Samsung Galaxy A53 problems and how to fix them

Although a generation old, the Samsung Galaxy A53 is still one of the best mid-range phones you can get. It checks all the right boxes for what users want from their phones, with solid cameras, a beautiful display, and impressive battery life. Like any smartphone, though, it has its fair share of bugs and glitches that require workarounds or software update fixes. Here’s a look at some common Samsung Galaxy A53 problems and how to fix them.

5G not working

Although we didn’t experience any during our review, some Galaxy A53 owners have faced 5G network connectivity problems. Despite the 5G icon showing at the top right corner, the phone doesn’t appear to have any data connection.

Potential solutions:

• You can try resetting network settings. Go to Settings > General Management > Reset and tap on Reset network settings. Confirm your selection, enter your PIN or pattern, and tap on Reset. Keep in mind that this will also reset your Wi-Fi settings.
• Depending on where you are, 5G availability can be limited. You might want to switch to LTE as the default until you get better 5G coverage in your area. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks and change the default option to LTE/3G/2G (auto connect).
• Check with your network carrier and ensure you have the correct APN settings to connect to 5G.

USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter showing “unsupported device” error

The Samsung Galaxy A53 doesn’t come with a headphone jack, but users can get a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter to keep using their wired headsets. Some users have said they get an “unsupported device” error when plugging in the adapter, however.

Potential solutions:

• This is a hardware problem when using a poor-quality adapter. It’s best to get the official Samsung USB-C to headphone jack adapter. Users have also reported that the Anker USB-C to 3.5mm jack adapter works well.

Performance issues

Many Samsung Galaxy A53 owners have complained about performance problems. They say the phone slows down, is laggy, and stutters often. It seems to be the phone’s most prominent issue.

Potential solutions:

• Restart your phone if you haven’t for a while. This will also give you a clean slate on which you can perform further troubleshooting.
• The laggy performance could be because of a rogue app. Boot the phone into Safe Mode (the instructions are below) and check if the performance issues persist. If everything seems fine, an app is the culprit. Uninstall any recently downloaded or updated apps, and the problem should go away.
• You can try adjusting the settings to ensure that any performance stutters go away. Enable Developer Mode by going to Settings > About phone > Software information and tap on the Build number multiple times until you see a pop-up saying you are now a developer. Go to Developer options in the settings menu. Change all the animation speed settings to 0.5.
• Users say that changing the display rate from 120Hz to 60Hz also helps. The experience won’t be as smooth, but it won’t stutter as much either.
• Make sure that you keep clearing apps running in the background.
• Some users say that gesture navigation seems to cause lag and stutters. Go to Settings > Display > Navigation bar and switch from gesture navigation to three-button navigation.

Notably, Samsung is rolling out a new update for the Galaxy A53 that aims to improve device stability and fix several bugs introduced with One UI 6. It’s a good idea to install the update if these troubleshooting steps do not help.

Apps not working

Some users have had issues with apps freezing, lagging, or suddenly shutting down.

Potential solutions:

• First, try restarting your phone if you haven’t already.
• The best option is to clear the app cache and storage. Go to Settings > Apps and find the problematic app. If you aren’t using a third-party launcher, you can also long-press on the app in the app drawer and tap on the information button (“i” icon at the top right corner) to go directly to the App Info page. Tap on Storage and select Clear cache and Clear data. If it is a system app that you can’t see on the list, tap on the three vertical dots icon at the top right corner of the Apps page and enable Show system apps.

Fingerprint scanner issues

A few users have complained about the fingerprint scanner not working as expected. While accuracy isn’t the concern, they say it takes some time to unlock the phone.

Potential solutions:

• Users who complain about slow unlocks say that disabling fingerprint animation seems to do the trick. Go to Settings > Biometrics and security > Fingerprints and disable Show animation when unlocking.
• You might have trouble using the fingerprint scanner if you have a screen protector on the phone, especially if it is a tempered glass one. Only a handful of tempered glass options are compatible with the fingerprint scanner. You might run into problems even with a TPU screen guard. Add your fingerprints again after you install the screen protector. You can also boost touch sensitivity by going to Settings > Display and enabling Increase touch sensitivity. You should also enable Accidental touch protection.
• Additionally, and as a more practical measure, ensure your authentication finger is always clean and dry when using the fingerprint sensor.
• You can also try re-enrolling the same fingerprint as a secondary print to improve the unlock hit rate. Open Settings > Security and privacy > Biometrics > Fingerprints. Tap Add fingerprint, enroll your fingerprint, then hit Done.

Android Auto problems

Like most smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy A53 is no stranger to Android Auto problems. Users have complained about dropped connections, nothing appearing on the screen, or laggy performance.

Potential solutions:

• You might face problems with Android Auto if you’ve used the Samsung SmartSwitch feature to set up your Galaxy A53. Go to Android Auto in the Google Play Store and uninstall and reinstall it. It won’t uninstall fully since it’s a system app but tap on Update after you uninstall it.
• The phone should automatically detect when using a wired connection. If it doesn’t, make sure that you have enabled the correct setting. Open the Android System notification in the drop-down panel and select Transferring files/Android Auto.
• If you have problems connecting with Android Auto Wireless, it’s best first to establish the connection using a cable. The wireless connection should work as expected after that.
• Our Android Auto problems and fixes roundup has more detailed workarounds and additional troubleshooting steps.

Problems where the only option is to wait for a software update

The Galaxy A53 has a few issues that don’t have a workaround. The only option, in this case, is to wait for a software update from Samsung or the app developer. If you see any problems, report them to Samsung by going to the Samsung Members app and tapping on Get help > Send feedback > Error reports.

Potential solutions:

• Slow Wi-Fi: Multiple users have reported slower Wi-Fi speeds on the Galaxy A53 than what they see on speed tests with other devices connected to the same network. The Galaxy A53 doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, but users see the problem even with similar smartphones. Some users have noted that Wi-Fi speeds are no longer an issue. Consider grabbing the latest update from Samsung if there is one pending.
• Touch screen issues: Some users say that the phone display doesn’t register touches properly, or it taps somewhere else on the screen. Check if a rogue app is causing the problem. It might also be a hardware issue.

Guides

How to boot the Samsung Galaxy A53 into Safe Mode

• Open the Power menu by pressing and holding the power button. You can also do so by sliding down the notification panel twice and tapping on the power icon at the top right corner. Press and hold Power off and tap on Safe mode. When the phone reboots, you should see Safe mode at the bottom left corner.
• Restart the phone to exit safe mode.
• If the phone is off or unresponsive, press and hold the power button until the device restarts and you see the Samsung Galaxy logo on the screen. Once the logo appears, press and hold the volume down key until you see Safe mode at the bottom left corner.

How to factory reset the Samsung Galaxy A53

• If the phone is on, go to Settings > General Management > Reset and select Factory data reset.
• If the phone is off, first plug it into a PC. Then press and hold the power button and volume up button simultaneously until the phone restarts. Release the power button but hold the volume up key when the Samsung Galaxy logo appears. Release the volume key when you see the recovery menu. Use the volume buttons to navigate to Wipe data/factory reset.