One has to wonder what happens behind the scenes at product development meetings sometimes. It’s as if HTC realized that they had a marvelous phone in the M8 and figured if it ain’t broke…let’s just add some new features! And thus the M9 was born, with better camera features and a speedier processor. This phone can’t be called groundbreaking, but it’s still a solid, desirable device.
As we approach middle age—things sometimes break down. It does happen to the best of us and smartphones are no exception. The HTC One M9 carries its own set of particular struggles, and also those that are standard for phones of this era. We will tackle both.
Problem 1: Disoriented Auto Rotate
For a device that has the ability to direct you to a street you have never even heard of, your M9 sure seems confused about its own orientation. That’s because the part responsible for auto rotate is called a gyroscope, different from GPS, of course. But why is your gyroscope directionally deficient and what can be done about it?
Solutions:
Enable Feature
- While this is probably already the case, it never hurts to check to ensure that the Auto Rotate feature is enabled.
- From Settings, go to Display & Gestures, then Display, Gestures, & Buttons.
- Make sure the Auto Rotate option is checked.
Use Help App
- There is a pre-installed help app that you can use to run a test on the gyroscope, and also an option to calibrate. Go to your apps and tap Help.
- Select Hardware Misbehaving?
- Go to Hardware Diagnostics and choose G-sensor Test.
- If necessary, opt to calibrate the g-sensor.
Reboot
Hold the Power button, then select Restart.
Wipe Cache
- Power down the HTC One M9.
- Press and hold the Volume Down key.
- Turn the phone on by pressing the Power key until the phone vibrates, then release Power.
- Release the Volume Down key only when red and blue lines of text appear.
- Press Volume Down twice to highlight Reboot to Bootloader.
- Press the Volume Down key three more times to highlight Boot to Recovery Mode and use the
Power
button to select that option. - Wait until more red and blue text appears, then press Volume Down three times again to highlight Wipe Cache Partition.
- Press Power to select.
- Once complete, press the Power key once more to select Reboot System Now.
Calibrate Sensor
Go to Settings>Display & Gestures>G-sensor Calibration.
Uninstall Apps
- Try removing any app you downloaded recently that you suspect may be causing the problem.
- If you are uncertain of which app it could be, try entering Safe Mode. If Auto Rotate works well in Safe Mode, use the process of elimination to see which app is causing the issue.
Send Phone In
Send the phone in for repair or replacement, if eligible.
Master Reset
- Go to Backup and reset from Settings and tap on Factory data reset.
- Instruct the M9 to Reset the Device.
- This wipes data so you might want to backup what you wish to save!
Problem 2: Bad News Battery
The M9’s battery isn’t terrible—at 2840 mAh, but odds are that you still wouldn’t turn down an improvement. And if you are a heavy user, that mAh may not seem like much. You aren’t going to gain anything by replacing the battery, because that is one of the HTC One M9’s few downsides—no removable battery. But don’t worry, there are still some solutions.
Solutions:
Contact Dealer
If your phone won’t hold a charge, it’s most likely one of two things—the battery itself, or the charger. If your phone is still under warranty or you have insurance, you might as well take advantage of that if you can.
Optimize Battery for Apps
- Go to Settings, then Power.
- Select Battery Optimization.
- To see a complete list of apps that are currently not optimized, tap Not optimized.
- Tap the app you wish to optimize.
Uninstall Apps
- Rule out any battery-hungry apps, especially one you might have installed recently. See if you experience the same problem while in Safe Mode. If not, you will need to uninstall the app you think is the culprit.
- To uninstall an app, tap and hold the app.
- Drag it to the Uninstall button and release.
- Confirm the uninstall by selecting OK.
Optimize Battery
- Use an app to reduce battery energy drain. One such app that will assist you is called Greenify. The download is below.
- You will have to accept the Terms and Conditions, but then you can determine which apps you want to hibernate. Simply press the + icon.
