Current technology has progressed to such a state that you can carry a smartphone in your pocket with such advanced capabilities and memory that it would be thought of as nothing more than science fiction a decade or two ago. Nowadays you can use your tablet to create a piece of artwork that is every bit as stunning as a painting or photograph can be. You can also take photos using your smartphone that are of print quality, you can join business meetings from anywhere in the world using video chat, and you can whittle away hours using your handheld tech as a games console.
There is a common nightmare that affects many of us, however, of being right in the middle of drafting an important document or making a vital point via video meeting when your phone, tablet or laptop crashes, losing any unsaved work and leaving you frustrated and confused as to what the issue is. Although in some cases specialized help is necessary, below are some top tips for troubleshooting when your tech product unexpectedly fails on you, ranging from spilling water on your smartphone to an unresponsive touchscreen.
Your smartphone gets wet
One common issue is smartphones getting wet, from dropping it in a toilet bowl to accidentally spilling a drink on it, even a tiny amount of liquid can be the cause of chaos for your phone. Firstly, remove the battery. If this is not possible then, as quickly as you can, turn the phone off to try and prevent a short circuit. Wipe the liquid carefully off any parts that are accessible, and then put the phone in a bowl of uncooked dry rice for 24 hours to help absorb any excess water. In order to protect your phone while you do this, wrap it very loosely in some kitchen roll or paper towels.
If you don’t fancy submerging your precious smartphone in a bowl of rice, then you could try buying a desiccant bag which acts in a similar way, providing a sealed container and a desiccant which will help to absorb all liquid and dry out your phone.
A cracked screen on your smartphone
A cracked screen on your phone is surprisingly easy to do, all it takes is your phone dropping from your jeans pocket or accidentally being trod on. However, before you panic and think you have to buy a new one, there are some things you can try. If you feel confident in your abilities, then you could perform a DIY repair. If, however, the thought of pulling apart your expensive and vital phone yourself brings you out in a cold sweat then try contacting the manufacturer to ask them to repair the screen, which they should do but it won’t be free. Alternatively, search ’fix an iPhone screen near me’ and find professional technicians who will fix your device with a fast turnaround time.
If your phone has a cracked screen, but you are unable to mend it yourself and have to wait for an appointment nearby, then a temporary fix is to apply a screen protector as a short-term solution. This should stop the screen from cracking further and allow you to continue using the phone while you arrange a more permanent fix.
Of course, to try and ensure these things don’t happen in the first place, invest in a robust phone or tablet cover that will protect your device from any knocks or accidental drops.
Touchscreen on your phone or tablet is frozen and not responding
If your touchscreen has frozen, then first try to reboot or force restart your product. Sometimes simply restarting it can help to reset any issues, presenting you with a machine that works perfectly once again. If, however, this does not solve your problem there are a few other tips to try and get things moving. Firstly, try cleaning the screen to ensure there is no residual dirt, which could be stopping it from registering your touch.
If the touchscreen is not working only in certain apps, then delete and reinstall them, to see if that solves the issue. Or perhaps your screen protector is no longer working well, in which case, remove it and test your screen. If it registers your touch now then invest in a new screen protector and throw away the old one.
If you have an iPhone, you could try restoring your phone to the factory settings, which can solve many problems, although it will wipe out your data so make sure it is all backed up first.
Slow startup
If your phone, tablet or laptop is very slow to startup, then the problem could be your storage. If you have overloaded your device the response time will likely be very slow so to solve this delete any unused apps, and store photos and files on the cloud, a hard drive or another device to free up space. If you have an iPhone, you can check how much free space you have available to see whether this is your problem. Go to ‘Settings,’ ‘General’ and ‘About,’ and look at what is ‘available’ under 500MB and you need to create more space to speed things up. To do this, for example, you can set up auto delete for all your old SMS messages, setting it to permanently erase all messages from a set time ago. To further add to your space make sure only the app you are using is open. Sometimes your phone can be running apps without you knowing it by leaving them suspended in memory. Double click on the home button and you will be able to see what is still running and can close any apps you don’t need by swiping up on the phone.
Any other issues
For any issues not covered here, you can contact the manufacturer of your product. For example, all Apple stores have a genius bar where you can take your product for a free consultation with an expert who can hopefully solve your problem, or if not, they can advise you on the best course of action.
