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8 Common Galaxy S4 Lollipop Problems & How to Fix Them

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 5.0 Lollipop update brings some huge changes to owners of the former flagship smartphone. The update’s also unfortunately brought some features that aren’t listed on the change log: Samsung Galaxy S4 Lollipop problems. With Galaxy S4 Android 5.0 problems mounting, we want to take a look at some potential fixes for these issues.

In December, Samsung started rolling out the Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update. In the weeks since the initial Galaxy S5 Lollipop roll out, Samsung’s started rolling out several new Galaxy Lollipop updates including the Galaxy S4 Lollipop update which represents the device’s third major update and perhaps, its last. The device is now two years old and support could stop at any time.

The Galaxy S4 Lollipop update, like the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update, brings a ton of big time features to its users. And while the Galaxy S4 Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade is working out fine for some users, we’ve also started to hear about Samsung Galaxy S4 Lollipop problems. The update isn’t widespread which means that these complaints are still fairly muted but as the release picks up, we’ll almost certainly see complaints grow louder.

We’ve spoken to some Galaxy S4 owners who are running into Android 5.0 Lollipop problems after moving to Samsung’s latest update. We’ve pointed out a number of these Galaxy S4 Lollipop issues already though the list continues to grow. The problems have apparently gotten so bad that Samsung’s been forced to halt at least one Galaxy S4 Lollipop update.

With that in mind, we take a look at some of the Galaxy S4 Lollipop problems that have popped up for users in recent weeks and offer some possible fixes for these issues. These will help those who are currently experiencing Galaxy S4 Lollipop problems and it will be a great resource for those are getting Android 5.0 Lollipop in the future.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Installation Problems

One problem that some Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners keep running into is during the installation. Android 5.0 Lollipop, for whatever reason, hangs up during the installation process for some users. Fortunately, there are some ways to get the Samsung Galaxy S4 Lollipop update moving if it decides to stop dead in its tracks.

Samsung itself outlines a number of steps to take if the download process is unable to complete. Here are the steps that Samsung recommends if Android 5.0 Lollipop doesn’t install properly the first time around.

Galaxy S4 users that have enough storage available will want to ensure that the device is charged up to at least 50% before the download and installation process begins. If that still doesn’t work, try downloading and installing over a fast Wi-Fi connection. If there are still issues after that, let the phone die, recharge to 100% and try installing again.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Battery Life Problems

Lollipop battery life problems have been plaguing Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 users so it’s no surprise that Galaxy S4 users are complaining about abnormal battery drain after getting Samsung’s new Android 5.0 Lollipop update on board. While there is no guaranteed fix for these issues, there are certainly a few things to try before taking the phone into a store or smashing it and its battery against a wall.

In our experience, third-party apps are the cause of most post-release Android battery life problems. Apps are the first place we would look if the Samsung Galaxy S4 starts exhibiting bad battery life after the move to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

galaxy-s4-samsung

First, we recommend booting into Safe Mode. Booting the Galaxy S4 into Safe Mode will disable third-party applications which will allow users to identify potential culprits. Isolating applications will take a lot of time (you’ll need to do some uninstalling) but it’s worth a shot if the Galaxy S4 battery life takes a hit after moving to Android 5.0.

Here’s how to boot the Galaxy S4 into Safe Mode:

  1. Power down the device. Then, press & hold the Power button and volume down key.
  2. Once it boots up, you can let go of the power button but keep the volume key held down.
  3. When you have successfully entered into Safe Mode, you will notice the text ‘Safe Mode’ at the bottom left corner of the screen.

We recommend keeping the Galaxy S4’s applications updated with the latest bug fixes and enhancements. Make sure to gather feedback from fellow users before doing so. This could help to prevent problems.

It’s also worth restarting the Galaxy S4 to see if that gets rid of the battery drain. This quick reboot will clear the cache and kill off services that might be eating away at the battery.

Users might also try disabling NFC and Bluetooth when they aren’t in use. We recommend flipping the Galaxy S4 into Airplane Mode when in a weak signal area. The device will try hard to connect to a signal and that extra effort could zap battery life. We also suggest getting rid of live wallpapers. Live wallpapers have the potential to chew through battery in the background. Galaxy S4 users might also want to try a plain black background.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Wi-Fi Problems

Complaints about Wi-Fi connectivity after a major Android update are common. And while we haven’t seen widespread complaints about Galaxy S4 Wi-Fi issues, there’s a very good chance some users will run into problems down the road. Typically, problems range from slow connections to lost connectivity when the device is in a strong signal area.

