Is my device really defective?

Sometimes your device does not work as expected. In some cases, you can solve this yourself. That way, you can avoid sending your device in for repair.

Below you will find a list of common problems and their solutions. Click on a problem to read the explanation.

Battery & Charging

• My battery drains quickly

  If you have had your phone for a while, it can happen that the battery drains faster than it did at the beginning. Even when you have just received your phone, the battery life may be shorter than you expected. There can be different reasons for this. Here are a few tips:

  • Update your software: With every software update, manufacturers try to improve how your phone uses power. So there is a good chance that your battery life will improve after an update. (Android, iOS)
  
  
  • Restart your phone regularly: Restart your phone at least once a week. This helps prevent unnecessary apps from using battery power in the background and small memory issues from affecting battery life.
  
  
  • Turn off unnecessary functions and apps: Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS use a lot of power and are often not needed all day. Turn them off when you are not using them. Also check your battery settings to see which apps use the most power.

• My device is not charging

  If your phone does not turn on immediately, the battery may have been empty for a longer time. This can make it take longer before the phone starts charging. Charge your phone for at least one hour and check whether it turns on.

  • Faulty charger: If your phone does not charge, the charger may be the issue. Try your charger with another phone and try another charger with your phone. Do not forget to test both the plug and the cable, because one of those may be causing the problem. This way you can find out whether the issue is with your phone or the charger.
  
  
  • Dirt in the charging port: If you have had your phone for some time, dust may have built up in the charging port. This can stop your phone from charging properly. You can try to remove the dust yourself with a small air blower, or by carefully blowing into the port. If that does not work, visit a nearby phone shop. They can often remove the dust quite easily.

Performance & Speed

• My phone is slow

  It is not surprising that after a while your phone responds more slowly than when it was new. Here are a few tips to help make your phone faster again:

  • Update your software: With every software update, manufacturers try to improve how the hardware and software work together. So there is a good chance your phone will become a bit faster after an update. (Android, iOS)
  
  
  • Reset your phone: By resetting your phone to factory settings, everything is restored and your phone may start working properly again. Small errors are removed. Please note that this also deletes your files and settings, so make a backup first if you want to keep them. (Android, iOS)
  
  
  • Clear your phone: Both full storage and cache memory can slow down your phone. Clearing the cache regularly and removing unnecessary files can help prevent this.

• My device does not turn on (anymore)

  Whether your phone is new or you have had it for a while, it can happen that it suddenly refuses to turn on. This can have different causes. So first try the following steps before sending it in for repair.

  • Removable battery: Do you have a new device that does not switch on? If your device has a removable battery, there may still be a protective film between the battery contacts and the device. Remove the back cover and take out the battery. Remove the film, put the battery back in, and switch the phone on again.
  
  
  • Empty battery: This may sound obvious, but your battery may have been empty for a longer time. This can make it take longer before the phone starts charging. Charge your phone for at least one hour and check whether it turns on.
  
  
  • Faulty charger: If your phone does not charge, the charger may be the issue. Try your charger with another phone and try another charger with your phone. Do not forget to test both the plug and the cable, because one of those may be causing the problem. This way you can find out whether the issue is with your phone or the charger.
  
  
  • Dirt in the charging port: If you have had your phone for some time, dust may have built up in the charging port. This can stop your phone from charging properly. You can try to remove the dust yourself with a small air blower, or by carefully blowing into the port. If that does not work, visit a nearby phone shop. They can often remove the dust quite easily.

• My device is slow, often crashes, or suddenly has a short battery life

  If you use your device a lot, the storage will slowly fill up with apps, files, and processes. This can cause your phone to slow down, crash more often, or have a shorter battery life.

  • Delete files: Try deleting files such as apps, photos, movies, and music from your phone. This will reduce the amount of RAM used and increase the available storage space on your device. This often has a positive effect on the speed and battery life.
  • Reset device: If you want to start all over with a clean slate, reset your device. This will reset your phone as it was when it came out of the factory. By restoring the factory settings, your phone will delete all files on the device. So first make a backup of the files you want to keep. Restore your phone to factory defaults by going to "Backup and reset" in the settings. Tap "Restore factory settings". Once you have done this, your phone will be completely empty again and the problems will most likely have been fixed.

Screen & System Settings

• My screen is not responding

  If your screen is not responding, the TalkBack function may be enabled. This completely changes the way you operate your phone. You need to disable this function to return to normal use.

• My screen has a red glow

  If your screen suddenly looks more red than usual, night mode may be enabled.

