Android

Samsung Galaxy S20 Problems: 5 Things You Need to Know

Published

2 months ago

07/18/2023

Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Galaxy S20 FE users are dealing with bugs and performance issues.

As the Galaxy S20 series continues to age, we continue to see complaints from people still holding onto Samsung’s former flagship models.

While a lot of the issues pertain to the Android 13 and One UI 5 software powering the phones, we’ve also heard about various hardware problems.

Some of these current problems are brand new, others have carried over from older versions of Samsung’s Android/One UI software.

Samsung’s working to resolve bugs and performance issues that have been around for months and we’ll continue to see new problems emerge as more people buy these phones and as current owners put more mileage on their devices.

Table of Contents

With that in mind, we want to take you through the current state of Galaxy S20 problems. We’ll take you through the best way to prepare for the move to new versions of Android 13, provide you with some resources that could help you fix issues, and we’ll give you a look at what to expect from Samsung and its partners down the road.

Galaxy S20 Problems

As we push away from Samsung’s latest software release, we’re hearing about the hardware problems, bugs and performance issues plaguing the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Galaxy S20 FE.

Galaxy S20 users are reporting abnormal battery drain, installation issues, notification issues, problems with first and third-party apps, UI lag, charging issues, data issues, gesture issues, issues with biometrics, Wi-Fi problems, volume problems, and more.

Some Galaxy S20 users are noticing issues with their displays. Specifically, users are seeing green and pink lines running down their device’s display.

Where to Find Feedback

If you haven’t moved your phone to the latest version of Android 13 yet, make sure you keep an eye on feedback from Galaxy 20 users that have. This feedback will keep you informed about potential issues.

There are several places to find feedback about Android 13 and One UI 5. We recommend keeping an eye on XDA-Developers, the Galaxy S20 Reddit, the Android Reddit, and social media sites like Twitter.

If you live in the United States you’ll also want to keep your eyes on the official AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile forums if you own a Galaxy S20 on one of those networks.

We’ll also provide you with the latest information about Android updates for the Galaxy S20 so keep an eye out for new information.

How to Fix Galaxy S20 Problems

If you run into a problem on your Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, or Galaxy S20 FE, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to fix whatever is ailing your phone.

If you run into an issue, take a look at our list of fixes for common Galaxy S20 problems. We’ve also released a guide that could help you fix battery life issues.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for in our guides, you should check out the XDA’s Galaxy S20 forum, carrier support forums (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, for example), and the Galaxy S20 Reddit for potential fixes.

You can also get in touch with Samsung or your provider on social media sites like Twitter. Samsung’s also got a customer support line that might come in handy.

Prepare for Android Software Updates

Samsung and its partners will fix many of the Galaxy S20’s lingering issues, but Android software updates often bring problems of their own.

When you open up your Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, or Galaxy S20 FE there’s a chance you’re prompted to download a new version of Android 13. New updates can cause problems so you’ll want to prepare your device for the move.

There’s no way to predict exactly how a new version of Android 13 will impact your phone’s performance. Some of you will see a performance boost while others will run into issues. This is precisely why you should spend some time prepping your phone for the move.

Here’s what we recommend doing before installing a new version of Android on your Galaxy S20, Galaxy 20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, or Galaxy S20 FE:

Backup your data.
Get familiar with the latest firmware’s changes.
Have your login information handy.
Dig into feedback about performance.
Cleanup your phone’s storage.
Find fixes for potential problems.
Check in with IT.
Check app reviews and install updates.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to avoid major issues with Samsung’s latest software.

What’s Next

Samsung will continue to push monthly security patches to the Galaxy S20 series. You’ll want to keep an eye out for these because they often include bug fixes.

Software support for the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Galaxy S20 FE will last for a bit longer. Samsung currently provides four to five years of support to flagship devices.

If your carrier provides an Android update schedule, keep an eye on it for information about upcoming software updates.

Carriers like Rogers, Fido, and Telus in Canada and Vodafone in Australia like to keep their customers informed about upcoming Android software updates. If your carrier has a similar schedule available, you might want to bookmark it and keep an eye out for detail.

For more information about Samsung’s Android 13 update, have a look at our guide.

As for the next version of Android, Samsung’s planning to release Android 14 and One UI 6 later this year. Unfortunately, we don’t expect the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, or Galaxy S20 FE to make the move to the software. Officially, at least.

For more about Samsung’s Android 14/One UI 6 update, head over to our walkthrough.

6 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 15 & 5 Reasons Not To

Wait for Design Changes

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Last year, Apple introduced a brand new pill-shaped notch the company calls Dynamic Island. Unfortunately, this change is only available on the company's high-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. That will likely change this year.

Analyst Ross Young believes Apple could bring Dynamic Island to the lower-end iPhone 15 models. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman does as well.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the iPhone 15's proximity sensor will be integrated into Dynamic Island. The proximity sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro models is under the display outside of Dynamic Island. This could lead to Face ID improvements.

This might give some of you considering Apple's iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus a reason to hold out and wait for the new models.

On the flip side, Young doesn't think the standard iPhone 15 models will get 120Hz/LTPO like the iPhone 15 Pro models. This has been backed up by another source who says the iPhone 15/iPhone 15 Plus won't get ProMotion and Always-On display capabilities.

We've heard the the iPhone 15 Max's design will be made out of titanium as opposed to stainless steel. The frame supposedly has a brushed finish.

Leaker ShrimpApplePro claims early information suggests Apple is indeed working on a titanium design. The leaker says the design may also incorporate curved rear edges and a glass back.

In a newer tweet, the leaker says the iPhone 15 Pro models will "have thinner bezels" with curved edges. The display is reportedly still flat, however.

ShrimpApplePro says additional sources now agree with the information and that the bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro models will indeed be thinner.

In a tweet, well-known leaker Ice Universe says the iPhone 15 Pro Max will break the record for thinnest bezels on a smartphone. The record is currently held by the Xiaomi 13.

In a follow up tweet, he's shown off what are evidently glass displays and third-party screen protectors for the iPhone 15 series. The bezels are indeed extremely thin.

Analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities also believes the company is working to deliver a new titanium design. So does Gurman.

We've seen an iPhone 15 Pro dummy unit leak on the Chinese version of TikTok and it gives us a glimpse at what the device might look like. CAD images of the iPhone 15 Pro from 9to5Mac also show us what the final product could look like.

We've also heard the iPhone 15 Pro will have a new mute button that replaces the switch. This "Action" button could work like it does on the Apple Watch Ultra in that it will allow users to map it to different functions.

This new addition has seemingly been confirmed by the iOS 17 beta.