Galaxy S4 users experiencing Wi-Fi connectivity issues will first want to reboot the phone to see if that helps. If it doesn’t, users will also want to try rebooting the local router if that hasn’t been done in awhile. We recommend unplugging the router for a good 30 seconds and then plugging it back in. Users can do the same for the modem as well.

If that doesn’t work, Galaxy S4 owners experiencing Wi-Fi problems might also consider updating the routers firmware. Instructions are going to vary based on make and model. If those simple fixes do not work, it’s now time to head into the device’s settings.

Samsung-Galaxy-S4-Micro-SD-Card-Worthless

First, try forcing the Galaxy S4 to forget the Wi-Fi network that’s posing problems. Head to the desired connection in Settings and select the Forget Network option. Once that’s done, users will then need to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network with the password.

It’s also worth going into Power Saving Mode to see if Wi-Fi restrictions are in place. To access Power Saving Mode, head into Settings and then into the Power Saving Mode option. This is a known fix for Wi-Fi issues.

If none of those fixes dislodge the Galaxy S4 Lollipop Wi-Fi problems, we recommend updating applications. If that doesn’t work, users can also try booting into safe mode to see if apps are really the issue. If apps aren’t causing the problem then it’s probably worth trying another router to see if the problem is unrelated to Android 5.0 Lollipop. It might be.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Bluetooth Problems

Bluetooth issues are another common problem for smartphone users including owners of Galaxy smartphones. Luckily, there are a few fixes to try if Bluetooth problems emerge after Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Samsung Galaxy S4 users that encounter Bluetooth problems should try shifting Bluetooth on and off. To do this, head into Settings and then Bluetooth and toggle the service off and then back on again after a few moments. If that doesn’t fix the problem, it’s time to forget Bluetooth connections. Head into Bluetooth and forget the problem device or devices. Then, reconnect.

Galaxy S4 users trying to connect to Bluetooth in a car will need to consult the car’s manual to reset the car’s Bluetooth.The process is going to be different for each make and model, that’s why we recommend consulting the manual. Once that connection has been reset and the connection’s been forgotten on the Galaxy S4, try reconnecting to see if it works.

If none of that works, we also recommend booting into Safe Mode (the instructions can be found above) which will disable third-party applications. This will allow users to check and see if apps are causing the Wi-Fi problems. They might be.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Overheating Problems

Galaxy S4 users, like Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 owners, are saying that the Galaxy S4 is getting hot for no apparent reason. This is another common Galaxy smartphone problem that’s been around for a long time so it’s not surprising to see complaints after Lollipop’s arrival.

Samsung Galaxy S4 OtterBox Defender Review -  - 122

Lollipop users should first try restarting the Galaxy S4. Leave it off for a minute or so and then boot it back up. If that doesn’t work, power it down again and this time, remove the battery and microSD card from the microSD card slot if there is one. Pop the battery back in without the microSD card in and see if that works. This has worked for us in the past.

If none of that works, we suggest booting into Safe Mode to see if it’s an app that’s causing problems. A rogue app could be overworking itself so it’s important to check to see if that’s what might be occurring.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Performance Problems

Galaxy S4 users are also complaining about a drop in performance. We’ve seen similar complaints from Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note 3 users. his is common after a major Android update and over the years we’ve picked up on a few potential fixes that seem to work.

Users experiencing abnormal lag or sluggishness will be happy to know that there are an array of fixes to try and help stabilize the performance of Android. The first potential fix that we recommend is a process that will clear the Galaxy S4’s cache partition. To clear the cache partition on the device, follow these steps:

  • Turn the Galaxy S4 off.
  • Press and hold Home, Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously until the device vibrates.
  • When the Samsung logo appears, release them.
  • Tap Volume Down repeatedly until you Wipe Cache Partition. Select it with the power button. Select Yes.
  • Wait for the process to complete. It could take awhile.
  • Reboot your Galaxy S4.

We also recommend halting the use of live wallpapers, they can negatively impact performance. Users can also try toggling NFC off when it’s not in use because this could provide gains in performance.

Galaxy S4 users can also try turning off animations if performance really starts taking a tumble. To do this, hold down on a blank space on the screen, go to the Home Screen Settings then Transition effect and select None. Users can also try disabling some applications through Application Manager in device settings.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop App Problems

Samsung notes that app issues are extremely common after big releases like Lollipop and we’ve seen some users complain about problems with apps. Samsung Galaxy S4 users experiencing issues with applications can try a few things to jumpstart performance. First, try updating the problem app. There’s a good chance that the developer’s rolled out a bug fix so users be wise to give this step a shot before doing anything else.

