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LG G3 Lollipop problems and how to fix them

lg g3 lollipop
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A few carriers have now delivered the Android 5.0 Lollipop update to the LG G3 in the US and elsewhere. The first bugs are now raising their ugly heads, causing complaints, frustration and distress. We're here to set those issues at ease with our list of LG G3 Lollipop problems and solutions.

lg g3 lollipop
The Android 5.0 Lollipop update on the LG G3 has caused some issues. / © ANDROIDPIT

LG G3 battery drain

This problems is about as common as they come, so don't fret. Almost every phone suffers from battery drain immediately following a firmware update. The first thing to do is turn your phone, leave it for 30 seconds and reboot. If that doesn't clear it up, try clearing the cache.

To wipe the cache on the LG G3, go to Settings > Storage > Cached Data and confirm. If that still doesn't help, back up everything on your LG G3 (we recommend you download Helium for PC and install Helium on your phone if you don't have root access) and then doing a factory reset.

AndroidPIT LG G3 Android 5 0 Lollipop clear cache
Clear the cache in settings, or do a backup and factory reset with Helium. / © ANDROIDPIT
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To factory reset the LG G3 go to Settings > Backup and Reset > Factory Reset Phone. This will wipe all of your apps and data and reboot your phone fresh. Once it has finished rebooting, restore your apps and data from your backup and everything should be running smoothly.

If your phone won't even start up properly following the update, from an off-state, press and hold Power and Volume Down until you see the LG logo, then quickly release and re-press the same buttons until you see the factory reset screen.

g3 screenshot
If your G3 won't even start, press and hold Power and Volume Down to Factory Reset it. / © ANDROIDPIT

LG G3 lock screen notifications

This is just a straight-up mess on LG's behalf. Following the Lollipop update you can only access two lock screen notifications. You know, one of the coolest things about Lollipop in the first place. You also can't swipe to expand or double tap to open the notification.

Why LG has chosen to do this we don't know, but the quickest solution is to install a lock screen notification app to replace the Lollipop feature until LG sorts it out. The uproar has been sufficient enough that we expect it's being worked on right now. We'd recommend Dynamic Notifications as your lock screen replacement.

AndroidPIT LG G3 Android 5 0 Lollipop lockscreen notifications
Lollipop lock screen notifications on the LG G3 (left) are limited to two unexpandable notifications. Dynamic Notifications (right) shows you multiple messages. / © ANDROIDPIT
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LG G3 poor performance

This is another common problem following an update: sluggish or irregular performance. The best way to clear this up is with a quick factory reset. So, as mentioned above, do a full backup of your data first and then reset either through the Settings menu or with the hardware button method outlined above.

LG G3 screenshot problem

The ability to swipe up to take a quick snapshot with QMemo+ has also been removed following the update to Lollipop. Now the only way to screen grab is to use the hardware buttons: press Power and Volume Down at the same time until you see the screen flash.

androidpit lg g3 screenshot 2
Take a screenshot by pressing the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously. / © ANDROIDPIT

LG G3 home screen widgets are jumpy and laggy

Sadly, there's no quick fix for this other than removing your widgets until the problem is fixed. You can try a reboot or factory reset and described above, but this seems to be one of those problems with no quick solution.

LG G3 no silent mode

This feature removal from Google has quite a few people irritated, regardless of which device you own. Fortunately, a simple widget exists called Silent Mode Lollipop to turn silent mode on or off direct from the notifications shade. It's still the easiest way we've found to bring back silent mode on the G3.

AndroidPIT LG G3 Android 5 0 Lollipop silent mode
Silent Mode Lollipop lets you finally shut all sounds off on your LG G3 with Lollipop / © ANDROIDPIT
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LG G3 restricted profiles

This is another weird oversight by LG's engineers. Somehow the ability to set details for a restricted profile (or Guest Mode) didn't seem important enough to bother with in the LG G3 Lollipop update.

