The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is the finest tablet on the market today. This Techspirited article looks at the common problems with the Note 3, and the simple fixes for them.
Make a note of that!
According to figures released by Samsung, the company sold more than 10 million Galaxy Note 3 devices within the first two months of its launch.
The undisputed champion of the mobile arena, Samsung has had a pretty run for quite a while now. Its phones have been extremely popular and sell like hotcakes around the world. While most of the Korean conglomerate’s phones target the masses, its Note series of phablets cater to a more niche class. The latest in this series, the Galaxy Note 3, is by far, the most premium device ever made by the company, and it also has a spec sheet that is extremely ‘noteworthy’.
The phone’s amazing stylus is what lends the Note 3 its true business-class functionality. The phablet is the current market leader in this segment and is miles ahead of the competition. This mighty phablet might have everything going for it, but alas, it too has its own share of problems to deal with. The good news, however, is that resolving these issues is no herculean task. Here’s a look the most common problems with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and their simple fixes.
My Note 3 heats up rather fast.
Probable cause: Software/hardware issues
Possible solution:
- Power off the device for a while and then power it back on.
- Check for a faulty SD card by using the phone without the card. If that solves the problem, you might want to get yourself another memory card.
- Reset the phone to factory settings. Follow this path Settings > General > Backup and reset > Factory data reset > Reset device > Delete all
- If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
A ‘Prevention information’ message pops up on my Note 3 quite often.
Probable cause: Software issues
Possible solution:
- Press and hold on the message. Select App info. From the Knox Notification Manager, ensure that Unknown sources is not selected by following this path Settings > General > Security
- Upgrade the device to the latest firmware. Follow this path Settings > About phone > Software update
- If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
My Note 3 randomly restarts.
Probable cause: Software issues
Possible solution:
- Power off the device, and remove the battery and the SD card. Put the battery back in after about 30 seconds and power on the device. Follow this path Settings > Wi-Fi > Menu > Advanced uncheck Always allow scanning. Power off the device, reinsert the SD card and power it back up.
- Back up the data on SD card onto the computer. Format the card on your phone by following this path Settings > Storage > Format SD card
Hard reset the phone by following these steps
- Power off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume up, Home, and Power keys.
- Release the Power key when the Galaxy Note 3 logo appears.
- When it says Android System Recovery on the screen, release the other buttons.
- Use the Volume down button to select wipe data/factory reset.
- Click on the Power button.
- Use the Volume down button to select delete all user data.
- Click on the Power button.
- Use the Volume down button to select reboot system now.
- Click on the Power button.
If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
My Note 3 does not detect my SIM card.
Probable cause: Software/hardware issues
Possible solution:
- Ensure that the SIM card is properly inserted. Gently clean the SIM card tray.
- Look for an app called Region Lock Away on the Internet, and run it on the device.
- If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
An error message, ‘Index Service has stopped’ shows up on my Note 3.
Probable cause: Software issues
Possible solution:
- Backup all the data from the SD card on to a computer. Format the card on your phone by following this path Settings > Storage > Format SD card
- Transfer the data back on to the SD card. Do not copy any data that comes up as incompatible with the device.
- If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
My Note 3 has problems connecting to the Wi-Fi.
Probable cause: Software/hardware issues
Possible solution:
- Turn off Mobile data from the drop-down notification bar.
- Switch off the phablet and the router for about 30 seconds before powering them back on.
- Follow this path Settings > Wi-Fi > Menu > Advanced uncheck Auto network switch
- Upgrade the device to the latest firmware. Follow this path Settings > About phone > Software update
- Upgrade to the latest firmware for the router.
- If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
My Note 3 does not support my S-View cover any more.
Probable cause: Software issues
Possible solution:
- Upgrade the device to the latest firmware. Follow this path Settings > About phone > Software update
- If the problem persists, contact Samsung’s service center.
My Note 3 displays the ‘Out of Memory’ error.
Probable cause: Low memory on phone
Possible solution:
- Check the memory on the device by following this path
- Press and hold Home key to open recent app list.
- Select Task manager
- Select Storage > System Storage
- (The information is displayed in ‘Used/Total’ format)
If the used space is close to the total space, move some applications to the memory card. Settings > More > Application manager
Select and move the apps individually (only apps that can be moved to SD card would have the option highlighted). - Reset the phone to factory settings. Follow this path Settings > General > Backup and reset > Factory data reset > Reset device > Delete all
- Upgrade the device to the latest firmware. Follow this path Settings > About phone > Software update
My Note 3 does not play Divx/AC3 files.
Probable cause: Incompatible file format
Possible solution:
- The default media player on the Note 3 does not support Divx and AC3 file formats. Download and install a player from Google Play that supports these file formats.
With these simple fixes, you would be able to make the most of what is perhaps one of the most powerful phablets around. The world now awaits the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The new phablet is expected to take the legacy of the Note 3 even further. In the meanwhile, enjoy the bug-free ride on your Note 3. Cheers.