Why the phone hangs and how to fix it?

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2020-07-19
Abraham Miller

Smartphones are capable of doing so much that we use them for most of our daily tasks but just like humans, there’s a limit to what we can do before the breakdown. When a phone hangs, this is the one that has most likely been used past it’s limit. Your device’s ram, storage space and how you use it all influence the smooth processing of tasks.

Also referred to as phone freezing or phone crash, the phone hanging problem is a common one among the smartphones. The phone hanging can be caused by various reasons ranging from software to hardware faults. In this post, we will discuss ‘Why your phone keeps hanging up’ and solutions you can apply to fix it.

phone keeps hanging up

WHY YOUR PHONE HANGS

 

Low ram

A phone with a low ram capacity is only able to run a number of apps at the same time. Using several apps on a low ram phone usually causes the phone to hang so often, especially when you’ve been using it for a long time.

Low storage

 Smartphones have limited storage capacity and there’s just so much you can have on your device before it gets filled up. Data like Videos, Games and Photos take up a lot of space on our phones and sufficient storage space is required for your smartphone to process tasks uninterrupted. Using up over 80% of your device’s storage will most likely result in your mobile phone hanging or freezing.

Malware apps

Mobile apps that are downloaded from risky sites or sources that are not trustworthy usually contain virus (malware) that is harmful to your phone. These viruses interfere with your phone’s background processes and eventually causes your phone to hang up .

Overheating

continuous use of your phone while it is heating up causes your phone to hang and sometimes restart. A smartphone’s heat should normally be between 35 - 38 celcius, anything higher is abnormal and will lead to cell phone hang problem.

Obsolete Software

Outdated software versions can also cause your phone to hang. System softwares are regularly updated to fix bugs that may hinder your phone from operating optimally.

There are various factors that can cause your phone to hang and with most of them being software related. The tips given below can be used to solve your phone hanging problems whether it’s caused by inadequate memory or malware apps.

TIPS TO FIX HANGING PHONE

Clear recent data

Several apps on your phone stores pieces of data while you use them and over time it clogs your phone’s ram which causes your phone to hang. To Clear these recent data; Go to SETTINGS >>> APPS >>> SELECT A FREQUENTLY USED APP (e.g. Browser) >>> STORAGE >>> CLEAR DATA. Apply this process to other apps that you use frequently to free up your phone’s memory and reduce hanging.

Uninstall suspicious apps

Applications that are not downloaded from your phone’s default app store commonly contain viruses that affects your device’s performance. Uninstall these apps and restrain from downloading softwares from unreliable sources to avoid malware that affect the performance of your phone.

Use Antivirus

Viruses can be very persistent and sometimes require Antivirus software to get rid of them. Go to your phone’s App store, type ‘antivirus’ in the search bar and download your preferred antivirus app. Launch the app and scan your files to get rid of any virus that may cause your phone to hang.

Avoid heavy games/videos and using for long periods

 Playing games of large sizes take up a huge space on your phone’s ram while it is running and doing this for long periods of time stretches your phone’s capabilities which results in hanging. Avoid these games on phones with small rams and if you have to, do not play for a long period of time.

Download & install latest software

 Your phone’s software and other apps release updated versions regularly and these updates usually contain bug fixes that may solve any abnormality you’re experiencing with your phone or particular apps. It is recommended that you download and install system updates for your phone to fix any phone hangingor freezing problems associated with the previous software version.

Delete Irrelevant files

 keeping irrelevant files and apps take up storage space on your phone and your phone needs sufficient storage to run smoothly. Delete heavy videos or games on your phone to free up space and allow your phone run seamlessly.

Get external memory

If your phone’s storage is not large enough to contain the files you need, you will most likely have to be deleting files regularly to keep your phone from hanging. To keep all your important files and still have your device running smoothly, get a SD card that can contain all the files you need.

Reset factory settings

If all the above tips do not work, it is advised that you reset your phone’s software. Also known as Factory reset, this fix will give your phone’s software a fresh start but ensure you backed up your data so you don’t lose any important information.

Smartphones with more impressive specs are less likely to hang compared to budget devices with lesser specs. Whichever phone you’re using, the tips above should fix your phone hanging problem.

Note: Please note factory reset will delete all the exisisting files on your phone so you must make a backup of files firstly before doing so.

Where to fix your phone with hanging problems

If after applying all these tips your phone is still hanging, then it must be caused by an hardware issue. In cases like this, it is advised that you take your phone to a reliable phone repair provider.

Carlcare - Itel, Infinix and TECNO’s authorized after sales service provider is reliable and well equipped to fix any fault you might be experiencing with your phone hanging or freezing issues. If you’ve tried all the tips given above to fix your hanging phone and they didn’t work, take your phone to any Carlcare service center near you to get it fixed.