Now you can simply decide whether phone calls are allowed or not, but not choose the apps that can be accessed by a guest. There is sadly no fix for this problem until a patch brings the function back.

AndroidPIT LG G3 Android 5 0 Lollipop Guest Mode calls
Guest Mode on the LG G3 with Lollipop loses app controls. / © ANDROIDPIT

LG G3 high RAM usage and overheating

The LG G3 is also reportedly suffering from unusually high RAM consumption following the Lollipop update. This is also contributing to more heating than is normal as well. A factory reset has resolved a lot of the overheating issues I've read about.

High RAM usage is fixed by going into your G3's Settings > Apps > Running tab and checking to see which apps are consuming the most RAM. Just tap the offending apps and Stop the processes.

AndroidPIT LG G3 Android 5 0 Lollipop running apps ram usage
In the LG G3's settings you can see which apps are using the most RAM. / © ANDROIDPIT

You can also install an app like System Monitor to keep an eye on RAM usage and shut down processes that are causing the problem. Google is also reportedly pushing a patch for the memory leak in the Android 5.0.1 Lollipop update so keep an eye out for that.

What Lollipop problems are you getting on your LG G3? Do you have any other solutions?

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Kris Carlon

Kris Carlon
Senior Editor

Kris is a former AndroidPIT Editor who came to the team via a lengthy period spent traveling and relying on technology to keep him in touch with the outside world. He can usually be found juggling three phones at once and poring over G+ posts, Reddit and RSS feeds.

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44 comments
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  • 1
    NRGT86 Dec 31, 2016 Link to comment

    Hello, I have an lg g3. The screen doesnt work after boot loop. When having boot loop, i hard reset my phone and it solved the problem. But now, the screen sometimes responding sometimes not. Please help. Thanks


  • Koua Vang 1
    Koua Vang Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

    The only issue i have is the overheating issue and the wifi hanging issue when scanning and away from wifi and the slow sluggush issue that occurs once a whil when playing HD (ex.GTA)games. Batery life is better. -LG G3 D850 AT&T Lollipop 5.0.1


  • Chilli 1
    Chilli Oct 16, 2015 Link to comment

    I've two major problems with my G3:
    1) Bad mobile receiption plus frequent hangs during network search driving mobile network availability down .
    2) Android keeps kicking out apps from memory without any reason. Memory leaks could be an explanation but what helps a Lollipop 5.0.1 fix if it's not available for G3? I will try cyanogenmod but if it does not help I'm done with the G3.


  • AnooshaAbruption 1
    AnooshaAbruption Jul 24, 2015 Link to comment

    Finally got the update and so proceeded and it took 6 hours to update and now my phone won't even turn on. Well this is super convenient and exactly what I need /(-______-)\


  • 1
    Donna Henthorn Jul 1, 2015 Link to comment

    Play Store, Minesweeper and Mahjong all stopped working. Why do I still have this phone?


  • Andrew 1
    Andrew Jun 20, 2015 Link to comment

    I enjoy most of the features added in the Lollipop update, but here are some of the issues I'm experiencing.

    Phone will switch itself out of vibrate mode if certain actions happen. I believe making a call or answeing a call is what does it, but I'm not entirely certain if that's the case.

    Running Chrome using the new tab system will sometimes lock Chrome up to a state where it won't function at all until all Chrome tabs are closed and the app is fully restarted.

    My biggest issue is:

    If I lock the phone while viewing a conversation in the messaging app, I will not receive any notifications for messages received by that contact (no vibration, no sound, no notification on lock screen). I have to remember to go back to the home screen before locking the screen to avoid this.


  • 1
    David Stephens May 1, 2015 Link to comment

    Updated my G3 to 5.0.1....not so much looking for a fix as wondering if anybody else's phone has volume problems after the update? My ringer volume drops out and cannot be turned up unless I reboot the phone....really an inconvenience, especially if you are expecting a call.


