How to Fix Most Common Issues on OnePlus One

OnePlus One is clearly among the most popular budget smartphones with high-end specs that rival expensive Android flagships, although it is not free from inherent issues like fast battery drain, random reboots and charger overheating problems.

IBTimes UK explores the potential solutions to fix each of these problems and a few more, over the course of this article.

Random Reboots

A few OnePlus One users have reportedly complained about their device occasionally shutting off and rebooting unexpectedly for no obvious reason.

Here are a few simple steps to overcome the problem:

Try turning off Wi-Fi and check if the issue is resolved as several reports suggest intermittent rebooting issues while Wi-Fi is active on the handset.
Try changing the theme which you are currently using.
Uninstall applications (apps) one by one to verify if the issue is due to some corrupted data within an app.
Do a factory reset and reinstall apps one by one to isolate the root cause of the problem. Check which app actually triggers this issue and try installing latest updates for that particular app or uninstall it and wait for a new update to arrive (if the issue persists).

Charger Overheating Problem

Some users are reportedly facing extreme heat issues while charging their OnePlus One using the phone charger. If you are among those affected then you could troubleshoot this issue with simple steps:

The handset is known to get extremely hot while charging if your phone's battery level is below 40%. So, it is advisable to charge your phone regularly in order to prevent the battery charge from going below 40%.
Ensure both ends of the USB are connected properly while charging as loose ends could discharge the handset in no time.
Make sure you are using the original handset charging cable to avoid incompatibility and power efficiency issues that could lead to potential battery drain.
Use a different wall socket for charging and check if the problem gets replicated. Alternatively, connect the phone to the USB port on your computer and check if the overheating problem exists while charging the phone.

Reduced Battery-life Issue

Despite its large 3,100 mAh battery, the OnePlus One is reportedly affected with reduced battery-life issue and if you are facing a similar problem then you could try a few simple tweaks to correct the issue.

Reduce the battery power consumption by limiting the use of backlight. To do so, pull down the display sleep time to around thirty-seconds via Settings > Display and Lights > Sleep.
Try building a custom profile preset with apps built into latest CyanogenMod ROM, wherein you can disable various features from the power menu such as Bluetooth, data sync, Wi-Fi and other battery-hogging apps, when the battery is low.
Check which apps are draining the battery most by navigating to Settings > Battery and then 'force stop' those consuming more power.
Enable power saver mode on your handset by navigating to Settings > performance > Profile

Yellow Tint on Display

The older batch of OnePlus One phones are reportedly affected with a yellow tint seen at the bottom of their screen like a gradient. However, some users have also complained about the issue persisting with newer devices.

Here are a few steps to help resolve this issue:

Those running the oldest Cyanogen update can tweak the hues setting on their phone to get rid of the Yellow tint. Go to Settings > Display > Screen Colour > Custom > Hue and switch to different shades on a trial basis.
Alternatively, it is believed that the yellow tint can be removed over time by exposing the handset to UV light. Exercise caution to avoid exposing the phone to too much of heat as this could damage the device.
As a last resort, you may want to return the phone and get a replacement from the company. Though this issue may be covered under warranty for manufacturing defects, some users have reported that the company is refusing handset returns for displays with a yellow tint.

Various Touchscreen Problems

Several OnePlus One users have reportedly complained about inconsistency issues with registering touch inputs on the screen such as not registering touches, not recognising double taps or registering incorrect touches that haven't been made.

Here are a few potential solutions:

Turn off the phone and switch it on again. Then perform a manual soft reboot (scroll down to see complete procedure).
Try changing the current theme on the phone and check if issue goes away.
Turn off adaptive backlight feature from display settings
Try installing the latest update from the handset maker which addresses several of these issues including multi-touch and general touchscreen responsiveness.

Issue with Activating GPS Locks

Some users are reportedly affected with activating issues with GPS locking mechanism especially while using GPS navigation, regardless of the app being used, in different places, or at different times.

Here is what you do:

Restart or reboot the device which may temporarily fix the issue.
Ensure location services is enabled on your handset, while also allowing Google apps to access your current location in the settings.
Verify that your phone is connected to a mobile network via Wi-Fi.
Whenever you use the navigation software, turn off GPS signal via settings app, wait for a second, and then turn it back on again. This will reboot the device and boost the signal strength for a solid connection, unless you start running another app alongside it.
Alternatively, try downloading a faster GPS app via Google Play Store.

General Troubleshooting

If none of the above steps help in resolving the issue, you may try either a soft reset or a hard reset as follows:

Soft Reset