Problems with the OnePlus 3T and how to fix them

The OnePlus 3T might no longer be the latest from OnePlus, but it’s still a solid phone. The 3T is essentially a souped up, or “T”urbo-charged version of its namesake, and makes key improvements in all the right areas to better compete with other flagships that are released at this time of the year. A faster processor, improved front-facing camera, and larger battery does result in a slight bump in the price point, but with the OnePlus 3T still undercutting almost all of its competition, OnePlus’ latest offering remains one of the most affordable flagships out there.

• OnePlus 3T review

However, as is the case with any new smartphone or tablet, the OnePlus 3T is not without its issues. To help you with some of them, we’ve rounded up some of the most common OnePlus 3T problems have faced, and offer potential solutions on how to fix them!

Disclaimer: Not every OnePlus 3T will suffer from these problems, and in fact, it is more than likely that you will not come across any of these issues at all.

Problem #1 – Google apps and services not working

When trying to use various Google apps like Gmail or Hangouts, users have come across error messages that say “Google Play Services error” or “Gmail is having trouble with Google Play Services.”

Potential solutions:

• For some users, it has been as simple as uninstalling the Google+ app. However, for most, the fix for this problem requires a few steps, that you can find listed below.
• Go to Settings – Apps, scroll down to Google Play Services and tap on it. Tap on the three vertical dots at the top right corner and select Uninstall Updates.
• After pressing OK twice, select Manage Device Manager. There, uncheck the Android Device Manager option, and press De-activate.
• Now, go back to the Apps section in the Settings repeat the Uninstall Updates step again for Google Play Services. A new error will say that Play Services need to be updated, and you can now re-install the latest updates. Now, all the Google apps should work as expected.
• Finally, go the Security & Fingerprint section in the Settings menu, open Device Administrators, and once again select Android Device Manager.

Problem #2 – Issues with the accelerometer

Many users have come across issues with the accelerometer. They have found that while playing games like Asphalt 8 and Real Racing, the car tends to veer to the left when holding the phone straight.

Potential solutions:

• Dial *#808# where you can find all hardware related tests. You can run the G-Sensor test here to see if everything is alright. If you need to re-calibrate the sensor, there is a very useful guide available here. Further, you can also download an app from the Google Play Store like GPS & Status Toolbox and re-calibrate the sensors, and see if that fixes it. If this is proves to be a hardware issue, the only option will be to pick up a replacement.

Problem #3 – Auto-rotate issues

One of the OnePlus 3T problems that some users have found relates to auto-rotate not working on their devices, with the phone being stuck in the portrait mode when switching the device to the landscape orientation. Some have found that the auto-rotate setting has automatically switched to Portrait only. This was an issue found with the OnePlus 3 as well.

Potential solutions:

• Some users have found that a simple reboot has done the trick to address this problem. However, in most cases, this issue comes comes back after a few days, requiring frequent restarts.
• A rogue app may be causing this issue as well. To check if this is the case, boot the device in Safe Mode (you can find the instructions below), and see if the problem persists. If it doesn’t, a recently-installed application is the cause for concern. Uninstall any apps that were added just before the problem started, and see if that fixes it.
• This could also be an issue with the accelerometer and G-sensor as well. Download an app from the Google Play Store like GPS & Status Toolbox and re-calibrate the sensors, and see if that fixes it. If this is proves to be a hardware issue, the only option will be to pick up a replacement.
• A temporary workaround that has worked for some is using an third-party app, such as Rotation Control, that will let you manually trigger the switch to the landscape orientations.

Problem #4 – Display does not turn off when making calls

Moving onto the next OnePlus 3T problem, some users have found that the display does not turn off as it is supposed to when making calls.

Potential solutions:

• Rather surprisingly, this isn’t an issue with the proximity sensor, but you can still test and make sure that it is working by dialing *#808# and going through the various options there.
• Go to the Apps section in the Settings menu, scroll down and tap on Phone. Tap on the Storage section and then clear data. This seems to have helped fix the problem.

Problem #5 – Not getting voicemail notifications

Some users have reported that voicemail notifications are being delayed, or not arriving at all. This issue seems to be restricted to those on the T-Mobile network in the US.

Potential solutions:

• A simple fix that has worked is to simply disable Visual Voicemail. Go to Call settings, select your primary SIM card that is in use, and go through Voicemail settings, and disable Visual Voicemail. Now you will receive notifications as expected, but Visual Voicemail will not be available to you. However, T-Mobile has a Visual Voicemail app that you can utilize instead.