Samsung Galaxy S4 wireless charger review - 2

If that doesn’t work, try reinstalling the application. We’ve seen success with this method several times in the past and it could resolve issues with app performance after Lollipop. If the problems continue, reach out to the developer and alert them to the problem. This will help them identify the problem and potentially fix it in a later update. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Touch More options
  2. Touch My apps > All
  3. Touch the application with the issues
  4. Scroll down to Developer
  5. Touch Send email to report the issue with the application developers

How to Fix Galaxy S4 Lollipop Problems If Nothing Else Works

If nothing here works, it’s probably time to revert back to Android 4.4 KitKat. Or if that doesn’t sound appealing, factory reset the device.

Those looking to factory reset should note that it’s a time consuming process and Galaxy S4 users will need to ensure that key files are backed up before starting. This process erases the entire phone and brings it back to the state that it was in when it first came out of the box.

To do this, go into SettingsUser & Backup, and select Backup and Reset. From there, select Factory Data Reset. From there, select Reset Device and then Delete All.

If for whatever reason that doesn’t work, users can also factory reset using the hardware keys on the phone. Here’s how to do that. It’s a far more difficult process. We recommend the above route if possible.

  • First, you’ll need to turn the Galaxy S4 off.
  • Once its off, press and hold the Volume up button, the Home button, and the Power buttons together until you see an Android appear on the screen.
  • Once you see this, use the Volume down key to highlight the Wipe Data/Factory Reset option. Use the Power button to select it.
  • Use the Volume down key to select Yes – delete all user data and then use the Power button again to select it.
  • When you see the Reboot System Now option, you’ll know you’re on track. Use the Power button to select that option.
  • This will erase everything on the Galaxy S4 bringing it back to the state it was in when you first bought it. It also might fix the problems you’re having.
73 Comments

73 Comments

  1. Shane Stallard

    03/14/2015 at 8:30 am

    Hi there
    I have a rooted i9505 and am running cm12. I can’t seem to get my ir blaster working I have tried nearly every app on the play store and none of them work. Is there an option that I am missing or is this just a bug that cyanogen need to fix. Cheers shane

  2. pavan kumar

    03/17/2015 at 6:15 am

    The update of galaxy s4 is too bad after loolipop update the phone got 8 major problems

    1.The app you are using atomatically returns to home

    2.always the wallpaper turns to blue or black.

    3.always unfortunately contacts are stopped are apeared while open the phone .

    4.the apps are very slow if we come out from the one app all apps are disapeared for 2or 3 sec after they will apeare.

    5.the battery life is very bad.

    And there are another 3 problems

    Please give the new update very soon otherwise the phone will be returned no one will buy the updated mobiles

    • DuLLa

      03/20/2015 at 2:53 pm

      Jus want to add some issues
      1- occasionally when I answer a call: A- bad sound quality in the top speaker. B- sound goes straight to loud speaker without me tapping in the loud speaker button.
      2- keyboard disappear when I’m in the middle of typing something, usually all apps close when this happens.
      3- used RAM is always over 1.4 GB no matter how many times I cleared.

    • seanlim8771

      06/07/2015 at 4:55 am

      After updated lollipop to s4 .diabetes the travel apps. The battery lift issue will settle. Good luck.

  3. Paul

    03/20/2015 at 4:35 am

    Joys of consumerism, using the updates to trash a perfectly working smart phone till you upgrade and the cycle behind again.
    I learnt this quickly with An S3 and there no way these firmware upgrades are going nowhere near my phone.
    This entire article goes to show just how useless these updates render the handsets.
    Keep it stock and if the apps work don’t bother updating them.

    • Christine

      05/15/2015 at 7:33 pm

      Lesson learned…too late. My phone is now a useless brick!

  4. smith

    03/26/2015 at 8:50 am

    what about the fact the phone now turns itself off and on again then hangs forever on the samsung logo until you press power button for 20 seconds to reboot? phone is useless now as keeps going off after 5 or so minutes

  5. Cristorres2000

    04/03/2015 at 12:41 pm

    When I turn on my galaxy s4 I9505 it says ‘Factory mode is enabled’ and WiFi turns automatically off,later I can turn it on again but it does the same if I reboot it.
    Can someone help me to fix it?

  6. Pati

    04/06/2015 at 2:13 am

    Mine has been doing like Smith’s
    How do we solve this? Help

  7. twinkie747

    04/11/2015 at 9:55 am

    when I press the soft menu left button from the home screen I don’t get list of menu options…. instead I get the home screen panels and options to rearrange them? I’m used to getting MENU OPTIONS (e.g., settings, edit page, etc) when I press the menu button from home screen. did that change or did I do something that changes how this menu operates?

    • Don

      04/15/2015 at 8:49 am

      I am having the same problem so you are not alone. Major headache, hope someone can come out for a solution for this.

      • B.A.