- Long-press an app until it turns green, and then select all of the other apps you wish to put to sleep.
- Click on the checkmark icon located in the upper-right hand corner. If your device is not rooted, you will want to read the popup window.
- Press Force Stop on the App Info screen.
- Tap OK to finally hibernate the app(s).
Problem 3: Dead or Unresponsive
If your phone won’t turn on, or refuses to respond, try these tips.
Solutions:
Force Reboot
- Press the Power down and hold for about three seconds until you see the option to Power Off, which you should select.
- To turn the phone back on, press and hold both Power and the Volume Down key until the phone logo appears.
Check Charger
- If your HTC One M9 will charge (i.e. you see the charging icon and/or other hopeful signs of life), let it do so for at least 10-30 minutes.
- The charger that came with your M9 should work, at least initially. If you think that charger may be the problem, try a different one.
- If your M9 is still under warranty or you have insurance, and your charger is faulty, have the company send you a new one while you can.
- Charging requires a good connection, so you will need to ensure that the plug on the end of the charger fits properly.
- If your phone will charge via a USB connection to your computer, the problem is probably your wall or car charger. If nothing delivers a charge to your phone, it could be the port or the phone itself. One way to check this is by trying a wireless charger.
- If a wireless charger fails, it’s most likely a hardware issue. Use that warranty if you can.
Boot into Recovery Mode
- With your phone powered down, press and hold the Volume Down key.
- Turn the phone on by pressing the Power key until the phone vibrates, then release Power.
- Release the Volume Down key only when red and blue lines of text appear.
- Press Volume Down twice to highlight Reboot to Bootloader.
- Press the Volume Down key three more times to highlight Boot to Recovery Mode and use the Power button to select that option.
- It’s a good idea to go ahead and Wipe Cache. Use the volume buttons to navigate to it and Power to select.
- Now highlight Reboot System Now and press Power.
Uninstall Apps
- Rule out any problem apps, especially one you might have installed recently. See if you experience the same problem while in Safe Mode. If not, you will need to uninstall the app you think is the culprit.
- To uninstall an app, tap and hold the app.
- Drag it to the Uninstall button and release.
- Confirm the uninstall.
Hard Reset
- Go to Backup and reset from Settings and tap on Factory data reset.
- Instruct the M9 to Reset the Device.
- This wipes data so you might want to backup what you wish to save!
Problem 4: Cracked Camera Glass
The good news is that the sapphire glass used for the camera cover is very scratch-resistant. The bad news is that it does not withstand any type of force or heat without breaking. Couple that with the phone’s propensity to overheat, and that’s a recipe for disaster.
Solutions:
Use Uh-Oh
If you are able to use the Uh-Oh Protection Plan or some type of insurance, go for it. At this point, this may not be a likely option though. And odds are that you will end up with a refurbished phone, but they often work just fine.
Trade-In
See if you can. It will most likely be a refurbished phone if HTC will even agree to the replacement.
Do-It-Yourself
You can try replacing the lens yourself, but if you’ve never done any work like this before it might not be easy. If you can find the original HTC One Rear Housing on a site like etradesupply.com it’s possible to remove the lens assembly for use in your phone, but you need to feel confident about both taking your phone apart and putting it back together.
Problem 5: Bluetooth Blues
Many people have cited problems with Bluetooth—especially when trying to connect to a vehicle.
Solutions:
Start Again
If your Bluetooth is acting out, remove the paired devices and start over.
Clear App Cache
- From Settings, go to Device.
- Find App Manager, then your Bluetooth app.
- Go to Storage, then the Cache section.
- Tap Clear Cache.
Turn Off Power Saving Mode
Even if you never turned it on, you might want to check anyway. Go to Settings>Power.
Problem 6: Issues Sending or Receiving Calls, Texts, or Videos
Solutions:
Turn on Mobile Data
Picture and video files can get quite hefty, and often require the use of mobile data.
Combat Coverage Issues
- Check the signal bars to assess whether the M9 is receiving proper coverage.
