cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
Budigan31
Enthusiast - Level 2

My Galaxy S6 keeps freezing and becomes unresponsive, even when I go to the reboot screen and try to restart or power off.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
Budigan31
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks for all of the useful info, but I finally was able to wipe the phone and apps completely and reset to the original defaults.  The battery kept dying or the phone would freeze the first dozen or so times that I attempted this, but now seems to be working.

It will probably take me a month to get the phone working at the level it was for me with apps, email accounts, settings, etc. - but at least now I can call and text.

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
kathy65793
Master - Level 1

How old is the battery and is it charging ok ?

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Have you tried a system cache clear?

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
ElementalRift
Enthusiast - Level 3

Whenever it freezes, and you can't power it off or on, hold the power button for 20 seconds to force a power down. It will reboot afterwards. When it is not frozen, hold the power button untill you see the power options, press and hold the restart option untill it prompts you to reboot is safe mode. Confirm and click restart. When in safe mode, any external apps installed on the device are disabled and cannot modify system settings or storage untill the device is restarted, leaving safe mode. Play around with your phone while in safe mode and see if you still experience the issue. If you do not, then there is a likely chance that an app you installed is causing the issue, so read past this.

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If the issue remains, ensure it is up to date in settings by finding about phone, then selecting Software Updates, and selecting look for updates.

If there are no updates available, back up your photos and videos to either the Verizon Cloud App, or to the Google Photos app. (Google's Photos app is unlimited free cloud storage for pics and videos only.) Then back up any documents or external files to either your micro SD card if you have one, or to Google Drive. (Will allow you 15gb of free online storage for all file types except .Jar files.) Once that's done, go to Settings, select Backup and reset, and make sure that backup is enabled for each account listed here. Then, make sure you know your Gmail Username and password. Back up any other odds and ends, then go to settings, select Accounts, and write down each account you have. Then remove each account. (Apps and certain Android files are retained on the device even after a factory reset, if a primary account is signed into the device. You would also do this if you intended to sell your phone.) Then go back to Back up and Reset, select Factory Reset, (or something similar) and finish that process. Resign in to your accounts when it boots back up. And skip most of the setup. Only sign in to your Gmail. Use your phone for a bit. If you no longer experience the issue, begin to restore all of your backed up content via each app and method used. Enjoy!

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If the issue is an app, this becomes a little trickier,

Begin by uninstalling any anti malware, anti virus, and file management/ cleaning app you have installed. The Myverizon app, and Lookout for Android are safe and can be kept.

Restart the phone, it should now be out of safe mode, and mess with your phone, if the problem is gone, yay, a good app to clean up your phone and manage Android efficiency, is Purify, by General Smart Development Limited. It work excellent on rooted phones, but is equally usefully for the average user. (Don't root your phone please.)

If the problem continues, you will need to write down a list of all installed apps you have. Then begin the weary process of testing each app, the best way to go through this trial and error cycle, is to uninstall all apps, and re install them one at a time, in order of need and importance to you, and attempting to re-create the issue, if nothing seems wrong, install the next app on your list, rinse, wash, repeat. If you find the app that causes this issue, still check all your remaining apps in this fashion to be safe.

Once you have isolated the app(s) causing the issue, go to each apps place on the play store, and at the bottom, select contact developer, send them an email about what's going on with the app. And look for temporary alternative's. A good template would be:

Subject: Possible Device Specific issues with (App Name)

Dear developer,

I recently was experiencing an issue with my (Make and Model of your Phone). I have carefully tested each app to figure out what was creating the problem, and believe your app was causing it.

(Describe what would happen and when it seemed to happen, such as right after receiving a notification from that app, closing the app, or restarting your phone for example, use detail.)

Appreciated.

If the developer responds for more information, please provide what you can to aid them in fixing the problem. Of course, never give login credentials for anything, or install apps that grant them access to the phone. All developers have the ability to pull error and crash logs and statistics gathered by Google for their app. If they want your email that you are signed in with, that is safe, it can be used to search the Dev Console for logs associated with your instance of the installed app.

If all else fails, check that your either within your one year manufacturer warranty, or if you pay for TMP or an extended warranty. Cal Verizon customer care at 1-800-922-0204, allow them to take you through further troubleshooting steps, then request to speak with our Tier 2 or Technical Support department. They can issue a warranty replacement for free. You will need to return your old device, via the shipping label that comes with the replacement phone. NOTE If your phone needs to be in like new working and cosmetic condition when it is received by our center in Texas. Other then the defective issue obviously. If there are cracks, large scrapes, water damage, or software modification, you are extremely likely to be charged a device damage fee which appears on your next bill. So be careful, but if your phone does have anything as stated, don't try to send it in anyways, look for other replacement options. Discuss an insurance replacement or even an upgrade, with Customer Care.

Best regards, I hope everything works out.

Bye.  

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
Budigan31
Enthusiast - Level 2

The phone and battery are just over one year old.  Charging seems to be a problem only because the phone freezes and then takes a lot of battery life to get it going again.

I finally wiped the phone completely and am starting over.

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
Budigan31
Enthusiast - Level 2

Not sure how to do that, but I finally wiped the phone back to the original reset and it did not freeze after dozens of attempts.

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Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
Budigan31
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks for all of the useful info, but I finally was able to wipe the phone and apps completely and reset to the original defaults.  The battery kept dying or the phone would freeze the first dozen or so times that I attempted this, but now seems to be working.

It will probably take me a month to get the phone working at the level it was for me with apps, email accounts, settings, etc. - but at least now I can call and text.

Re: cannot reboot Galaxy S6 or turn off - keeps freezing - can anyone help?
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader
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