        06/22/2015 at 7:45 am

        For anyone who has an S4 with issues updating to lollipop, I had all the same issues until I downloaded the NOVA LAUNCHER……….since I did, I haven’t had any problems actually.

  8. Shakur

    04/11/2015 at 1:11 pm

    I’m having the same problem as twinkie747. Did research and found an apparent solution for Samsung Galaxy S5 whose users were having the same problem but not for S4—Yet still I tried it for my S4 and it didn’t work. Was instructed to boot the phone off. Hold down the power, volume and menu button down when booting on and to let go of the power button if a buzz is felt but to continue pressing down the remaining volume and home menu button until a list pops up. Then told to use the volume down button to scroll down to the “wipe cache partition” and to then use the power button by pressing it and holding until the phone boots all the way on. Like I said, unless I’ve done something wrong, the end result did nothing to change the problem of getting the home screen options instead of the settings. Spoke with AT&T who suggested I keep the original soft menu button pressed for a long press, but that only brought up google. Sigh..If anyone finds a fix for this, would be most grateful to hear it.

  9. Shakur

    04/11/2015 at 1:21 pm

    Oops forgot a step in that. Sorry. After you activate the wipe cache partition selection by pressing the side power button and releasing…a new list will appear with a reboot choice as the first selection. Again press the side power button to select it and then release whereupon your phone will come on all the way. Also, when holding the home menu button mentioned in previous post, it is the hard home menu button that you should be using—not the soft one located within the phone screen on the bottom left corner which is the one you’re trying to fix. Nonetheless, I doubt this will work for your S4 either, but I wish you (and me) luck finding a fix!

    • twinkie747

      04/11/2015 at 4:59 pm

      thanks shakur! glad to know I’m not alone. What I would like to know is if this is actually a problem or if this is just the way it is supposed to be with lollipop? I would love if others would chime in and advise on what they are experiencing with the soft menu button when they are on the home screen of their s4?

      • Jakob Thusgaard

        04/13/2015 at 12:15 am

        Looks like this is indeed meant to work like that. Instead slide down on the status bar, and you’ll find a gear icon. Press it to go to the options menu. Takes a bit of getting used to. It’s similar to what you find on other ROMs, but it’s a change from previous TouchWiz ROMs, of course.

        • kmason

          05/03/2015 at 4:39 pm

          Thank you! Thought I was losing my mind as well as how to change settings! Settings are exactly where you said they should be. Other than getting used to new things and losing a few old things, I haven’t had any other problems…

  10. Jonathan

    04/17/2015 at 6:03 am

    I updated my S4 to Lollipop to find I can no longer save my apps to the SD card. I asked their tech. support how to solve and they informed me this function is no longer available.

    I have requested instructions on downgrading to Kitkat. That worked well.

    • Istvan

      06/16/2015 at 6:00 pm

      Hi. I would like to do the same but Sprint wouldn’t help me. How / where did you get the downgrade steps ? Thanks!

  11. Harry de Snoo

    04/28/2015 at 11:21 pm

    After upfate to lollipop on my S4 I muted sound for the night, but now I cannot get soind back working. It simply is not reacting.

  12. Frankie Vietnam

    04/29/2015 at 1:56 pm

    For All Samsung Devices to stop Overheating, make it 100% Super Fast & download all Free Apks.
    1. Root your device “Search Google” how to.
    2. Install “Titanium Backup” app to delete Bloatwares from Samsung & your Mobile Phone’s Company’s Apps AT&T Verison Tmobile etc…. Which Bloatwares safe to delete? “Search Google”.

    About Me:
    I’m using S4 At&t. I rooted it and deleted all of its Samsung and At&t apps that’s why my phone is faster and never getting OVERHEAT.
    I’m using a kind of android phone like everyone else but i never use CH Play or “Google Play Store” it takes a lot of ROM and keep running or updating your apps every time and that is also draining your battery. I downloaded a Powerful App called Appvn Store which not take up a lot of ROM, it is running when you’re using instead of Google Playstore. With this app you can download 100% Full Free App which Google Play Store asking to pay by credit. This app is powerful app because vietnamese people paid all apps and taken them out from their phone to share. In Vietnam copyright does not work so if you listen to me then install this app but before you download an apk from it, you need to change Language Setting into English by scrolling down in the left of its tab sign up an account like google account @gmail.com etc…

    Don’t believe me then test it yourself. For example 1 search MX Player Pro on Google Play Store it costs 130.000 VND like $6.5. Then open up Appvn Store searching for the same name a download it 100% free without trial days.

    Do not install any kind of Anti Virus apps on your phone. Your phone not like a laptop or a PC so once you restart it then all gone. No virus for phones.

