Many different problems from various owners of Samsung Galaxy S4 handset are populating relevant sites and forums over the Internet nowadays. While these forum posts also have obtained many different responses, solutions and/or recommendations, finding the one that addresses your specific concerns requires more search time and effort.
To assist you better, we dedicated one mailbox to contain emails sent to us by our readers, who are likewise having certain issues on their Android devices including Samsung Galaxy S4. From there, I picked the most common problems, and then sort these emails by carrier/device. I believe that by offering device-specific solutions for each user-relayed problem would also help our readers easily find which article to browse and which content to read on from this website.
This article will address ten of the most common problems encountered by owners of Sprint Samsung Galaxy S4 handset. Recommended solutions, workarounds and troubleshooting guides are also elaborated. Read on if you are among those owners, who are having some questions on and/or problems with the device.
If you have concerns about your phone, email us at mailbag@thedroidguy.com. You may also post your problems on our Facebook or Google+ pages.
1: Cannot Change Ringtone/Notification tone on Sprint Galaxy S4
“Hi, Droid Guy! I’m with Sprint by the way, and I’m sending you this email, hoping I could get solutions and/or recommendations from you about a problem I have with my Galaxy S4. I’m wondering why I can no longer change the ringtone or notification tone on my device. Every time I tried to, it prompts me with the new selection but then again, it would still use the old tone. I started to have this problem since the most recent update on my device. I would appreciate any help from you. Thanks in advance!” — Joyce
Solution: Joyce, it’s very possible that some data were corrupted during or after the firmware update from Android 4.3 to 4.4. Before jumping to any troubleshooting methods, I suggest clearing cache partition on your device first.
Clearing cache partition will force the device to obliterate all existing or cached information from the phone system and replace them with a new set of app data, afterward.
Here’s how to do it:
Boot the phone to recovery mode.
Once inside the recovery mode, find and select the option that says ‘wipe cache partition’ to initiate clearing cache partition on your device.
Wait until the wipe cache partition process is completed, and then reboot the phone.
Attempt to change/set new ringtone or notification tone.
If problem persists, then you may have to consider doing a factory reset on your device. You have to remember though that a factory reset will delete/erase all personalized (customized) information from your device.
For this reason, I strongly recommend backing up all your important files to another device before you instigate a factory data reset on your Galaxy S4. Just restore your backup files once the entire factory reset is done.
So far, I see these two procedures are the most logical methods to fix your problem, considering the fact that it started after an update was made to your phone.
2: Ads keep showing up on Sprint Galaxy S4
“I’m having this annoying problem with my Galaxy S4 for several days now. I don’t have any idea how to get rid of these ads that randomly show up on my phone. Just so you know this problem has started when my phone received an update. I’m currently in contract with Sprint. Need your help, please. Thanks.” — Angel
Solution: Hi, Angel! It seems to me that you might have installed some “spammy” apps on your phone. Usually, some random apps are doing this. Please try to remember if you did happen to download or install any third-party app on your device.
If so, then I recommend scouring of all your recently downloaded apps permissions and see which apps allow writing over the top of other apps. Since you’ve said these are pop-ups, those permissions need to do what they do. Hence, my final suggestion is to delete or uninstall these apps, otherwise, pay for the free version of these ads.
In case you could not find any suspected apps on your phone’s system and the ads still pop up randomly, I suggest you to backup all your files and perform a factory reset, instead.
Factory data reset have been known to resolved different issues on the GS4 handset, including a complete deletion of “spammy” services running on the device.
Since factory data reset will erase all personalized information from the device, this should always be considered your last option.
To avoid having the same problem in the future, it is highly cited to download and install apps from reputable sources/developers only.
