Disastrous Android Lollipop problems and their solutions

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• Android Lollipop: performance problems
• Android Lollipop: apps restarting in the background
• Android Lollipop: missing "system.img" error message
• Android Lollipop: Wi-Fi connectivity
• Android Lollipop: overheating
• Android Lollipop: battery drain bug
• Android Lollipop: video playback bug
• Android Lollipop: flashlight bug
• Android Lollipop: no silent mode, status bar ticker or power button menu
• Android Lollipop: OTA broken on modified devices
• Android Lollipop: fast charging isn't charging fast
• Android Lollipop: recent apps switcher issue
• Android Lollipop: camera bug
• Android Lollipop: GPS problems
• Android Lollipop: Chrome tabs problem
• Android Lollipop: Bluetooth problems
• Android Lollipop: incompatible applications

Check these things first

Some of the most common problems after a software update are easy to fix. Before taking drastic measures, check the following:

• Check that all your apps are up-to-date by going to the Play Store > My Games and Applications.
• If an app continues to suffer from problems, go to Settings > Applications and select the app in question. Then clear the cache. 
• If the problem persists, restart your phone.
• You can also try to clear the cache or app data of other apps that are causing issues. 
• If all previous solutions have failed, you can try restoring to the factory settings. This will delete your data, photos, videos and all other personal files saved on your smartphone. Check the solutions that are recommended in this article before proceeding to this step.

Android Lollipop: performance problems

For most people, updating to Android Lollipop has made their hardware happier, their teeth whiter and their days just dandy. But some users have encountered a range of issues, including freezes, crashes, stutter and lag. In-place upgrades can be the cause of that.

Installing updates on top of updates on top of updates can eventually cause problems, so a factory reset might be on the cards, but first look at your apps to check they’ve been updated to Lollipop. As with any performance issues, try switching off anything you don’t need to see if you can identify a specific cause. 

Android Lollipop: apps restarting in the background

There is a bug that restarts apps in the background in the first version of Android 5.0, but not with the 5.1 update. Even apps with persistent notifications in the status bar are affected by this scourge. The only way to solve this problem is to restart the phone, which is a temporary solution, or update your phone to a newer Android version, for a permanent solution.

Android Lollipop: missing "system.img" error message

This is a seriously dismaying issue, but it's fixable, I assure you. Before you can use Lollipop on your device, you get this error message, "Missing system.img". When it was still on this version of Android, the Nexus 5 had also experienced this major problem, which can occur during the flash of an installation image with version of 5.0.
To solve the issue, you simply need to flash the installation files one by one manually, instead of using the automatic command "flash-all.bat".

Android Lollipop: WiFi connectivity

It seems that we can't have an Android update without something going wrong with either WiFi, Bluetooth or both. Try the usual range of solutions: toggle airplane mode on and off, forget and reconnect to the network, reboot your phone, restart your router or switch between the WiFi frequency bands.

If this fails, you may have to wait for a patch from Google for the permanent solution.

Android Lollipop: overheating

Assuming you haven’t left your device in direct sunlight or near a wicked child with a magnifying glass, overheating is often a side-effect of really hammering the phone with apps such as 3D games.

Your case might be contributing to the problem too – phones are designed to be case-free, and heavy cases can interfere with heat dissipation. It’s also worth trying Safe Mode to see if the culprit is an app that’s misbehaving. 

• Everything you need to know about Android 5.0 battery life

Android Lollipop: battery drain bug

Every new installation of Android firmware results in some battery drain for some users. This is almost always because the update was applied over the top of existing firmware rather than installed 'clean'. There are a few things that could go wrong when everything is set up one way on your phone, and then the world shifts beneath its feet.

So now may be the time to bite the bullet, do a full backup and do a factory reset. You can do this via the Settings > Backup & Reset section or manually with the hardware buttons. Just search AndroidPIT for your particular device and 'factory reset' to find a step-by-step guide on how to do this. 

• How to enable battery saving mode on Android 5.0 Lollipop

Android Lollipop: video playback bug

Nexus 7 (2013) owners have reported some bugs with video playback following the update to Lollipop. The issue doesn't seem to be restricted to any particular app, but YouTube is, of course, at the center of the furor. Any app that uses the default Android video player suffers though.