    Install apps as less as possible. Just install apps which you normally use. Try to clear cache & clean memory directly by your phone’s equipment so you don’t have to download a third party app to take up your phone’s memory space.

    With Samsung Lollipop when you delete Samsung Hub the Rotation is still working well. And with Kitkat your Screen Rotation will be stopped. To solve it you need to root your phone and then Search Google for Xda’s solution. It is solved.

    Android Lollipop quite nice with white color settings panel but it looks boring for a few week. Because of white and black that’s why your battery is also draining quickly.

    Lollipop will block you to use many apps not like kitkat. I prefer Kitkat to use Xposed Framework to stop youtube ads & Xad to block google ads.

    With Cropping Photos i think Kitkat do better than Lollipop.

    Please, free to tell me or ask me. Thank you for reading my experiences of using Android Phone.
    email me [email protected]. thanks again.

  13. pov

    04/29/2015 at 7:18 pm

    So I just got 5.0.1 on my i337m in Canada. The battery drains fast, WiFi takes forever to connect to a saved network, (sometimes it turns off by itself) used ram is over 1GB…. And I clear it and it still is at 1GB… And the phone is sluggish too. I was like O_O when I saw the update was almost 1GB. Now with my music and pictures on my phone, I have only 2 GB free space.. My nexus 5 I have almost 6 GB free with the same stuff on it! Wth!

    • Frankie Vietnam

      04/30/2015 at 1:58 am

      Try to root your i337 5.0.1 to delete bloatwares. If you can not root i337 on 5.0.1
      Then you must downgrade i337 to 4.4.2 kitkat BN1 using Odin to flash its tar.md5 and root it first to install Flashfire then Flash the Official Rootable Lollipop 5.0.1 ROM directedly from your external SD Card. Go google search for Rootable Lollipop 5.0.1
      After succeed flashing rootable lollipop then you install Titanium Backup to remove bloatwares.

  14. shantell

    05/03/2015 at 2:52 pm

    Mine also randomly turns off

  15. chuck

    05/06/2015 at 10:10 pm

    Since the update I am unable to paste in chrome… I know its sounds petty but its a pain in the arse

  16. Kathleen Addison

    05/07/2015 at 7:52 am

    i just want to delete the S-5 Lollipop from my S-4. I loved my S-4 just the way it was. I wish I would have never updated with it. Please show me how!!!!

  17. steve

    05/08/2015 at 5:12 pm

    How do i add another home screen after latest update on galaxy s4 ? Used to just press the lower left settings button and press edit page but the settings button isnt there anymore. Help !!

  18. richard

    05/09/2015 at 2:40 am

    I have the same problem too. My galaxy s4 have many problems after updating into lollipop.

  19. Marc

    05/10/2015 at 1:20 pm

    Other isues: keyboard shrunk and significantly harder to type. No longer have email options easily accessible on menu key, need to navigate to options key on screen which is inconvenient, especially considering it’s not always visible.
    Annoying delete click (or vibrate) now rapid-fire clicks for every letter it deletes. If you loved the vibrant colors of Kitkat prepare yourself for the blase tones of Lolipop. There are more annoyances but I’m still slowly discovering them. So far I’ll call this much hyped update LOL-ipop…

  20. Sally

    05/10/2015 at 7:03 pm

    I HATE this new update. First of all, I literally had no choice because the option kept popping up. Even though I hate updates, to get rid of the annoying pop up I went ahead and updated. I hate the look, I hate the style I hate the theme I wish they gave us the option to choose if we wanted the original keyboard and theme as opposed to this shit! I’m so annoyed! I have to sell the phone and switch over to a different brand. I do not like changes on my phone I’m so annoyed. This keyboard is frustrating me! And the color scheme is not helping AT ALL. How do I change this back??

  21. Samantha hamill

    05/14/2015 at 3:15 am

    I don’t like the fact that it doesn’t tell me who’s texting me any more it just says new message andeven thought I have it set on that the messages to show up on my lock screen it doesn’t! I don’t like the new update at all!

    • Mngrrl

      05/28/2015 at 2:36 pm

      I agree! Also, t
      I no longer have that easy glance at the top left tool bar when the screen is locked! I already know I have Verizon- I do not need to be reminded!! I know it is small but I have to unlock my screen in order to see anything.. grre…

  22. Samantha hamill

    05/14/2015 at 3:26 am

    I don’t like the fact that it doesn’t tell me who’s texting me any more it just says new message! I can’t preview my messages anymore

    • Jerry

      06/25/2015 at 6:06 pm

      Open a text ….start to type…press & hold microphone ….menu appears …select gear for settings …select show message preview in taskbar….hope this helps

      • Meredith

        07/06/2015 at 8:13 am

        On my phone it wasn’t there. If I went to the main text messages screen that shows them all, pulled up the menu and went to settings, it was there under notifications.

