samsung's camera app has for long been reported for random crashes and launch failures, due to an inherent bug with the app.

• The issue is said to be due to the lag in the camera app, which can be easily fixed by disabling the picture stabilisation feature via the little gear icon that appears on screen after launching the camera app.
• Alternatively, try restarting the phone or resetting the camera settings to resolve this issue.
• As a quick-fix affected users may also try clearing the cache and data for the camera app via Settings > Application Manager > choose Force Stop, Clear Data and then Clear Cache.
• If all else fails, just clear the cache partition as described above.

Battery life problems

Abnormal battery drain is one of the most common problems faced by Android devices including the Galaxy S4, and here a few possible quick-fixes to resolve this issue.

Booting into safe mode and disabling the third-party apps one-by-one will allow users to isolate the offending app or the root cause of this issue.

For beginners, here is how to boot your device into Safe Mode:

• Turn on the device and then press and hold the Power button.
• Tap and hold the Power off button in the dialog box.
• Finally, hit OK in the ensuing dialog box to enter safe mode.

Note: Just a hard-reboot or restart could fix intermittent battery drain issues as it will clear the cache and kill off background services that could be hampering battery life.

It is known that disabling certain resource-hogging features such as NFC, Bluetooth, GPS and Air View could improve the overall battery life performance of the device.

App crashes

Those facing compatibility issues and application performance problems should first try updating the app as latest updates always feature bug-fixes over the previous release.

One can also try uninstalling the app or contacting the app developer for further technical assistance or a potential fix.

Wi-Fi issues

A number of Android devices have recently been affected by Wi-Fi issues and the Galaxy S4 seems no different.

If you are among the affected users, here are a few simple steps that you could try:

• Try resetting the device via Settings, and rebooting the router by disconnecting the router power cable for 30 seconds and then plugging it back on.
• Alternatively, you could try rebooting the modem as well as updating the router firmware.
• Try forcing the phone to forget the Wi-Fi network by going to Settings > Forget Network as this help resolving issues with a troublesome network.
• Besides, you can also try re-enabling data and Wi-Fi connectivity options by going to Settings > Power Saving Mode. An incorrect power-saving feature could trigger unwanted results including system instability.

Bluetooth connectivity issues

Bluetooth pairing issues can often be resolved by turning off and then turning it back on. To do so, go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle the service off and then back on again after some time.

If the issue persists, try forgetting the device's connection by navigating to Bluetooth > forget device option.

Those facing issues with the car's Bluetooth connection need to reset the connection as described in the car's manual and then try forgetting/reconnecting to the device.

As a final resort, try booting into Safe Mode that helps in disabling third-party apps and thereby isolate the root cause of the issue.

Another potential fix

If you tried all the above steps and still facing problems with the device, then you could do a simple Factory Reset.

• To do so, go to Settings > User and Backup > choose Backup and Reset. Then select Factory Data Reset > Reset Device and then Delete All.

Alternatively, you could do a Factory Reset via hardware keys as follows:

• Power off the Galaxy S4
• Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power buttons together until an Android icon appears on screen.
• Then tap Volume Down to highlight the Wipe Data/Factory Reset option and then hit the Power button to select it.
• Tap the Volume Down key to confirm the action of deleting user data or highlighting Yes and then hit the Power button to select the highlighted option.
• Now your Galaxy S4 will be completely erased and restored back to default factory settings or the original state it was in when you first purchased the device.

[Source: GottaBeMobile]