If YouTube is the issue for you, hit Settings > Apps and find the entry for YouTube. Clear the cache and try again or do a reboot for a temporary fix. You can always try uninstalling and reinstalling the app if problems persist. Some users are reporting that this has solved the problem, while others continue to suffer.

If you have a better fix let us know in the comments below. Worst case scenario: back up all your data, do a factory reset and clear the cache partition.

• How to downgrade to an older version of Android

Android Lollipop: flashlight bug

If you leave the flashlight on for a while, for example when you're struggling to find your keys in the dark, and it automatically times out, then the flashlight will be busted until you do a reboot. This is pretty weird but it occurred in the developer previews too.

It's odd that Google didn't bother to iron this one out, as it's a pretty well-known issue on the Nexus 5 already.

Android Lollipop: no silent mode, status bar ticker or power button menu

Sadly, these are 'improvements' rather than problems. You can't simply volume down to silent mode (only to vibrate), there's no option other than Power Off when you long press the Power button, and the status bar ticker – that little scrolling preview of notifications – has been killed with fire in the latest version of Android.

We expect the masses to rise up shortly and some changes to be made, or at least some workarounds figured out if you're willing to tweak your phone a little. In any case, we've already explained how to enable silent mode on Android 5.0.

Android Lollipop: OTA broken on modified devices

This probably shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but Google doesn't necessarily want your rooting or otherwise modifying your device or firmware. So if you've modded your Android a bit, you may not be able to install the OTA update.

Fortunately the solution is pretty straightforward: simply flash a stock image again and OTA will be hunky dory once again. Check our article on broken OTA updates for Android 5.0 Lollipop for more info.

Android Lollipop: fast charging isn't charging fast

This could be explained away by raised expectations: while Android supports Qualcomm's QuickCharge 2.0, not every phone does – and those that do don't always ship with a QuickCharge charger. There are also known incompatibilities with some third-party fast chargers, so if you’re encountering issues with one it’s worth trying another charger (if you can) to see if the problem goes away. 

Android Lollipop: recent apps switcher issue

The recent apps card stack was a new addition to multi-tasking in Lollipop. But not everyone is a fan. Some users are claiming that, the more apps they have stacked, the slower their performance becomes, while others are noticing that even when a card has been removed from the stack, it mysteriously returns.

Even after a reboot your recent apps list will persist, so the only way to fix this one is to simply keep on swiping. Forever.

Android Lollipop: camera bug

Users have reported that their camera stops working after the Lollipop update – in some cases, this means that the icon to select the front-facing camera is no longer even there. To solve this, try deleting your Camera app's data.

This won't delete any of your photos, just your existing camera settings. Go to Settings > Apps > All > Camera and tap Clear data. If this doesn't work, try disabling it and then enabling it in the same menu.  

Android Lollipop: GPS problems

GPS issues are quite rare on Lollipop, but some people have been experiencing them and a factory reset has been offered as one possible solution. If you find that your GPS signal is dropping frequently and don't wish to do a factory reset, try altering the location mode in your settings.

Set it to 'high accuracy', or if it already is, change it and then change it back.

Android Lollipop: Chrome tabs problem

Chrome Browser on Lollipop is set by default to store new tabs in the recent apps list, but for many this represents one of the biggest Lollipop fails of all.

Fortunately, all you need to do to change this is head to your Chrome settings and disable Merge tabs and apps to return to the more familiar 'number in a box in the URL bar' that brings up your tab list, as it always has.

Android Lollipop: Bluetooth problems

Android 5.1 has brought some Bluetooth issues with it, especially with Nexus devices. To fix it, it may appear too simple to be true, but it is recommended to turn the Bluetooth off and back on again. You can also clear the cache by going to Settings > Applications > All > Bluetooth Sharing > Clear cache.

Android Lollipop: incompatible applications

The arrival of newer versions of Android has made many applications no longer optimized for Lollipop. Worse, some are no longer compatible at all. Unfortunately, there are no miracle solutions, except to change smartphones, or find a new version of the app on APK mirror.

What other Android 5.0 problems have you found? Got any solutions we missed? Share them in the comments.