  23. Casey Whitaker

    05/18/2015 at 11:25 pm

    Galaxy s5 every few hours ot wont let me access phone at all. Says “phine able to use at4pm, then at 4 it went to ,12am, and now it say I cant use it till 7am. This hot me fired today. My 800$ phone is now unusable. Cannot do anything. Not even call my parents who pay the bill. Hard reset twice. And it redownloaded lollipop without choice when reboot. Lost everything for nothing. Amd got fired. Samsung is so sued.

  24. Brandon Sutton

    05/21/2015 at 3:59 am

    After the update 5.0.1 lollipop on my s4
    Whenever I watch a video like it’ll play for about 30 seconds give or take then the video will just stop but the audio continues. Now this happen on just about anything (Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, Etc) please help this an extremely annoying problem

  25. Josh W

    05/23/2015 at 7:45 am

    I’m having the same issue as Brandon. My video is lagging the sound every time. Also my notification bar or status bar up top stays opened too easily after usage. It’s annoying.

  26. JJ

    05/28/2015 at 11:05 am

    I had most of these problems on my S4 after the update – poor battery life, overheating, apps crashing. My phone was barely usable. I tried deleting the cache but honestly that just made it worse except for the overheating. My son’s S4 didn’t have any of these problems but his manufacture date was one year after mine. If you’re in this mess the only real solution is a Factory Data Reset. It is a good time to delete apps you don’t use then back up your phone using a couple of different options, google, Kies, etc. I even plugged my phone into my computer and just copied everything off the phone. Once you are sure you have everything do the FDR. Take out your SD card first! I tried several times to roll back to Kit Kat but it never worked. I tried 4.4.2, 4.4.3, and 4.4.4 There was a write permissions issue that I couldn’t get past. After a few days of not using my phone I went with the FDR option. Note that this will take you to a clean install of Lollipop, not Kit Kat. Once installed, I restored my apps, accounts, contacts, etc. my phone has been operating near flawless. The battery life is actually better to my surprise. I was glad I had a few different backups because it took all of them to get everything back. Lollipop is working fine but I am beyond annoyed that there is no option to allow different vibration patters for different notifications. Why this feature was removed is a head scratcher. I’m living with Lollipop and getting used to it but the update caused me so much grief it’s not worth it. I seriously doubt the S4 will see the 5.1 update so I’m stuck with this. At least it works and is stable which is better than it was a few weeks ago.

  27. shakil ahmed

    06/02/2015 at 3:23 am

    in my samsung galaxy S4 after few minutes a watermark message show called “program exception” again again then gone automatically after updating lollipop 5.0.1 ,may i know why this message show every time .

    • Tahir

      06/13/2015 at 7:58 am

      Same with my Galaxy S4 after updating to Lolipop :(

      • praveen

        06/13/2015 at 10:00 am

        Same in my mobile after Lollipop upgrade and battery also draining fast than before. It is the worst upgrade.

  28. jessica

    06/03/2015 at 5:15 am

    The prompt to choose a home screen launcher comes up almost every time I hit the home key (whether I hold it or just press it). I don’t have anything but TouchWiz installed, and I’ve tried to install another launcher so there’s actually a choice…. but that still doesn’t do anything.

  29. Kim

    06/08/2015 at 11:53 am

    What happened to my “setting” button. When I press it, all I get is a screen that states “transition effect”.

  30. André

    06/10/2015 at 1:47 pm

    I say Custom Roms, they are more stable than the stock lollipop touchwiz, I use an Galaxy S6 Lollipop Port and it works very well (GT-I9505). Just Google “Galaxy S4 XDA”

  31. Sarah Ullrich

    06/12/2015 at 5:01 pm

    What about how my S4 has decided to randomly shut off 18 times since I had to update? I don’t see any fix for this issue, and when I went to the Verizon store they told me the only possible fix was to factory reset, but probably wouldn’t actually fix the issue. Because of these random turn offs, my alarm for school has failed to go off two different times in the last 3 weeks. I got this phone last January because i needed a more reliable phone than my last one and now it’s just as much of a PoS in its reliability. I used to really like Samsungs and thought they were reliable, but i don’t know how I feel about them after this crap.

    • Shelley A.

      08/28/2015 at 10:37 pm

      Have u done the factory reset since u posted your comment? If so, did it help with the shutting off randomly issue? I’m having the same issue with my s4.

