Smartphones are an all-purpose device. They have replaced the landline for phone communication, but these devices also allow users to play games, watch videos, listen to music and text friends. Smartphones offer immediate access to social media accounts and some provide a virtual assistant that can respond to voice commands.
Unfortunately, tech doesn’t always work flawlessly. Suddenly, users might find that they are unable to facilitate simple tasks on their device. A phone could shutdown, overheat or fail to charge. Finding the source of the problem is essential to troubleshoot the device. What is the best cell phone diagnostic software to identify an issue that’s plaguing a phone’s operations?
The best options for diagnosing phone issues include:
A smartphone or a cell phone could suddenly experience issues. The phone could fail to charge, it might be overheating, apps might load slowly, the phone screen might freeze or the phone might die suddenly. There are so many issues that could impact the phone’s operations, and diagnosing the cause of the issue is necessary to troubleshoot the device and ensure it’s running normally.
Without a proper diagnostic check, the owner might only be able to guess as to what’s causing the problem with their phone. For example, charging issues could be related to a faulty cable or charger. However, the phone also could have a problem related to the battery or even the charging port.
Overheating can be related to using the phone for too long, exposure to the sun/heat or even malware or a virus. While overheating from the sun can be an obvious issue that simply requires the owner to move the phone to a cooler area, malware needs to be removed to ensure that the phone’s issues don’t persist and cause further issues, too.
Some smartphones provide internal diagnostic tools that can help owners find the culprit of underlying issues. For example, some iPhones allow the user to tap on the Settings app and tap on Privacy & Security. Under this option, some iPhone owners can choose Analytics & Improvements to access diagnostic options.
However, not all iPhones include diagnostic tools built into the phone. Some phones only let users view analytics data. iPhones that offer a diagnostic option, though, might be able to provide data related to issues that the user is experiencing with their phone.
PCMag explains that Android devices also offer diagnostic tools built into the phone. The site explains that accessing the tool requires users to “Open the Phone app, tap the Keypad, and then type *#0*#.”
For iPhones, Apple Stores offer in-store appointments for diagnostic check-ups. Owners can call the store to schedule an appointment. Simple issues might be quickly diagnosed and fixed, but more problematic issues related to faulty parts or other components might require more extensive repairs or diagnostic assessments.
In some cases, a specific part or the phone could be under warranty and repaired for free. However, any issue related to water damage won’t be covered.
Smartphone owners also could make an appointment for a diagnostic check-up at a store associated with their cell carrier (e.g. Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, etc.). Team members at the store also could provide troubleshooting and might send the phone off for repairs, too (if necessary). Again, a warranty might cover some repairs, but the warranty also could be voided in some cases.
Diagnostic software could reveal a virus or malware. In this case, techs could remove the malware or they might have to restore the phone to the factory settings. Owners who discover malware or viruses need to talk to a pro at the store about how to save data or how to recover lost data (if it can be recovered).
For phones that are not properly charging (and the issue is unrelated to the cable or charger), repairs might be necessary.
For simple glitches and issues related to a cell phone or smartphone, owners can reach out to their phone’s manufacturer via phone or virtual chat to help troubleshoot issues. For example, Apple provides assistance to iPhone owners both via phone and online.
These diagnostic services help owners who need guidance on handling a hard restart or other basic troubleshooting requests. In addition, techs can help via chat or over the phone to identify if a problem warrants an in-store visit.
Cell phone owners might reach out via phone or online before they make an in-store appointment. However, if the phone won’t power on or can’t be rebooted, owners might decide to pay a visit to the store for assistance.
As long as a phone is ‘on’ and can be accessed, owners can use software services like Phonecheck to identify underlying diagnostic issues with their device. Phonecheck is used by both buyers and sellers of pre-owned and refurbished phones to check the following issues:
Phonecheck scans every aspect of the phone to root out issues in the device. The program will find any problems that might wreak havoc on the user experience. In addition, the program identifies any locks related to the carrier, applicable software and the manufacturer.
Phonecheck assesses the battery health of the device and helps owners (or sellers) understand if that battery needs to be replaced. A failing battery can result in less usage time and cause frustration, too. In addition, if the battery is unable to hold a charge, calls could suddenly drop. In some cases, a buyer might not want to purchase a phone with a failing battery; the replacement might be too costly.
Phonecheck also identifies the authenticity of any replacement parts and performs a background check, too. For some devices, the wrong replacement parts could void a warranty. For example, if the phone’s IMEI is found on a blacklist, buyers will know that the phone has been reported as missing or stolen. Phones on the blacklist also could be associated with debt related to the carrier; for example, the owner neglected to pay their cell phone bill. These phones can’t be connected to a network; carriers won’t issue service for phones with IMEI numbers on the blacklist.
All phones must connect to a service network. Phonecheck tests the SIM, makes a test call and sends an sms text, too. This ensures that there are no issues with the network.
Resellers can use Phonecheck to ensure that the phone isn’t on the blacklist and to identify any issues with the phone, too. For buyers, using Phonecheck could provide additional peace of mind related to a purchase.
It isn’t uncommon for a smartphone to glitch, overheat or even lockup. Some of these issues might be easily handled without making an appointment or running any diagnostics software. However, some issues need a pro; if owners suspect malware, they need to have the phone properly diagnosed. In addition, a sluggish battery might need to be replaced.
Running too many apps at once can lead to the phone feeling hot and possibly overheating. If the phone feels warmer than normal, check how many apps are running. Close out the apps and see if the phone starts to cool off.
Gaming too long also can cause a phone to overheat. Close out of the game and let the phone rest. Owners might even shut it off for a few minutes.
Leaving the phone in the sun also causes it to warm up. A phone that gets too hot will shut down. Don’t try to reboot the phone. Instead, place it in a cool space. Owners could try placing the phone in the freezer to quickly cool it, but they also might accidentally leave it in there and cause additional issues. Just place the phone in a cooler area.
If the screen on an iPhone freezes, owners can try to reboot the phone by pressing the home screen button and the side button at once (some iPhone models could have a different method, though). A hard restart also could help solve the issue; to facilitate a hard restart, Apple offers a brief tutorial on its website.
To hard restart or reboot other smartphones, owners should visit the manufacturer’s website for details. Every manufacturer might have their own ‘reboot’ instructions or tutorials.
While a bad or broken phone charging port could result in it not fully charging, the issue also could be related to a bad cable/cord or charger. Owners can try using a different cable or charger to see if this solves the charging issues. However, if the problem isn’t related to the cord or charger, there might be an issue with the phone’s battery, port, etc.
Many consumers rely on their smartphone or cell phone for a variety of functions. These devices are more than just communications tools; they also provide entertainment, a link to social media and some phones even connect owners to virtual assistants. When an issue with the phone causes interference with connectivity or communication, owners can use diagnostic tools to help identify the issue. Internal phone diagnostic software, virtual troubleshooting options, in-store diagnostic appointments and software programs like Phonecheck can all help owners identify the problems with their phone and help them find solutions to resolve those issues.
