Samsung Galaxy S3 General Information and Troubleshooting FAQ

[jerofld]

Thanks for reply.

It doesnt play anything.
But when i use my earpiece during skype call. And suddenly i put the phone on speaker while i perform restart then it makes a noise for about 2 sec.
I really dunno what is going on
I performed factory resets soft resets no use....

I would recommend you try to return the device under a warranty claim and have it replaced.

 

[Miggs2002]

Looks like the external memory will store pics but thats It, not to worry, cheers for the help and info guys

 

[shavald]

Hi,

When I get notifications for email or text messaging, the icons appear very similar --like for a email.

Is there a way to change the messaging notification icon to the old gold envelope?

 

[RedVT]

Great thread, thanks for all the info and help everyone.

So this is my first Android phone and I'm having some trouble viewing pictures when I get a text message. On my iPhone, I could just double tap a picture that was sent to me via text, and it would zoom in so I could see it better.

But the pics I receive via text on this phone are really small and have a 5 second playback thing. I can't zoom in and double tapping them just starts the playback over again.

Is there a way to fix/change this, or do I need to install a 3rd party SMS app??

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[Rolo42]

No, haven't rooted due to the locked bootloader, but I hear Verizon is going to release a fix that will unlock it.

The locked bootloader doesn't prevent rooting.
Where did you hear VZW is going to unlock it?

 

[jerofld]

Hi,

When I get notifications for email or text messaging, the icons appear very similar --like for a email.

Is there a way to change the messaging notification icon to the old gold envelope?

Without rooting and some decent knowledge of system files, unfortunately there is not.

Great thread, thanks for all the info and help everyone.

So this is my first Android phone and I'm having some trouble viewing pictures when I get a text message. On my iPhone, I could just double tap a picture that was sent to me via text, and it would zoom in so I could see it better.

But the pics I receive via text on this phone are really small and have a 5 second playback thing. I can't zoom in and double tapping them just starts the playback over again.

Is there a way to fix/change this, or do I need to install a 3rd party SMS app??

Thanks for any and all help!

A third party SMS app may help, but IIRC, this is a iPhone to Android problem. The problem is that iPhones format the pictures in a way that Android devices believe that they're movie files. So iPhone-to-iPhone, Android-to-Android and Android-to-iPhone pictures work fine.

So, if the third party SMS app can decode the iPhone pictures correctly, you should be able to view pictures properly.

 

[KeithSr]

I don't know if this has been asked before... I haven't seen it anywhere.
Is there a way to send my music, driving mode and Telenav to my bluetooth, or do I have to plug in headphones? I came from Blackberry and it used to just do it when I was connected to Bluetooth.

 

[viks07]

Hi guys,

I have had my S3 for some time now, and couple of issues with memory and speed, which I was a little surprised about as the SII I had never really had the problem.

I keep getting 'low memory' message. This mostly happens when I do have quite a few (about 10) apps running in the background and when I launch Zynga Poker. Ihave about 80 apps installed currently.
- I have to close all of the apps and then clear the memory in the task manager. The memory doesn't clear that much but if fixes the problem for a day or so.

The speed issue really can be seen when I have a few (3 to 7) apps open, then going to email app, read a email, then a short press to go back to the home screen (which has 7 short-cuts and also the time/ weather widget). Phone take about 1.5 secs to display the full screen.

Please help ... thanks in advance.

 

[jerofld]

I don't know if this has been asked before... I haven't seen it anywhere.
Is there a way to send my music, driving mode and Telenav to my bluetooth, or do I have to plug in headphones? I came from Blackberry and it used to just do it when I was connected to Bluetooth.

I don't know how your car is set up, but for mine (2011 Camaro), I had to set up my phone as a media device (as well as a phone device) to get non-phone call audio to be streamed over bluetooth. Try under your media player settings.

Hi guys,

I have had my S3 for some time now, and couple of issues with memory and speed, which I was a little surprised about as the SII I had never really had the problem.