3: Cannot Update Sprint Galaxy S4 to Android 4.3 OTA
“I cannot update my Sprint S4 to Android 4.3 using a USB cable, over the air, and even with Samsung Kies. Actually when I try using it with KIES, it will not connect. I kept getting an error prompt that says, “please connect a device.” I’m sure the USB cable is plugged in though. I don’t know why it won’t the update won’t go through. Please, I need your help.” — Troy
Solution: Kindly verify if all necessary USB drivers for your computer are present or installed, including the Samsung Kies. If both the Samsung KIES and your computer cannot recognize/detect your phone, then it is very possible that a problem exists on the USB device. If only the computer detects or recognizes your phone, then I recommend using KIES connection troubleshooter. Othe option you can try on is to uninstall and re-install Samsung KIES and use a different USB port and/or USB cord, if available.
By the way Troy, you will know if your computer recognizes your phone when you see an external drive under My Computer after you connect both devices.
4: Sprint Galaxy S4 screen remains idle after charging
“Hi, I have an S4 from Sprint and got this problem in the past few months. My phone won’t wake up after a long period of inactivity or from charging and I don’t know what’s causing it. While the screen remains black, I still could perceive a quick flicker and I know the phone is still functioning. After several attempts to resolve the problem in my own, I’ve figured out pressing the power button and continuous swipes let the phone finally came on. Any idea what’s going on with my phone? My friends are telling me to get an iPhone instead. I haven’t yet coz I still prefer the Galaxy S4.” — Robert
Solution: I am really sure of what’s causing you to have this problem, Robert. Although I happened to read on the same problem from a forum post and from there I’ve found out the problem was resolved by disabling the power saving mode as well as the smart rotation feature of the S4. However, doing so will cause the phone’s battery to drain fast, given the Power Saving Mode is off.
Please try and see if that works for you too. If its’ not, then let us know ASAP so we can do further researches on the problem you have with your S4 handset and get back to you with more workarounds afterward. Good luck!
5: Unable to move apps from Sprint Galaxy S4 to SD card
Good day Sir! I’m a Sprint customer owning a Galaxy S4 that runs on Android 4.3 — no roots. I’ve been searching for help over the Internet regarding the problem I have with my device and yet found no luck. I am hopeful though that you will be able to help me resolve this problem I have with my device.
Actually, I am not sure if it’s really the S4 that’s having an issue here. Every attempt I made always prompted me that apps are moved however my phone memory remains low. I am currently using a 64GB Sandisk UHS-1 card. Another problem I have is that I am unable to format that card on my phone. Every time I tried to do so, the phone will reboot. I need your help. — Robert
Solution: Hi there Robert. Let me get this straight. By the time you said your phone prompted that ‘the apps are moved’ to the SD card, I can tell that the app transfer was really successful or at least data of those applications are saved into the SD card instead of being in the internal storage. One way to know if that the apps transfer really did go through is by looking on the Application Manager. Once you are in there and you’ll see the enabled button says ‘Move to Phone’ instead of ‘Move to SD card’ then it implies that the applications have already been moved to the external storage.
As for the issue on your phone’s memory that remains low after the transfer, there is a big possibility that a huge portion of the remaining memory space on your phone is occupied with some other files or third-party apps. In this case, I suggest clearing of third-party apps’ cache and data. After you clear cache data and the phone still shows low memory space, then I recommend you do a factory reset on your handset to remove all unnecessary files or data stored in the phone’s built-in storage.
With regards to the formatting issue you have, if you are unable to format the SD card on your handset, then remove it from the phone and try to format it on your computer. This way you can also verify if the SD card is still properly functioning or not. Hope this helps.
6. Galaxy S4 Cannot Pick Up Cellular Data Connection Automatically
Hi Droid Guy. I need your help on the problem I have with my S4 handset on Android 4.3, which I also have with Sprint. I am wondering why my phone won’t be able to auto pick up cellular data connection every time I’m out from a weak data and cellular connection spot. I can see the cellular will auto reconnect but the data will not. The WiFi is OFF. I would appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks in advance! — Cindy
Solution: Hi Cindy! I understand that you are having problem auto-connecting to cellular data with your Galaxy S4 device however you haven’t mentioned when did you start to encounter this problem. But anyway, if this problem happens ever since you got your phone from Sprint, then it is very possible that certain problem on the phone’s auto-detecting mobile data function already exists. But if the problem happens just recently or occurs randomly, then it could possibly due to some network issues.
