Phone FixHow to use this site
- Find your problem. Type a word or two into the box above, or pick a kind of problem.
- Read the first lines. They tell you what is usually behind the fault, so that you start with the likely cause.
- Follow the fixes in order. They run from quick and harmless to slow and drastic. Stop when the problem is gone.
- Back up before any reset. Pages that reach a factory reset link to back up your phone first.
Try these three before anything else
- Restart the phone. Not just lock and unlock: a full restart. If the screen is frozen, force restart with the buttons. Nothing is erased.
- Check storage. A phone with almost no free space is slow, crashes, and cannot receive messages or updates. See storage full.
- Install updates for the system and your apps.
Between them these cure a large share of everyday phone faults.
Android or iPhone?
Every page covers both. Android steps are written for recent Android versions and point out where Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus differ. iPhone steps are for recent iOS versions. If a menu name does not match your phone, type it into the search box at the top of Settings.
What we will not tell you to do
- Install a "cleaner", "booster" or "antivirus" app from an advertisement.
- Download apps from outside the Play Store or App Store.
- Use an "unlock service" or a trick to get round a forgotten PIN: on current phones these do not work, and many are scams.
- Put a wet phone in rice, or warm it with a hair dryer.
- Open the phone or press on a swollen battery.
When it is a repair, not a setting
Software steps cannot cure a cracked screen, a worn battery, a corroded charging port or a failed speaker. Each page lists the signs that point to hardware. In warranty, use the maker's authorised service centre, and back up first if the phone still works: repairs often involve erasing it.
Lost or stolen phone, and fraud
Those are covered on our sister site: the lost or stolen phone checklist and the guides to phone scams. For Windows computers, see PC Fix.
Do these fixes erase my data?
Only a factory reset, a restore or an erase does, and every page says so clearly before that step. Restarting, force restarting, Safe Mode, clearing cache and resetting network settings do not touch your photos or apps.
My phone model is not mentioned. Will the steps work?
Yes, in nearly all cases. Android phones share the same settings under slightly different names; use the Settings search box.
Do you repair phones or offer remote help?
No. This is a free written guide.
For Android phones and iPhones. Written in November 2026 for Android 13 to 15 and iOS 17 and 18. Phone makers rename menus; use the search box in Settings if a name differs. Back up before any reset. This is an independent guide, not connected with Google, Apple, Samsung or any phone maker or operator.