I keep getting 'low memory' message. This mostly happens when I do have quite a few (about 10) apps running in the background and when I launch Zynga Poker. Ihave about 80 apps installed currently.
- I have to close all of the apps and then clear the memory in the task manager. The memory doesn't clear that much but if fixes the problem for a day or so.

The speed issue really can be seen when I have a few (3 to 7) apps open, then going to email app, read a email, then a short press to go back to the home screen (which has 7 short-cuts and also the time/ weather widget). Phone take about 1.5 secs to display the full screen.

Please help ... thanks in advance.

Have you tried to factory reset? That is a very odd issue. If factory reset doesn't fix it, the ROM on your phone was probably flashed improperly. The only way to fix that (without rooting) is to take it back for an exchange.

 

[viks07]

I don't know if this has been asked before... I haven't seen it anywhere.
Is there a way to send my music, driving mode and Telenav to my bluetooth, or do I have to plug in headphones? I came from Blackberry and it used to just do it when I was connected to Bluetooth.

I don't have a bluetooth enabled sat nav, but it should work. It will depend on the Telenav having the headset (or other appropriate) Bluetooth profile. When to connect the phone to the satnav, do you see the phone connect with a head set? if so it should work.

 

[Rolo42]

This mostly happens when I do have quite a few (about 10) apps running in the background and when I launch Zynga Poker.

Something is definitely awry there. Does it happen with as many apps but without Zynga Poker?

I would try clearing cache & Dalvik cache before a factory data reset. IIRC, if you aren't rooted, I think you can clear these from recovery (from powered off state, press and hold VOL UP, HOME, POWER buttons simultaneously until recovery mode comes up).

 

[Cappy3]

This is a fantastic phone but I have one problem with mine and my daughters, whenever we go on the net from Google the screen goes very dim and cant be read. If I go on facebook or ebay via an app it is fine but if we go on anything via Google search it always goes very dim, if I press the back button, for a second it goes bright and normal an then goes off. I have tried everything in the settings but nothing seems to change it.
Also when I play a video it starts off very dark and dim for about 5 seconds and then it brightens up. This is really spoiling a really brilliant phone for me, please help. Thanks.

I had this. So I opened the stock "Internet" browser, opened "settings", and in "Brightness & colors" I unchecked "Automatic Brightness", and moved the brightness bar setting higher, then "OK".

Also, in the phone's settings, I scrolled down to "Auto adjust screen tone" and unchecked it.

the above 2 things solved my problem.

After doing the above 2 things, i went into phone's settings again, "Brightness" and unchecked "automatic brightness", setting the brightness bar here to the lowest brightness I was comfortable with, to save battery.

I hope this helps.

 

[RedVT]

Without rooting and some decent knowledge of system files, unfortunately there is not.



A third party SMS app may help, but IIRC, this is a iPhone to Android problem. The problem is that iPhones format the pictures in a way that Android devices believe that they're movie files. So iPhone-to-iPhone, Android-to-Android and Android-to-iPhone pictures work fine.

So, if the third party SMS app can decode the iPhone pictures correctly, you should be able to view pictures properly.

Ahh, I understand. I tried Chomp SMS today and it's working great now.

Thanks for the explanation jerofld.

 

[viks07]

Have you tried to factory reset? That is a very odd issue. If factory reset doesn't fix it, the ROM on your phone was probably flashed improperly. The only way to fix that (without rooting) is to take it back for an exchange.

I will try this either tonight or tomorrow (when I have some time to rest and re-install all apps) and let you know of the out come.

Thank you

 

[viks07]

Something is definitely awry there. Does it happen with as many apps but without Zynga Poker?

I would try clearing cache & Dalvik cache before a factory data reset. IIRC, if you aren't rooted, I think you can clear these from recovery (from powered off state, press and hold VOL UP, HOME, POWER buttons simultaneously until recovery mode comes up).

