How to fix a frozen Galaxy Note 9

Sometimes even the best phones can freeze and completely stop responding. That could also be the case with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. If your phone stops responding, there are a couple of things you can do to put things in motion again. Here, we are going to show you how to fix a frozen Galaxy Note 9.

First, let’s list a few things that you can do if your phone is responsive, at least at times:

  • Go to Settings, open Storage, and then tap Clear cache and Clear data
  • Update the apps
  • Update the software

Piling up cache and data can slow down your phone a lot, so can the apps that are not up to date. When it comes to software updates, they usually come with new features, security patches, and also include bug fixes. That’s why they are so important.

How to fix a frozen Galaxy Note 9

Solution 1: Forced reboot

If the phone is not responding and you can’t use it properly, the easiest thing to do is perform a forced reboot. A forced restart can fix the issue, and what’s more, it can speed up the performance of your device because it will refresh its memory. Plus, it will also stop the apps and processes that run in the background. Here is what you need to do:

  • At the same time, press and hold the Power key and volume down
  • Keep holding the buttons for about 10 seconds
  • Release the buttons when the screen turns on

Solution 2: Soft reset

A soft reset can be of extreme help when the phone is frozen and completely unresponsive. If a forced reboot didn’t make a change, try this out. It won’t have any effect on the data you keep on your device. Do the following:

  • Press and hold the Power key and volume down key at the same time
  • Keep holding the buttons until the phone shuts off and you see Boot mode (it can take around 20 seconds)
  • Once the phone is in Boot mode, release the buttons
  • Use the volume buttons to navigate the menu
  • Select Normal boot using the lower-left button (located below the volume buttons)

The phone will need a minute or two to reboot.

Solution 3: Safe mode

If things remain the same after the soft reset, the next thing to try is a Safe mode. We have many third-party apps on our phones, and some may cause all kinds of issues, including the one we are talking about here. So, to see if a third-party app is causing the problem, you need to enter Safe mode, where all third-party apps are disabled. If the phone runs normally, then one of the apps is the culprit. To enter safe mode:

  • Turn off the phone
  • Press and hold the Power key and the volume down key at the same time
  • Hold the buttons until you see the Samsung logo
  • When the logo shows up, release the power button, but keep holding the volume down until you see Safe mode in the bottom left of the screen.

Once the phone restarts in Safe mode, use it for a while to see how it behaves. If it responds and works fine without freezing, then one of the apps you have installed is causing the problem. All you need to do is uninstall the apps one by one. You may start with the most recent app you installed. If you have too many apps on your device, another option is to perform a factory data reset. This will erase everything on your device and will give it a fresh start.

Solution 4: Factory reset

There are 2 ways to perform a factory data reset, one through settings and one using the buttons.

  • If you can access the Settings, back up your data first
  • Go to Settings > General Management > Reset. Choose Factory data reset
  • Tap Reset then tap Delete all.

If your device is not responsive, not even at times and you can’t access the Settings, there is a way to perform a factory reset using the buttons.

  • Turn off your phone
  • Press and hold the Bixby key and Volume down key, then press and hold the Power button
  • Keep the buttons until the Samsung logo appears
  • Navigate through the menu using the volume buttons
  • Find wipe data/factory reset
  • Select it using the Power button
  • Once the factory reset is done, you’ll see the option Reboot system now
  • Press the Power button to restart your phone.

If none of these work for you, then reach out to the Galaxy Note 9 technical support team.

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