What is a Bricked Phone? Causes, Fixes & How to Avoid It?
In todayโs tech-driven world, our smartphones have become the most important gadgets for us. Whenever a phone stops working or becomes โbricked,โ it causes extreme panic. Isnโt it? However, itโs not a common issue for the average user, software glitches from updates usually cause your phone to stop working. This recently happened with Samsung devices, where an update to the SmartThings app rendered different models like the Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and others, unusable. In this blog, we will discuss what exactly a bricked phone means and whether there is a way to fix it. Letโs break it down.
What Does โBrickedโ Mean?
An unresponsive phone is considered โbrickedโ. For instance, if your phone is stuck in a boot loop, or wonโt turn on at all, it is called a bricked phone. There are two types of bricking: soft bricking and hard bricking. Letโs understand the difference between the two.
- Soft Brick: A soft-bricked phone may get stuck in a boot loop, freeze on a logo screen, or enter recovery mode. While problematic, itโs usually repairable with some effort. This type of bricking often occurs after a failed update or while tweaking software like custom ROMs.
- Hard Brick: A hard-bricked phone is completely unresponsive. There are no signs of life even after pressing the power button or trying recovery mode. Hard bricking is more severe and more difficult to fix, often needing professional help or a full phone replacement.
Causes of a Bricked Phone
Software issues are the common causes of a bricked phone. Problematic updates or failed installations usually result in a bricked device. Letโs delve into some of the most common causes:
- Failed Software Update: A system update or an app update can go wrong during the process. In the case of Samsung, a simple SmartThings app update recently caused phones like the Galaxy S10 to stop working entirely.
- Rooting and Custom ROMs: Rooting your phone offers customization perks, but it also carries risks. Installing a custom ROM or tweaking the phoneโs firmware wrongly can result in a bricked device.
- Beta Software: Using beta versions of operating systems, like Android or iOS, can be dangerous since theyโre not fully stable. For instance, Appleโs iOS 17 beta caused similar issues earlier this year.
- Malware: In irregular cases, malware can corrupt your phoneโs operating system, making it useless.
- Hardware Damage: Severe hardware damage, like dropping your phone in water, can also lead to bricking. However, it is the least common cause and is typically referred to as hardware failure rather than software bricking.
What to Do If Your Phone is Bricked?
Consider some troubleshooting steps before getting panicked.
- Check for Widespread Issues
Before acknowledging the worst, check online forums or social media to see if others are encountering the same issue. For instance, when Samsung phones were bricked by the SmartThings app update, many users already knew it wasnโt just their device and that an official fix was likely coming. - Contact Customer Service
If your phone is soft-bricked, seek customer support. They can guide you through steps like entering recovery mode or resetting the device without losing your data. Samsung, for example, was able to help many users reset their bricked phones without wiping out critical information. - Try Recovery Mode
If your phone is stuck in a boot loop or wonโt load the operating system, try using Recovery Mode. This helps you restart the device, clear the cache, or even reset the phone to factory settings. However, keep in mind, that a factory reset will delete all your data. - Hard Reset
If your phone is unresponsive, you can try a hard reset. Each phone has a distinct combination of buttons to press. Usually, the power and volume-down buttons help in rebooting.
Preventing Future Bricking
There are steps you can take to minimize the risk of being bricked:
- Back-Up Your Data Regularly: In case you need to factory reset your phone, having a recent backup assures you can retrieve crucial files.
- Avoid Beta Software: Unless youโre a developer or tech fanatic, avoid using beta versions of operating systems on your mobile phones.
- Be Cautious with Rooting: If you want to root your phone, be careful when installing custom ROMs or modifying system files.
A bricked phone can be a nightmare. However, in many cases, a soft-bricked device is recoverable with some patience and the proper steps. Always back up your data and move cautiously while updating your software to avoid future bricking. I hope this blog will be helpful for you.
PTA Taxes Portal
Find PTA Taxes on All Phones on a Single Page using the PhoneWorld PTA Taxes Portal
Explore NowFollow us on Google News!