- If you see few or no bars, try moving to a more open space.
- If you see most or all bars, check your phone’s settings.
Contact Carrier
- Especially if your issue arises after making a switch in providers, contact your carrier to ensure the proper configuration for these services.
- For instance, if you switch from Verizon to AT&T and suddenly you experience problems sending SMS using the network, contact AT&T.
- Your account must be in good standing.
Wipe Cache
- Turn off the phone, and press and hold the Volume Down key.
- Press the Power key until the phone vibrates, then release Power.
- Release the Volume Down key only when red and blue lines of text appear.
- Press Volume Down twice to highlight Reboot to Bootloader.
- Use the Volume Down key to navigate to Boot to Recovery Mode and use the Power button to select that option.
- Wait until more red and blue text appears, then press Volume Down three times again to highlight Wipe Cache Partition.
- Press Power to select.
- Once complete, press the Power key once more to select Reboot System Now.
Clear App Data
- If the problem seems to be with one application and that application alone, try clearing the cache and app data of that app first.
- For instance, if you can hear your M9 ringing, but the call screen isn’t showing itself, try addressing the issue with the Dialer app first.
- From Settings, go to Device.
- Tap on App Manager and select the app.
- It may be necessary to tap Force Close. Regardless, tap on Storage & USB.
- Tap Cached Data and press OK to confirm.
Problem 7: Vapid Vibration Motor
You can receive notifications but your M9 doesn’t vibrate as it should. You are not alone.
Solutions:
Run Test
- Call *#*#3424#*#* and click Accept.
- If it’s the hardware you will need to send it in for repair.
Ensure Power Saver is Off
Even if you never turned it on, you might want to check anyway. Go to Settings>Power.
Problem 8: Sleepy Double Tap
There have been many instances of the double tap feature being unresponsive and it has also been reported that some M9s require two presses of the Power button just to wake the phone.
Solutions:
Use Help App
- Two-for-one problems tend to suck, and this is no exception. This issue can also be related to a dysfunctional gyroscope, along with the auto rotate problem mentioned earlier. Go to your apps and tap Help.
- Select Hardware Misbehaving?
- Go to Hardware Diagnostics and choose G-sensor Test.
- If necessary, opt to calibrate the g-sensor.
Double Check
Visit Settings>Display & Gestures>Motion Launch Gestures and ensure that Double tap to wake up and sleep is checked.
Use Gravity Screen
Gravity Screen is an app that will afford you more control of your M9’s display. Of particular significance is how the app can do this without the need to press any buttons. So if you are struggling with your Power button, this may spare you some irritation. It can also prevent embarrassing pocket dialing.
Use Optimal Conditions
- The double tap feature works best if the phone is in portrait orientation, so do hold your phone vertically while tapping.
- The sleep option only works if you are on the lock screen.
Triple Tap
If your phone needs just a little extra persuasion…
Master Reset
- Go to Backup and reset from Settings and tap on Factory data reset.
- Instruct the M9 to Reset the Device.
- This wipes data so you might want to backup what you wish to save!
Problem 9: Overheating
Solutions:
Avoid Usage
Don’t use your phone while it’s charging.
Disable Quick Charging
Use a regular charger.
Happy Medium
Especially while the phone is charging, pay attention to its environment. You don’t want it to be too hot or too cold. The phone’s temperature should never dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or above 113 degrees. In high temperature environments, the battery life will be depleted.
Factory Reset
- Go to Backup and reset from Settings and tap on Factory data reset.
- Instruct the HTC One M9 to Reset the Device.
- This wipes data so you might want to backup what you wish to save!
Must Read: How to Stop Your Android Device From Overheating
Conclusion
We hope we were able to help you out for free! Have you solved a problem with the HTC One M9 that isn’t listed here? If so, you could help others in the same boat in the comments below. If you have a serious problem, especially involving hardware, the best solution might be to contact your dealer and/or service provider.
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