5 common problems with the HTCDesire 816 and how to fix them

Not everyone is looking to spend the big bucks on the latest and greatest, and now, OEMs are showing a lot more interest in conquering the mid-range smartphone market. Leading the way is the great HTC Desire 816. HTC’s commitment to great design and build quality continues with this “premium mid-range” offering, that also offers decent specifications, a beautiful large display, and most importantly, an affordable price tag. However, as we’ve seen with even more premium smartphones, users may run into some issues along the way while using this device. Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the problems faced by owners of the HTCDesire 816, and offer potential solutions on how to fix them.

Disclaimer – The HTCDesire 816 is still a really good smartphone, and it is likely that you won’t face any of the issues mentioned below.

Problem #1 – Power button gets stuck or doesn’t work

Some user have complained about the power button getting stuck within the body of the phone, following which a message saying “To restart your device, press the power button and volume up key,” which isn’t possible. Some users have also found that the power button feels loose, and doesn’t work, even when it doesn’t get stuck.

Potential Solutions –

• Unfortunately, this is a case of faulty hardware, so the best answer would be to pick up a replacement if possible.
• To avoid facing this issue, you can try using a flip cover with an auto awake feature. The display will automatically turn on when you open the flap, and you will avoid using the power button as much.
• If the power button is not functioning, you can use an app like Gravity Screen that lets you turn your device on or off without needing to reach for the power button, until you can pick up a replacement.

Problem #2 – Not enough storage space

Being a mid-range device, the Desire 816 offers only 8 GB of internal storage, of which only around 4 GB is available to the user. Of course, expandable storage up to 128 GB is available, but not all apps can be moved to the microSD card, and you may find yourself running out of space easily.

Potential Solutions –

• The device comes with a Storage Wizard, that lets you uninstall apps that you haven’t used in a while, and delete files that you no longer need or have backed up. You can find this by going into Settings – Storage – Make more space.
• Some third-party apps can be moved from the phone storage to the storage card. Go to Settings – Apps – On SD card, to see which apps can be moved. To move, tap an app, and then tap Move.
• Back up files, photos, and videos to your laptop or to the cloud and keep only the recent and more important documents on the device. You get 50 GB of free storage on Google Drive for 2 years with the Desire 816, which is also helpful.

Problem #3 – Overheating

Some users have complained about the device becoming uncomfortably warm, even when the display hasn’t been continuously on for a long time, or when a processor intensive app or gams isn’t running.

Potential Solution –

• Kill all the background apps that you aren’t using, and make sure that the auto-sync feature of some apps is also turned off. To do so, go into Settings – Applications and then choose the app and disable auto sync.
• This could be related to a specific app. Reboot the device in Safe Mode (see below on how to do so), and if the issue doesn’t occur then, an application is the culprit. Make sure that all the apps are up to date, and you can also try clearing the app cache. Then, you can uninstall apps that you’ve recently downloaded, or do a Factory Reset and start over.
• If the phone heats up unnecessarily, such as when the display is off, or you’re not doing anything that is processor intensive, it may be faulty hardware, and it’s best to pick up a replacement if possible.

Problem #4 -Random reboots

Some users have faced problems with the device randomly rebooting, or freezing.

Potential Solution –

• If the screen is frozen, tapping on the power button to turn the screen off, and turning the screen on again might unfreeze it. If that doesn’t work, a long press on the power button will reboot the device.
• The likely culprit for this issue is a specific application. You can follow the instructions in Problem #3 above to find out if this is the case.

Problem #5 – Sluggish performance and battery concerns

Some users have noticed a generally sluggish performance on their device, with quite a few instances of noticeable lag. Battery life is also always a concern, and depending on your usage, you may be looking for solutions to extend it. While these two issues are different, they have been clubbed together as the potential solutions for both are similar.

Potential Solutions –

•  Kill all the background apps that you aren’t using, and make sure that the auto-sync feature of some apps is also turned off. To do so, go into Settings – Applications and then choose the app and disable auto sync.
• HTC devices offer some great Live wallpapers and a ton of useful widgets, but using these will drain the battery faster, and might result in a slowdown in performance as well. It is best to use static wallpapers, and to minimize the number of widgets only to the ones you use most often.
• You can go into Settings – Power and then tap on Sleep Mode  and make sure that it is on. This setting will automatically turn off your data connections after a pre-set period of 15 minutes (which you can change) of inactivity, and this will contribute towards extending battery life. Data connectivity will automatically turn back on the moment you wake the device.
• If you find the interface to be too laggy, a soft reset may do the trick.
• If you find unexplained battery drain, a specific application may be the cause. You can find out if this is the case by following the instructions in Problem #3.

So there you have some of the problems faced by HTCDesire 816 owners, and we’ll continue to update this list if more turn up. If you’ve had to struggle with any of these issues, let us know if any of these solutions have worked for you. If there is any other problem with your device, don’t forget to mention it in the comments section below, and we’ll try to help you find a fix!

Here are the guides to perform a soft reset and factory reset on the HTCDesire 816.

Soft Reset

• If the display is off, press the power button to turn it back on. If you’ve set up a lock screen, you need to unlock it.
• Press and hold the power button, and then tap Restart.
• When asked to confirm, tap Restart.

If the device is frozen and unresponsive

• Press and hold the power button and the volume up key simultaneously for 10 seconds, and the device should restart.

Factory Reset

Keep in mind that performing a factory reset will erase all your data from the device, so make sure that you first back up anything important.