Well I will factory reset anyway, so I will try this at the same time, either tonight or tomorrow (when I have some time to rest and re-install all apps) and let you know of the out come.

Thank you

 

[viks07]

Well I will factory reset anyway, so I will try this at the same time, either tonight or tomorrow (when I have some time to rest and re-install all apps) and let you know of the out come.

Thank you

Hi guys, The advice was brilliant and worked.

I first tried to clear the memory, by turning off the handset and going into the system menu. This did not make much of a difference, so I went back into the system menu and performed a factory reset and then cleared the memory.

After re-installing the my apps, setting up most of the app sync's I have and setup some of the various IM and VOIP calling apps, its seems a lot better.

I will continue to play but its much snappier. Still see a very small (0.2 sec) delay on the time/weather app refresh but its really quick now. Hope it stays like it

Thank you to those who helped :thumbup:

 

[Rolo42]

Also, in the phone's settings, I scrolled down to "Auto adjust screen tone" and unchecked it.

I'll go with that one since it analyses the image and adjusts the brightness based off of it. Google's page is mostly white, so this setting will reduce the brightness based on that.

Leaving the other setting to Auto would be beneficial to your battery usage without the dramatic changes in brightness.

 

[liwhitehat]

This is a fantastic phone but I have one problem with mine and my daughters, whenever we go on the net from Google the screen goes very dim and cant be read. If I go on facebook or ebay via an app it is fine but if we go on anything via Google search it always goes very dim, if I press the back button, for a second it goes bright and normal an then goes off. I have tried everything in the settings but nothing seems to change it.
Also when I play a video it starts off very dark and dim for about 5 seconds and then it brightens up. This is really spoiling a really brilliant phone for me, please help. Thanks.

Hopefully, you found the solution by now, but if you haven't, here it is: from within the browser, menu --> brightness and colors, adjust accordingly.

 

[KeithSr]

Finally able to confirm that indeed this is not the case, at least with the at&t version.

GSIII Headphone out and bluetooth - YouTube

He later tested it with a BlueAnt device. Same result. It worked the way it SHOULD work. His device is stock as far as I know. Might be rooted but that would be all. Why does the Verizon version have to be screwed up? On another thread others have been able to use dock apps and settings to "trick"it into working. I have had no such luck so far.

This doesn't work on my Sprint GS3 either.

 

[viks07]

I'll go with that one since it analyses the image and adjusts the brightness based off of it. Google's page is mostly white, so this setting will reduce the brightness based on that.

Leaving the other setting to Auto would be beneficial to your battery usage without the dramatic changes in brightness.

I suggest using Chrome browser, on the handset. Its quite quick and easy to use. Also has none of the browser specific settings such as screen brightness.

 

[KeithSr]

I don't have a bluetooth enabled sat nav, but it should work. It will depend on the Telenav having the headset (or other appropriate) Bluetooth profile. When to connect the phone to the satnav, do you see the phone connect with a head set? if so it should work.

I found out that it depends on what the bluetooth device is, my mini boom box will stream music and telenav directions. My Plantronics earpiece will not. I don't know if I can change the settings for the devices or not... I have not discovered a way to do it yet.

 

[gunjanspunjabi]

Friends, anyone found out the fix for facebook status update that was not working? It still does not. Whenever I try to update status, the app hangs and shuts.

 

[red5ive]

I must be missing this somewhere, but is there a setting to default the Gallery app to my camera pictures folder only? There's the Device Only option, but that also shows ALL pictures on the device. I really don't need to see ALL my album art. I only want to see the camera pictures folder when I start the app. Thanks.

 

[SirKronan]

This doesn't work on my Sprint GS3 either.

Why do they have to somehow screw up the CDMA version of great phones?? ARGGH.

 

[Rolo42]

I suggest using Chrome browser, on the handset. Its quite quick and easy to use. Also has none of the browser specific settings such as screen brightness.

This isn't a browser-specific setting.