Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: Common problems and how to fix them
TheGalaxy S21 FEhasn’t been as easy to recommend as its predecessor, thanks to stronger competition from similarly priced phones like theGoogle Pixel 6. But if you like Samsung phones and its software features, the S21 FE offers an excellent middle ground between midrange devices and flagships by including a strong processor, decent cameras, and a great display while excluding luxuries like wireless charging. Like all smartphones, the S21 FE has its share of bugs and issues, and we’ve rounded up five of the most common problems and how to fix them.
Problem: The display or fingerprint reader doesn’t work while charging
SomeReddit users report the S21 FE’s touch screen or fingerprint scanner stops workingwhile it’s charging. This seems to be an issue with the charger being used rather than the device itself. Because the phone doesn’t come with a charger, customers are using either an older charger from a previous device or one purchased online.
Solution: Try a different power cable and adapter
This fix for this one is relatively easy;try a different USB-C cableandpower adapter. If you still experience problems, contact Samsung to set up a repair.
Problem: Fast charging does not work
When you charge your S21 FE it should say “fast charging” at the bottom of the lockscreen and in a notification. Sometimes the device will only show “charging” or “cable charging,” and it will take a long time for your battery to fill up. It can happen for several reasons, but thankfully they’re easy to fix.
Fix: Tweak your settings and check your charging cable and power adapter
The first thing you should do is make sure fast charging is enabled in settings. It should be switched on by default, but there’s a chance that it has been disabled. To check this:
If these settings are enabled and your S21 FE still won’t fast charge, check your USB-C cable and charging brick. The S21 FE supports up to 25W super fast charging, and the charger you use will need to support this too. Samsung phones consider anything over 12W as fast charging and anything above 15W as super fast charging. To achieve the latter, you need a charging brick that supports something called Programmable Power Supply charging or PPS. If your charger doesn’t include PPS, your phone will only charge at a maximum of 15W.
Problem: My phone won’t charge above 85%
You might find that your S21 FE refuses to charge any higher than 85%, which would be frustrating if you had a long day away from a charger ahead of you. Thankfully this is unlikely to be a fault with your device and could be an option in settings that you need to disable.
Fix: Disable Battery protect
Last year Samsung added a feature to its devices called battery protection, which stops the phone from charging past 85% to help extend the battery’s lifespan. Turning it off is easy:
If this was already switched off and your phone won’t charge past a certain percentage, you should contact Samsung’s customer support team as you may have a defective battery.
Problem: Apps aren’t in the correct order
Most phones list your applications in alphabetical order when you open the app drawer. This is the logical way of doing things, but Samsung doesn’t do this by default. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix if you prefer an alphabetized app drawer.
Fix: Tweak app drawer settings
Fixing this only takes four easy steps, and once you’ve done it you’ll never need to worry about it again.
That’s it. Now all of your apps will be arranged as they should be, and you won’t need to spend forever looking for TikTok.
Problem: The Galaxy S21 fe’s camera app isn’t working
The camera has become one of the most important parts of a smartphone, so it’s a big deal if it stops working. If that happens, there are several things you should check before you contact Samsung.
Fix: Several possible fixes
Check if the camera can be used in other apps. Open Instagram, Snapchat, or any other application that can use the camera and see if it works. If the camera still isn’t working, check if another application is using it in the background:
If an app already accessing the camera was why you couldn’t open the camera app, this should be fixed. If you’re able to use your camera in third-party apps like Instagram and Snapchat but you still can’t use Samsung’s camera app, there’s something else you can try:
If your camera app still isn’t working, you should check for app updates:
Once you’ve exhausted all of these fixes without success, it’s time to reach out to Samsung.
Now that things are in working order, you’ll want totweak a few Android and One UI settingsto make your phone work perfectly.
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