  32. rabi

    06/16/2015 at 11:28 pm

    my s4 is working fine after update…only colors are annoying

  33. Shahrul

    06/17/2015 at 7:36 am

    Hello i just want to know how to fix wifi problem on may s4 after upgrading android 5.0.1..how to solve??
    please

  34. B. Carver

    06/17/2015 at 10:36 am

    My problems after update on S4 are: 1) no longer automatically syncs aol email (I have all sync settings activated) 2) mutes the phone so I miss calls and 3) some calls are not heard nor listed in “recent”, yet a v/m is left by caller! Any suggestions?

  35. Roslina

    06/22/2015 at 12:41 am

    I thought I was alone with S4 problems post Lollipop ‘upgrade’!!! It has caused several problems for my phone, including regular ‘screen freeze’ which doesn’t respond to any cursor ‘clicks’ and no buttons will work, including the ‘off’ switch of my phone. The only way to resolve it is to remove the battery and restart my phone. I also post things twice on facebook now, with the same message, which makes my posts look quite ridiculous. At times, when I am typing, the actual screen starts to ‘blackout’ so the message disappears behind the ‘black screen’. I have to exit the screen and forget about typing. There is a delay when I open my screen after putting in the password and I seem to be getting a double flash of the start up screen. I dislike not being able to see whether I have a text or gmail when I look at my locked screen, unlike before when the message would show without opening the screen. My phone is ‘eating’ power and I have to recharge my phone every day or it gets from 100% in the am to 35% by night time, and I am not using it all day, so it is just a drain problem I think. I thought this ‘update’ was required, and due to it’s huge size, I had to delete heaps of data to accommodate it as the system bizzo takes up so much space already. Now, I am finding out I could have refused this useless and troublesome ‘update’ and had my previous OS without any problems. Very unsatisfactory and I intend to try to uninstall it and get my old one back, as there is nothing I like about the Lollipop version. I am not hugely tech savvy, but am open to lay explanations of how to achieve a reversion to my old, familiar system please.

  36. Usman

    07/06/2015 at 8:53 pm

    I have a different problem after my S4 GT-i9500 upgrade to lolipop 5.01. That is that when i switched off my airplane mode the voice stopped working . I can dial the no. but cant hear the caller and neither caller can hear me. I have to restart the phone every time to resolve this issue. Is there any permanent solution to this problem ?

  37. Gal

    07/13/2015 at 4:25 am

    I Updated my s4 to lollipop and just got problems non stop my car and the Bluetooth don’t like each other any more
    call often stop and start I wish Samsung could fix this masse soon

  38. Lady Bee

    07/14/2015 at 12:28 pm

    I got a prompt to upgrade my photos and I clicked yes. Ever since, my pics are all over and I cant find pics that I just took or saved. Is there any way I can undo this update?

  39. lynn

    07/16/2015 at 8:32 am

    new S4 Loolipop wont connect to my cars blootooth. I have a 2014 kia sportage..worked great with kitcat version..any suggestions?

  40. Audax

    07/19/2015 at 1:47 am

    This really is a load of nonsense. Why do these stupid f*ckers think they should take a perfectly good, working piece of kit and ‘improve’ it. In doing so they destroy the product.

    Last bloody samsung I, or my company will ever buy.

  41. Ron

    07/25/2015 at 3:35 am

    After upgrading my S4 to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop the screen Auto Rotation doesn’t work, any idea how to fix it

  42. Ian

    07/25/2015 at 6:24 am

    Was havin a problem with my wifi bcz it could connect and then at some moment…the thing jhus dissappears
    but i followed the steps of frst forgetting the netwrk and then connecting back to ut
    now my wifi doesnt jump off

    Thx guys

  43. Glenda

    07/27/2015 at 2:17 pm

    Hi, I read all of these messages and did not see instructions on reverting back to Kit Kat. Does anybody know how to do that. I hate Lollipop. I don’t have the serious issues that a lot of people here do but I hate the way it looks and a couple of things I used every day are no longer there.

    • Smithy

      11/18/2015 at 1:35 am

      yep.. am with you.
      tried everything listed here but still .. flaky wifi, no bluetooth and a phone that gets slower and slower
      ( it is currently running in safe mode as that is the only way it will run after about an hour)

      Samsung don’t want to know.. and my carrier blames Samsung! no win for us users paying the $

      a link or a simple set of instructions to do this would be welcome. Can’t be harder than doing a factory reset surely ( I AM AN EXPERT AT DOING THAT!)

      cheers

  44. Raymond Wilson

    08/03/2015 at 7:49 am

    What a tremendously useless article.

  45. Chuck Finlay

    08/04/2015 at 7:23 pm

    There is a way to upgrade your S4 to Lollipop 5.0.1 released by your carrier without having most of those issues. My friend jumped on Lollipop update as soon as it came out, he wasn’t lucky. But I did the Lollipop update for my brother’s S4, it works like a charm. This method requires some effort by user.