In this case, I first suggest you to contact you service provider and verify if there is an ongoing network problem that could possibly affect your cellular data connection. However, if the phone is unable or refuses to detect mobile network, I recommend doing a soft reset on your phone. Here’s how to perform a soft reset:
Remove the battery with the phone turned on.
Wait until 30 seconds or 1 minute and then turn it back on.
Allow your phone to search for an available network.
I understand that when the mobile data function is turned on, the phone will automatically search for any available networks and automatically connects. But there are also times when the phone is unable to do so.
I also suggest updating of your data network profile. But then again, you may need to call Sprint and ask further assistance in setting up or updating your data network profile then.
7: Lost Songs in Galaxy S4 Music Player
Good day sir! I have an S4 from Sprint and I need your help solving a couple of similar things I’ve been quite annoyed with on my device. I don’t know why but I kept losing songs in the music player. When I will put around 200 songs in the Favorites playlist, it will eventually drop to the most recent 30 songs. Sometimes it would duplicate and doesn’t come back at all.
I am also having problems with the notification tone. Every time I set a notification tone for a text, it won’t make a sound when I receive a text after a reboot. This made me think of maybe if I move the sound file to the internal storage, but I’m sure this shouldn’t be a problem. Any idea on how to get this fixed? — Sylvia
Solution: Hi Sylvia! I’m wondering if you already have updated your phone to Android 4.3 because the problem you have about the lost songs in the music player playlist so as with the notification tone for text have already been addressed when the 4.3 OS update. In this regard, I strongly recommend you go for an upgrade first, so as to get these problem solved.
But if in case after the update the problem persists, I suggest clearing of the cache and data of the stock music player on your phone.
Important note: While this method solves the same problem with yours most of the time, you will need to add songs manually in to your playlist afterward. If problem continues even after clearing cache and data on your phone’s music player, then I recommend you to use a different music player instead.
8: S4 Battery temperature too low
Hi Droid guy, I got a very weird problem related to charging. Recently, I can no longer charge my phone because every time I plug the charger in, an error message pops up. It says that battery temperature is too low? How can I fix this problem? Is it a common issue in Galaxy S4? By the way, I’m on Sprint, if that matters. – Melanie
Solution: It’s not a common issue, Melanie. In fact, I only know a couple of people who have encountered this problem. One of them exactly has the same problem as yours while the other was getting the opposite: battery temperature was too high.
Too high or too low, they’re the same and there’s only one cause; the thermistor was damaged. Complicated as it may seem but there are actually two ways you can address this issue. First, you can purchase the USB charging board online for less than $10 and have a technician replace the component for you. Second, you can buy an external battery charger and every time you charge, you turn your phone off and get the battery out; this is, however, just a band aid solution.
9: Phone connects to Wi-Fi automatically
Hi guys, I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 and am subscribed to Sprint’s unlimited data plan. However, my phone keeps connecting to Wi-Fi without my knowledge and I don’t want that. How can I fix this problem? — Michael
Solution: There’s a setting for that Mike. You just have to go to Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the Menu key > Settings > choose Advanced > turn off Auto network switch. By doing this, your phone will locked on mobile data connection. It will not auto-connect to any Wi-Fi network even if it’s a known access point.
10. Google Voice icon gone from my S4 handset
Hello, I’m physically-challenged and I often use Google Voice so I can send messages by dictating the words. However, I noticed that the Google Voice icon on the left side of the spacebar is gone. I don’t know how to bring it back. Can you help me, please? – Roland
Solution: Roland, please follow the steps below to bring back Google Voice icon on your keyboard:
From the Home screen, tap the Menu key.
Choose Settings.
Tap on My device tab.
Scroll down a bit to Language and input and tap on it.
Look for Google voice typing. There’s a checkbox beside it, make sure that is checked.
The Microphone icon (Google Voice) should now be displayed on the keyboard.
That should work.
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