Samsung Galaxy S23 problems and how to fix them

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra in particular, were among the best phones in 2023. However, like with any tech, the Galaxy S23 is, unfortunately, no stranger to bugs and glitches. While Samsung does an excellent job squashing significant issues with software updates, a few still continue to plague owners. Here’s a look at some common Samsung Galaxy S23 problems and how to fix them!

Problem #1: Android Auto problems

There have been some complaints about Android Auto not running well with the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. Android Auto problems are common with any new device, particularly when using Android Auto Wireless, and the issue is mainly caused because of problems during the initial setup.

Potential solutions:

• You might encounter Android Auto problems if you’ve used Smart Switch to set up your new phone. Before deleting and reinstalling Android Auto, you can try going to Settings > Apps > Android Auto and tap Force Stop. Then tap Storage and select both Clear cache and Clear data.
• You can’t uninstall Android Auto, but you can uninstall updates and then update the app to the latest version. Go to Settings > Apps > Android Auto, then hit the three-dot menu button and select Uninstall updates. When done, go update Android Auto in the Google Play Store.
• If you have problems using Android Auto Wireless with the Galaxy S23, try and set up and wired connection first if possible. Plug the phone in using a cable and set up Android Auto. After initially setting up a wired connection, Android Auto Wireless should work as expected after that. This step has worked for me when I ran into Android Auto problems.
• It could be an issue with the settings. The phone should automatically detect a car/Android Auto connection when you plug it in. If it doesn’t, tap the Android System notification in the drop-down panel and ensure it’s set to Transferring files/Android Auto.
• If you run into problems like frequent disconnections, check to ensure the cable is working properly and isn’t torn or frayed.
• Don’t forget to report issues like a blank screen, Android Auto not loading, and other software problems to Samsung. Go to the Samsung Members app and go to Support > Send feedback > Error reports.

Problem #2: Galaxy S23 Fast charging or fast wireless charging not working

A common complaint about the new Galaxy S23 series is regarding fast charging. While the Galaxy S23 features 25W fast charging, the S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra offer 45W wired charging. These phones don’t come with a charger in the box, so owners might have a problem with slower-than-expected charging when using older chargers.

Remember that even with the advertised fast charging, the Galaxy S23 series doesn’t charge nearly as fast as some of the competition from OnePlus and Xiaomi. In Android Authority’s Galaxy S23 Ultra charging test, we found that the phone takes 57 minutes to fully charge with a compatible fast charger and can take as long as 110 minutes with Samsung’s older 15W chargers.

Potential solutions:

• You might not have a charger that can charge the Galaxy S23 at full speeds. Samsung’s fast charging is based on the USB Power Delivery PPS standard, so there are plenty of third-party chargers available that you can use aside from the official Samsung 45W wall charger ($36 at Amazon). You’ll find excellent compatible options in our roundup of the best chargers you can get for the Galaxy S23.
• A Reddit user has also found that the cable Samsung includes in the box is a 3A one that only supports 25W charging. You will need a different 5A cable and a compatible 45W charger to get the fastest charging speeds on the S23 Plus and Ultra. Check out our roundup of the fastest charging cables if you need to buy a new one. The official Samsung 45W charger also comes with the correct cable.
• Slow charging might simply be a settings issue. Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > More battery settings and ensure Fast charging is enabled. If you have a compatible 45W charger, this setting will automatically enable Super Fast Charging. For wireless charging, toggle on Fast wireless charging. Also, ensure you’re using one of the best wireless chargers for the Samsung Galaxy S23 series.

Problem #3: Notifications not showing as expected

Some Samsung Galaxy S23 owners are facing problems with app notifications not showing up until they open the app. The issue seems to affect banking apps for some users, while others are seeing the problem with social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook.

Potential solutions:

• The phone’s battery optimization settings may cause notification delays. Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > Background usage limits. Ensure that the apps you are having notification problems with aren’t on the Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps lists. Then, tap Never sleeping apps and tap the plus icon at the top right corner. Add the problem apps from the list.
• If it’s a specific app, Go to Settings > Apps > (app name) > Battery and select Unrestricted.
• If the issue persists, you may need to reset the app. Go to Settings > Apps > (app name) > Storage and select Clear cache and Clear data. Clearing app data will log you out of your account, and you may lose your chats if they aren’t backed up. You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the app if nothing else works.