     

    Few notes before doing the update:

    1.      This is a safe method to update any android/Apple OS to avoid most bugs and lags caused by latest update.

    2.      This is not a “solution” if you have already updated OS of your device and experiencing problems.

    3.      Forget about updating your OS over the air.

    4.      Forget about updating your OS while your device is loaded with 1000 random apps

    5.      Make sure device battery is charged more than 70 percent.

    6.      Do not unplug or shut down your device while updating OS or doing a Factory reset

     

    Steps (this is a fresh and clean OS update process):

     

    1.      Backup your mobile contents (music, photos, videos, documents etc) on your PC whether they are on your device storage or SD card.

    2.      Sync all your accounts (application data, games, contacts, calendar etc) with your itunes account if iPhone, or with Google account if Android (you can do it over wifi)

    3.      Remove SD card if Android, format your SD card

    4.      Do a Factory Reset which will erase all settings and contents

    5.      When your device boots up, skip setup.

    6.      Plugin your device to your PC.

    7.      To update new OS, use appropriate manufacturer PC software of your device while connected to PC. For example, use iTunes in iPhone or use Samsung Kies if Samsung Android. For S4 use Kies3.

    8.      Once your device reboots after new OS update, do another Factory Reset.

    9.      Once your device reboots after 2nd Factory Reset, proceed with phone setup with your iTunes account or Google account. Your apps, contacts, calendar etc will be synced to your device. Allow your device to apply latest updates for all your applications (device may get hot during this process; installing 100 apps from app store)

    10.  Do a fresh restore of your mobile content backup on PC if iPhone; or copy backup contents to Device Storage or SD card (most preferable).

    • Roslyn

      08/04/2015 at 7:35 pm

      Sounds interesting….will give it a go. Thank you for your clear instructions. My latest dilemma is I am getting advice, each time I load up my galaxy s4 tablet, to ‘upgrade’ to lollipop!!!! How can I stop this, apart from continuing to delay it, as the window keeps appearing, please?

  46. SusieQ

    08/12/2015 at 4:02 pm

    Ive had Lollipop 5.0.1 for a while now on SGS4, and my husband has same. He is having trouble with the home page changing, BT issues, and others. I’ll be happy with getting the home page issue resolved!

  47. Baamdaad

    08/20/2015 at 7:48 am

    My Galaxy S4 has a problem since I updated my phone, the equalisers (SoundAlive) doesn’t work and I’m really confused.

  48. Yaseen

    10/08/2015 at 1:08 pm

    After updating my Samsung S4 to the new Lollipop software. I can no longer save images on the internet app(default app). Is there any way that i can resolve this issue?

  49. gnanasekaran

    10/20/2015 at 2:53 am

    I have galaxy s4 GT-i9505 with android lollipop 5.0.1. Always total sound systems are getting off during watch movies or internet calls. These sound troubles have after update lollipop through OTA, Pls suggest me to relief from this problem.

  50. farhad

    10/24/2015 at 8:59 am

    hello sir
    i have galaxy s4
    now my mobile automatic upgrade lolipop 5.0.1.now i have problem my mobile back key not working
    before this key work

  51. ebenezer

    11/15/2015 at 5:49 am

    since i rooted my samsung galaxy s4 into lolllopop version my network have not been stable why?

  52. Saryal

    02/15/2016 at 8:34 pm

    i have S4 i9505 and i rooted my S4 into lollipop (Russian) version my self
    it has been updated but wifi is not working when i tap wifi button its go back and its showing only wifi and smart network switch button
    i have tired to try everything any body know about this problem so kindly share with me ([email protected])

  53. Sarel

    04/12/2016 at 10:48 pm

    Good day my camera flash not working anymore and was in Google and it sed 20% of fone not functional cos of virus I got anti virus but do not pik it up cm security and avira saying device protected and no virus and Batry drowning fast and the kids mode don’t want to update sed error and can save pik from Facebook ses error savings pick Wat to do don’t realy want to format I bought the fone it was on 4.2.2 rooted so I wiped fone and reinstall 5.1 with odin from my laptop but worked fine now it only started with broblems sins the Google error

  54. Mina

    07/04/2016 at 5:30 am

    Randomly my LTE(mobile data) won’t turn on after I turn off the wifi. I have tried turning off and back on the mobile data but that doesn’t work. Rebooting is the only thing that work. My internet app loads blank screens, I have to close the tab then re-open the page almost every time I open the app.
    I may switch to apple.

  55. bookkeeper

    12/17/2016 at 7:42 am

    thanks a lot bro. you solution help me alot to solve my s4 i9505 issues..

    regards
    Salman

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