Problem #6 – Issues where the only options are to either wait for a software update, or pick up a replacement

There are some problems that don’t have a workaround available. If the issue is software-based, the only option is to wait for an update to fix it, but if the problem is hardware related, the only choice here is to pick up a replacement. Some of these issues are listed below:

• Camera settings not being saved:  Some users have found that after changing some settings in the camera app, these changes revert to default the next time the app is opened. Not surprisingly, people would rather have the settings that have been made to be saved.
• Random reboots: A lot of OnePlus 3T owners have complained about the device randomly rebooting. You can check if a rogue app is the cause for concern by booting into Safe Mode, but this is otherwise something that will likely only be addressed in a future software update.
• Chromecast mirroring not working: While users are able to cast apps like Netflix and Spotify, complete device mirroring doesn’t work.
• Touchscreen latency issues: An issue that has been noticed by many has to do with touchscreen latency. OnePlus has acknowledged the problem, and a fix will be made available in an upcoming software update.
• Yellow or blue tint and spots on the display: A few users have noticed a yellow or blue tint on the display, with there being some bright spots on the screen as well. In this case, the only option will be to pick up a replacement.
• Headphone microphone issues: A lot of users have noticed that the mic that is built-in to their headset tends to mute randomly during a call. This seems to mostly happen when the display turns off while the headphones are plugged in.

Problem #7 – Connectivity issues

Connectivity issues are quite common when getting a new device, and below are the general steps you can follow when facing problems with connecting to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth issues seem to especially prevalent with the OnePlus 3.

Potential solutions:

Wi-Fi Issues

• Turn off the router that you’re using and the phone, and wait for a while before turning them back on.
• Go to the Wi-Fi settings on the device and forget the preferred network, before entering the details again from scratch.
• Check the level of activity on your current channel with the Wi-Fi Analyzer application. If necessary, simply switch to a different channel.
• Disable Power Saving Mode through Settings. 
• Find the MAC address for the phone by going into Settings – About Phone and ensure it is recognized by your router.

Bluetooth Issues

• Make sure that no power saving mode is enabled.
• Start by turning the Bluetooth on your device off and back on again.
• If the problem continues, clear the cache for Bluetooth by going to the Bluetooth Settings.
• Restart the phone after clearing the data and cache.
• If the Bluetooth device saves multiple profiles, you might have reached the limit for the number of profiles it can save. Delete old and unused profiles, and try setting up the connection once again from scratch.

Guides – Soft reset, hard reset, wipe cache partition, boot into Safe Mode

Soft reset

• If your display is off, turn it back on using the power key.
• Open the “Settings” application.
• Scroll down until you find “Backup & Reset.”
• Tap on “Factory data reset.”
• Select “Reset phone.”
• Tap on the box “Erase everything.”
• The device should automatically reboot

Hard reset

• Turn your phone off by pressing down the power key for five seconds.
• Turn the phone back on while keeping the volume down button pressed in.
• When the phone vibrates, release the volume down button.
• Your phone should enter a mode called Simple Recovery.
• Choose the option that reads “Wipe Cache Partition” using the power button.
• You should get a message that says “Cache wipe complete.”
• Continue to choose the option “Wipe Data/ Factory reset.”
• The phone should automatically reboot.

Wipe cache partition

• Turn your phone off by pressing down the power key for five seconds
• Turn the phone back on while keeping the volume down button pressed in
• When the phone vibrates, release the volume down button
• Your phone should enter a mode called “Simple Recovery.”
• Choose the option that reads “Wipe Cache Partition” using the power button
• You should get a message that says “Cache wipe complete.”

Booting into Safe Mode

• Turn off the device.
• Once off, press and hold the power button until the device starts booting up.
• As soon as it starts loading, press and hold the volume up and volume down keys simultaneously.
• Continue holding these buttons until the boot up is complete.
• Unlocking the device, you should see it having booted up into Safe Mode.

So, there you have it for this quick look at the some of the most commonly reported OnePlus 3T problems, and solutions on how to fix them! We will continue to keep this list updated as more problems, and more importantly, solutions, come up. If you have come across these issues or any others, do mention it in the comments section below, and we will try our best to help you find a fix.

Until then, don’t let this small list of problems deter you from buying the OnePlus 3T. Most of these issues are software-related and will be fixed in future updates, and these concerns aren’t any more or less than what is generally seen with a lot of smartphones nowadays. The OnePlus 3T is a flagship device that offers a lot of bang for your buck, and definitely a smartphone worth considering, especially as a gift for you or a loved one this holiday season.