Problem #4: S Pen problems

One of the biggest selling points of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the S Pen stylus. However, quite a few users have encountered a problem with the stylus frequently disconnecting when using Bluetooth. While a Bluetooth connection isn’t necessary to use the stylus to write on the phone, it’s necessary for features like Air Actions.

Potential solutions:

• Samsung seemingly rolled out software updates to fix the connection problem, but users still face it. A temporary workaround is to place the stylus in its slot, wait a few seconds, and take it out again to re-establish the connection. However, users say that the S Pen disconnects once again.
• Another workaround that seems to work is to enable “Keep S Pen connected.” Go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > More S Pen settings and select Keep S Pen connected. This will keep the stylus connected even when it’s in the slot. This will cause some battery drain, though.
• Another option is to reset the S Pen. Go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen, tap on the three vertical dots icon at the top right corner, and select Reset S Pen. Go back to the S Pen page, and you will see a message saying the stylus is connecting to Air Actions. Wait for the connection to complete. If it doesn’t after a few minutes, you might have to restart your phone.

Problem #5: Wi-Fi 6 connection problems on the Galaxy S23

A few users face Wi-Fi connection issues on their Galaxy S23 devices when using Wi-Fi 6 routers. They are seeing a “Connected but no Internet” error.

Potential solutions:

• Samsung was aware of this problem and planned to roll out an update to fix it. Some users say that the February update has solved the issue, but some complaints remain. This problem should be fixed entirely by now, though. If the problem persists, follow the tip below.
• This workaround is from the Galaxy S22, which suffered from frequent disconnections when connected to Wi-Fi 6 routers. But it could apply in this case as well. A router setting could be causing the issue. Depending on your router, the settings might be in a different menu, but the setting you want to disable is called Fast Roaming. On a Linksys router, go to the router settings page, select Privacy, and turn off Fast roaming (802.11r).

Problem #6: Edge lighting not working on the Galaxy S23

Some users say that Edge lighting isn’t working for all apps on their Galaxy S23 devices.

Potential solutions:

• Edge lighting might not be enabled on your device. Go to Settings > Notifications > Notification pop-up style > Edge lighting style and ensure that one of the options is selected. In the previous screen, toggle on Show even while screen is off. For the apps for which edge lighting is not working, check that “pop-up notifications” is activated. Go to Settings > Notifications > App notifications, tap the app name, and go to Notification categories. Select a category and toggle on Show as pop-up. On the previous screen, ensure that Pop-up is allowed in the Notification types section.

Problem #7: Touchscreen issues on the Galaxy S23

The One UI 6.1 update may have introduced a rather annoying screen bug that affects the fingerprint scanner. Several users have noted unreliable touch registration on their Galaxy S23 models after the update. Samsung has a temporary workaround:

Potential solutions:

• Samsung recommends updating the Google app via the Play Store, clearing the app’s data completely, and rebooting the device.
  • Delete the app’s storage by heading to Settings > Apps > Google > Storage > Clear data.

Samsung has confirmed that a fix is in the works, but no release date has been outlined.

Problem #8: Green line showing up on the screen?

Is a green line suddenly showing up on your screen? This is actually an issue that has been gaining fame recently. It’s more common in the Galaxy S21 series, but people with other models have also been reporting this issue.

Potential solutions:

• Sadly, this is a hardware problem, so you can’t really do much to fix it. Samsung has offered screen replacements to affected users, though.</li
• If your phone is still under warranty, you can go to Samsung’s official site to make a warranty claim.
• You can also look into your extended warranty or insurance options, if you purchased one.
• If your phone has no warranty or insurance, it’s also possible to go to Samsung or a third-party repair shop to fix the screen. Of course, this will cost.

“Normal” problems on the Galaxy S23

While the Galaxy S23 faces problems that are unexpected and require workarounds or software update fixes, some users complain about issues that are normal and will be on every device. Of course, even expected problems shouldn’t happen on such expensive phones, but the solutions are easily accessible in the Settings menu.

