For the past two months, LG and its partner carriers have been busy rolling out the LG G3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update. While most of the feedback is positive, the Android 5.0 Lollipop update is also causing problems for many. The update initially started outside the US, and then in February it hit the AT&T LG G3 and continued to nearly all US carriers.
Back in December of last year, LG started rolling out the highly anticipated software update for the LG G3 in Korea, Poland, parts of Europe and more, and it’s now on most US devices. However, the update for all regions does cause a few minor issues for owners, we will mention a few of them and ways or tips to fix a few of the issues below.
The LG G3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update is LG’s first major update to a flagship smartphone since it was released with Android 4.4 KitKat last year. While it offers a bold new look, fresh and smooth animations, and improved performance, some users are experiencing issues with their LG G3 after the Android 5.0 Lollipop update.
With Android 5.0 Lollipop on the LG G3, users will immediately notice a few changes. The lock screen has been completely tweaked and redesigned, as are the notifications in the pull-down drawer. These are better than ever and are expandable, but the lock screen has actually lost its features with the Android 5.0 update, something many owners are not very happy with. It only shows two notifications at a time and double tap to open notifications on lock screen as announced by Google doesn’t work on G3, though you have to swipe or unlock to interact with it.
Not listed in the lengthy LG G3 update change logs are numerous LG G3 Lollipop issues that plague some owners of the device. Over the past few months and now after the update has arrived in the United States, we’ve seen numerous complaints about the LG G3 Android 5.0 update, and more are emerging as it hits almost all major carriers. Our previous reports on this have been full of disappointed users, so we hope the following few tips can help owners.
There are lots of threads on Reddit and other forums We talked about issues, lack of features, and more after the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the G3, and these issues are frustrating many users. And no, you can’t get the old onscreen buttons back, the new look is designed for Android 5.0 Lollipop and there is no going back to the old buttons although the colors can still be changed.
LG G3 Android 5.0 Problems
As we mentioned above, the lock screen has completely changed and the features it had before are missing, which is not really a bug, but an issue that the owners are not very happy about. However, the biggest complaint we’ve seen is that LG G3 owners at AT&T are being forced to update. multiple users stated that they do not accept the updatehit the close button as they want to wait and make sure there are no major bugs or issues, but the device is still updated.
We’ve heard talk about AT&T mandating many software updates and this seems to be an issue with the LG G3 Android 5.0 update. Owners were surprised when the device updated on its own without accepting the update. This is a problem for those who are rooted, have Xposed modules installed, or have done certain tweaks on their device and don’t want to upgrade.
This is alongside complaints about battery life being worse than before, although we’ve heard that the LG G3 Android 5.0 update has improved battery life and performance. Usage varies with each user, but we hear horror stories about devices overheating, running slow, apps crashing, and even device rebooting.
It’s no secret that Android 5.0 Lollipop has several issues that Google is working hard to fix. They recently released an Android 5.1 Lollipop update and we’re even seeing signs of Android 5.1.1. All of these might fix some of the battery drain and app crashing, but for now users had to wait for them to arrive. Android 5.0 has a memory leak issue that causes apps to crash, freeze, slow down or lag and more. This was thought to be fixed in 5.1, not yet on the G3, but we hear it will be fixed when Android 5.1.1 Lollipop arrives.
LG G3 Updates Not Completing
While many people at AT&T don’t want the update, some users at T-Mobile are getting a minor update followed by a larger Lollipop update, but some are reporting it’s not coming or the installation won’t finish. No matter what carrier you are, if you can’t get the update but want it (problems aside), LG software update tool. This was early shipping Lollipop specifically for the T-Mobile G3, but others might as well try.
Slow Charge
Many owners are reporting that something in the Lollipop update changed the way the phone actually charges. Using Qualcomm Quick Charge technology (similar to Nexus 6, Galaxy S6, DROID Turbo and more), the G3 can charge faster than older devices, but not as fast as few of the devices just mentioned.
However, unless you are using the wall wart charger that comes out of the box, the device tends to charge extremely slowly. We’ve heard from multiple users who have tested this that using the out-of-the-box charger works best. This is sort of a rule of thumb anyway, but for best results try a good quality micro USB cable and stock charger.
battery life
Some report excellent smooth performance and better battery life as Lollipop should be more efficient and make the phone work better, while others claim that the battery drains very quickly. This is most likely due to 3rd party apps that do not support Android 5.0 Lollipop. Go to settings > battery and see if any app is draining your battery faster than usual.
Another thing that will almost certainly fix battery life issues is clearing the device’s data and cache. Updates are large, contain lots of files, and break software similar to Windows computers. Clearing the cache can help and the best thing you can do is actually a factory data reset, which we’ll talk about below.
, And . Beginners can do something similar by downloading an app called cleaning master. This will clean up all updates and random files that not only take up space but also fragment your device storage and slow down performance.
Wi-Fi Issues
A smaller issue that we’re still hearing about a bit is WiFi issues after the update. And while this is probably not related to the update, a few steps could potentially fix the issue. Try forcing the LG G3 to forget the WiFi network that is causing the issues. Go to the desired link in Settings and long press it, then select the option. Once this is done, users will need to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network with the password. This can restart the connection and fix WiFi interruptions and issues.
Restart your phone
Whether you’re experiencing random app shutdowns, lag, issues with text messages coming and going, or just some general issues, you’d be surprised how many of these little little things get fixed with a quick restart of your phone. When you hold the power it’s not just a reboot option, it’s actually shutting down, standby and turning it back on. This usually fixes most minor bugs when family members ask me questions, so try that too.
Factory Data Reset
Performing a factory data reset is your last resort, but honestly, it’s probably your best bet. I always factory reset all my devices after updates to start with a fresh clean slate. This will delete all user data, apps, pictures and more so be sure to backup all your data.
With Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google has a new feature called Tap n Go restore that will truly restore all your apps, data, WiFi connections and more in minutes. It’s super easy to do and makes it easier than ever to wipe your phone and reinstall everything. So try a factory data reset which will probably fix almost all problems on LG G3 since the 5.0 update.
Users can follow the guide above for the best information. However, on LG G3, go to settings > tap the general column and top and scroll down and select this. It will remind you to check all backup sync options and it’s a good idea to check and allow most of these syncs first. At the bottom is factory data reset. Tap this, follow the instructions and do a factory data reset. If you have the option, don’t wipe the micro SD card as it’s probably not part of the problem.
All said and done, some issues are most likely due to apps, while others might be due to issues with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Google has released Android 5.1 with fixes and 5.1.1 Lollipop may be coming soon. And while that’s good news for LG G3 owners, carriers probably won’t get their owners pushed for at least another month or two. For any questions, concerns, corrections or feedback, leave a comment below.
