Android Tools

1. Android Lollipop performance problems

For most people, updating to Android Lollipop has made their hardware happier, their teeth whiter and their days just dandy. But some users have encountered a range of issues, including freezes, crashes, stutter and lag. In-place upgrades can be the cause of that.
Installing updates on top of updates on top of updates can eventually cause problems, so a factory reset might be on the cards, but first look at your apps to check they’ve been updated to Lolli As with any performance issues, try switching off anything you don’t need to see if you can identify a specific cause.

2. Android Lollipop Wi-Fi connectivity

It seems that we cant have an Android update without something going wrong with either Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or both. Try the usual range of solutions: toggle airplane mode on and off, forget and reconnect to the network, reboot your phone, restart your router or switch between the Wi-Fi frequency bands. If this fails, you may have to wait for a patch from Google for the permanent solution.

3. Android Lollipop overheating

Assuming you haven’t left your device in direct sunlight or near a wicked child with a magnifying glass, overheating is often a byproduct of really hammering the phone with apps such as 3D games. Your case might be contributing to the problem too – phones are designed to be case-free, and heavy cases can interfere with heat dissipation. It’s also worth trying Safe Mode to see if the culprit is an app that’s misbehaving.

• Everything you need to know about Android 5.0 battery life
• How to enable battery saving mode on Android 5.0 Lollipop

4. Android Lollipop battery bug

Every new installation of Android firmware results in some battery drain for some users. This is almost always because the update was applied over the top of existing firmware rather than installed clean. There are a few things that could go wrong when everything is set up one way on your phone, and then the world shifts beneath its feet.
So now may be the time to bite the bullet, do a full backup and do a factory reset. You can do this via the Settings > Backup & Reset section or manually with the hardware buttons. Just search the site for your particular device and factory reset.

5. Android Lollipop video playback bug

Nexus 7 (2013) owners have reported some bugs with video playback following the update to Lolli The issue doesnt seem to be restricted to any particular app, but YouTube is, of course, at the center of the furore. Any app that uses the default Android video player suffers though.

If YouTube is the issue for you, hit Settings > Apps and find the entry for YouTube. Clear the cache and try again or do a reboot for a temporary fix. You can always try uninstalling and reinstalling the app if problems persist. Some users are reporting that this has solved the problem, while others continue to suffer.
If you have a better fix let us know in the comments below. Worst case scenario: backup all your data, do a factory reset and clear the cache partition.

• How to downgrade to an older version of Android

6. Android Lollipop flashlight bug

If you leave the flashlight on for a while, like when youre struggling to find your keys in the dark, and it automatically times out, then the flashlight will be busted until you do a reboot. This is pretty weird stuff but it occurred in the developer previews too. Its odd that Google didnt bother to iron this one out, as its a pretty well known issue on the Nexus 5 already.

7. No silent mode, status bar ticker or Power button menu

Sadly, these are improvements rather than problems. You cant simply volume down to silent mode (only to vibrate), theres no option other than Power Off when you long press the Power button, and the status bar ticker – that little scrolling preview of notifications – has been killed with fire in the latest version of Android.
We expect the masses to rise up shortly and some changes to be made, or at least some workarounds figured out if youre willing to tweak your phone a little. In any case, weve already explained how to enable silent mode on Android 5.0.

8. Android Lollipop OTA broken on modified devices

This probably shouldnt come as too much of a surprise, but Google doesnt necessarily want your rooting or otherwise modifying your device or firmware. So if youve modded your Android a bit, you may not be able to install the OTA update.
Fortunately the solution is pretty straightforward: simply flash a stock image again and OTA will be hunky dory once again. Check our article on broken OTA updates for Android 5.0 Lollipop for more info.

9. Android Lollipop fast charging isnt charging fast

This could be explained away by raised expectations: while Android supports Qualcomms QuickCharge 2.0, not every phone does – and those that do dont always ship with a QuickCharge charger. There are also known incompatibilities with some third party fast chargers, so if you’re encountering issues with one it’s worth trying another charger (if you can) to see if the problem goes away.

10. Android Lollipop recent apps switcher issue

The recent apps card stack was a new addition to multi-tasking in Lolli But not everyone is a fan. Some users are claiming that, the more apps they have stacked, the slower their performance becomes, while others are noticing that even when a card has been removed from the stack, it mysteriously returns. Even after a reboot your recent apps list will persist, so the only way to fix this one is to simply keep on swiping. Forever.

11. Android Lollipop camera bug

Users have reported that their camera stops working after the Lollipop update – in some cases this means that the icon to select the front-facing camera is no longer even there. To solve this, try deleting your Camera apps data.
This wont delete any of your photos, just your existing camera settings. Go to Settings > Apps > All > Camera and tap Clear data. If this doesnt work, try disabling it and then enabling it in the same menu. 

12. Android Lollipop GPS problems

GPS issues are quite rare on Lollipop, but some people have been experiencing them and a factory reset has been offered as one possible solution. If you find that your GPS signal is dropping frequently and dont wish to do a factory reset, try altering the location mode in your settings. Set it to high accuracy, or if it already is, change it and then change it back.

13. Android Lollipop Chrome tabs problem

Chrome Browser on Lollipop is set by default to store new tabs in the recent apps list, but for many this represents one of the biggest Lollipop fails of all. Fortunately, all you need to do to change this is head to your Chrome settings and disable Merge tabs and apps to return to the more familiar number in a box in the URL bar that brings up your tab list, as it always has.

What other Android 5.0 problems have you found? Got any solutions we missed?