  • With Android devices, you can check this by swiping down from the top of the screen twice. This opens the settings, where you can see whether night mode is enabled.
  • With iPhones, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center. Press and hold the brightness slider (or press firmly with 3D Touch), and check whether True Tone and Night Shift are enabled. Turn both functions off if needed.

  
  

  Is your problem not solved?
  Then it may also be an issue with your screen settings. If you have a phone with an AMOLED, Super AMOLED, or OLED screen, the colours on your display may need adjusting. On most phones, you can open these settings by tapping "Settings" and "Display". If you see an option such as "Screen calibration", you can adjust the colours of your screen there.

• My display has a "dead" or blinking pixel

  Is one of the pixels on your screen coloured differently than the rest, or does it blink white when you are calling? In most cases this is a proximity sensor. A proximity sensor is a sensor that can detect whether you are on the phone and holding your phone to your ear. Your screen is then automatically turned off so that you do not accidentally end the call with your ear.
  
  For devices with a large notch or wide bezels, the proximity sensor is often built into the notch or bezel. When the display fills the entire front, it is usually built into the display itself.

• My device is not set in the language I want it in

  It is possible that your device shows a language other than English the first time it is switched on. Most phones allow you to change the language right away. If that is not the case, inserting a SIM card can often help. Switch the device off, insert a SIM card from the country or language you want to use, and switch the device on again. A message will often appear that lets you set the device to the correct language.

SIM Card & Network

• My device has a SIM lock

  Gomibo only offers unlocked devices. If you ordered your device through Gomibo, it is always SIM-lock free. Something else may be wrong with your SIM card. For a possible solution, take a look at the next question: "My device does not recognize my SIM card".
  
  Are you using a non-European SIM card?
  Some devices have a regional lock, which means a phone made for the European market, for example, cannot easily be used in other regions. At Gomibo, we only sell European phones. If you use a non-European SIM card, it may therefore not work because of this regional lock.
  
  On many devices, the regional lock is removed after making a continuous 5-minute call with a European SIM card. In that case, you can try using a Dutch or European SIM card from a friend or family member and make a call with your phone. Please note: A regional lock cannot always be removed. We therefore always recommend using a European SIM card in your device.

• My device does not recognize my SIM card

  If your phone does not ask for a PIN code after inserting your SIM card, your SIM card is probably not being read. First, it is important to find out whether the issue is with the SIM card or the phone. To do this, perform a SIM card cross-test:

  1. Put your own SIM card in another phone and check whether it works;
  2. Put another SIM card in your phone and check whether it works.

  If your SIM card does not work in another phone either, the problem is with the SIM card. If another SIM card does not work in your phone, the problem is likely with your phone.
  
  Are you using a cut SIM card? Some devices are very sensitive to the shape of the SIM card and may not work properly if the card was cut slightly unevenly. Try using an original micro or nano SIM card. To be sure, also test the cut SIM card in another phone. That way you can find out whether the issue is with the SIM card or the device.
  
  Was your phone switched on when you inserted the SIM card? Then restart the device. Is it still not working? Then your phone may have a defect. We are happy to help you solve this. Please visit our Warranty & Repairs page.

• My device has no service

  This can be caused either by your phone or by your SIM card. First try to find out where the problem comes from.

  • Reinsert the SIM card into your phone and restart the device. Make sure you enter your PIN correctly and check whether you now have service.
  • Still no service? Put your SIM card in another phone. If you do get service there, the issue may be with your phone. To rule that out, it is a good idea to try the steps below first.
  • Insert another SIM card, for example from a friend or family member, into your device. Check whether you have service with that card. If you do, the issue is with your SIM card or your provider’s network coverage.
  • Do you still have no service with another SIM card? Then the problem is probably with your device. First try to reset your phone. This often helps solve the problem.

  Did the tips above not help? Then of course we are happy to help you solve the issue. Please visit our Warranty & Repairs page.

• My device does not connect to mobile internet

  No connection to mobile internet? This may be caused by certain settings on your phone. In some cases, you need to adjust the APN settings manually.

Accessories

• My earphones do not make any sound

  If you have in-ear earbuds, such as Apple AirPods, dirt can get into the earbuds. When earbuds suddenly lose their sound, accumulated dirt is usually the cause. Dirt can build up in earbuds if they are not cleaned, so it is important that you clean them regularly. On the Apple website you can read how to clean AirPods. Follow these tips for other in-ear earbuds too.