Samsung Galaxy S23 battery life problems

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series offers excellent battery life, especially the Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, not everyone is happy with their battery life experience. There’s plenty you can do to further enhance your phone’s battery life.

• Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > More battery settings and turn off Enhanced processing. This setting prioritizes battery life and cooling efficiency over processing speed. Many users say that they don’t notice much difference in everyday performance after switching to this profile.
• You can also make changes to other settings on your phone, but these may affect the smooth experience you enjoy on the phone. On the Galaxy S23 Ultra, go to Settings > Display > Screen resolution and switch the resolution from WQHD+ to FHD+. On all S23 devices, go to Settings > Display > Motion smoothness and select Standard. This will reduce the refresh rate from 120Hz to 60Hz, which will make a noticeable difference in how scrolling feels. In the Display settings, you can also switch the device to Dark mode. Another Display setting to toggle off is Extra brightness. While this is a useful feature to have while outdoors, it will cause more battery drain.
• The phone’s always-on display may also cause battery drain. Go to Settings > Lock screen > Always-on Display. You can toggle it off. However, Samsung actually offers a few helpful options. You can change the setting to Show for new notifications, or tap Show as scheduled to set up a schedule for when the AOD will be active.
• You can save some battery while connected to a Wi-Fi network as well. Go to Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi and tap on the Wi-Fi name. Tap the three vertical dots icon at the top right corner and go to Intelligent Wi-Fi. Scroll down and enable Wi-Fi power-saving mode.
• The final setting you should consider enabling isn’t for immediate battery life but helps ensure longevity. Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > More battery settings and toggle on Protect battery. This setting will ensure that your phone only charges to 85%.
• Another helpful way to ensure longevity and a good gaming experience is to use the Galaxy S23’s bypass charging feature.

The fingerprint scanner not working because of a tempered glass screen protector

This is an unfortunate problem that is actually “normal” because the under-display fingerprint scanner of the Galaxy S23 doesn’t play well with tempered glass screen protectors. It’s better to get a TPU film screen protector for the Galaxy S23, but some tempered glass options work with the fingerprint scanner after tweaking a phone setting. Go to Settings > Display and enable Touch sensitivity. After applying the screen protector, you may also want to add your fingerprints again.

Rattling noise when shaking the phone

You might hear a slight rattling noise while shaking the phone centered around the camera. That rattling is because the phone’s optical image stabilization components move around when you shake it. It’s completely normal and something you’ll find on every smartphone that has OIS.

Guides: How to factory reset, boot into Safe Mode, wipe cache partition on Galaxy S23

Note: To enter the recovery menu to factory reset the phone or to wipe the cache partition, you must plug your Galaxy S23 series phone in. You can connect the phone to your PC, but some users have also found success by plugging in USB-C earphones into the port. Also, remember that it might take a few attempts to get into the recovery menu as the timing of pressing the buttons can be difficult to get right.

Factory reset Galaxy S23

1. To factory reset the Galaxy S23, first turn the phone off.
2. Press and hold the volume up and power buttons and release them when the Android logo appears.
3. Use the volume down button to navigate this menu. Move down to Wipe data/factory reset.
4. Press the power button to select the highlighted option. Finally, use the volume button to choose Yes – delete all user data. Use the power button again to confirm your selection.
5. Tap the power button to select Reboot system now.

You can also do this from the settings. Just follow our guide to factory reset the Samsung Galaxy S23 for more details.

Boot Galaxy S23 into Safe Mode

1. Press and hold the power button.
2. Press and hold the Power Off option.
3. Tap on Safe mode.
4. The device will restart into Safe Mode.

Wipe cache partition on Galaxy S23

1. Turn the phone off.
2. Press and hold the volume up and power buttons, then release them when the Android logo appears.
3. Use the volume down button to go to the Wipe cache partition setting and press the power button to confirm your selection.
4. Press the volume buttons to select Yes, and press the power button to confirm.
5. Restart the device once you see Reboot system now.

What Galaxy S23 problems have you encountered? Be sure to let us know in the comments below. We’ll do our best to help. If you still encounter general issues with your Galaxy S23, our general guide on common Android problems and how to fix them may be of help.