    • 1
      Ray H Jul 1, 2015 Link to comment

      I am having the same problem.....can't find a fix yet....and I don't know when the ringer is going to randomly stop working and I have missed calls because of it....


  • 1
    jdog7747 May 1, 2015 Link to comment

    I like everything in the new update EXCEPT for the fact that I don't get any pish notifications on my LG G3 it is a VERY annoying problem that I hope is fixed soon.


  • 3
    A Cole Apr 30, 2015 Link to comment

    How do I remove this HORRIBLLY ANNOYING lollipop update from my G2? I hate it to the point I deactivated the phone. Verizon and LG are no help whatsoever. Now it is religated to being an alarm clock. I HATE LOLLIPOP!

    assd


    • 3
      A Cole May 2, 2015 Link to comment

      Deactivated the phone because I hate it now because of the update. To makers of the update GO FUCK YOURSELF WITH A CACTUS!

      assdRyan Torncello


      • 1
        assd Jun 5, 2015 Link to comment

        Yeah same here, YOU CAN GO FUCK YOURSELF WITH THIS UPDATE taken away notifications on lock screen, flashlight widget, green led on front no longer works, homescreen doesn't rotate so much more, I FUCKING HATE MY PHONE NOW, FUCK YOU!! FUCK YOU!!!!


  • RuBa Sawalha 2
    RuBa Sawalha Apr 24, 2015 Link to comment

    How i can back to the previous update ??? i HATE this one !!!

    denisem0720


  • RuBa Sawalha 2
    RuBa Sawalha Apr 24, 2015 Link to comment

    how i can back to the previous update plllllllllls !!! i HATE this one


  • 1
    Luis Saavedra Apr 20, 2015 Link to comment

    Im having Wi Fi issues. Its so slow it has become unusable. Im getting a bit less than 1mbps. How do I fix it?


    • 1
      Phil Apr 29, 2015 Link to comment

      To fix some issues, if you don't use Google+ you can disable that, didn't see much difference when I did that. Google webview on the other hand fixed a lot of things for me. Just disable webview in app manager and that might fix your WiFi problems.


  • 1
    Kings Hockey Apr 19, 2015 Link to comment

    wth, now i dont get notifications from any apps. Takes the email app hours to even know there is an email waiting to be opened. Should have gotten an apple.... at least they dont fuck up this bad


  • 1
    MinDah Le'Lumiere Apr 16, 2015 Link to comment

    Um yeah , big problem for me for this android update..my phone can never get to play music again after making a call ): . i gotta restart the phone everytime i make a call ... Someone please help!


  • 2
    Unclephilly72 Apr 16, 2015 Link to comment

    Updated to Lollipop yesterday...so happy...wait a minute...what the heck is going on with the slow internet speed.
    Wifi connection extremely slow. Like 5 years ago slow. 4g is super fast, but as soon as I switch to wifi...snailsville. wth? anyone have a fix? I already did a factory reset.

    Brandon SmithKings Hockey


    • 1
      Brandon Smith Apr 26, 2015 Link to comment

      I have the same issue. I can clear cache by removing my battery and I will have excellent WiFi speed for a limited amount of time. Soon my phone is right back to the slowest WiFi speed I've ever experienced. 4g works great no matter what I do. The system storage option to clear the cache does not help the issue. Has anyone figured out a solution to this problem?


    • 1
      Phil Apr 29, 2015 Link to comment

      Disable Google webview in app manager. It fixed a few things for me.


  • 1
    Jeff Gomske Apr 14, 2015 Link to comment

    Just updated my G3 this morning ('bout friggin' time!). So far I'm liking what I see. Mine updated to 5.01, and I hear several of the above issues have been solved going to .01 instead of straight 5.0. We'll see. Its still a bit early to tell. I have seen a noticeable uptick in performance, so I'm happy about that. It remains to be seen if the battery issue becomes a factor as well. I hope it doesn't, though.


  • 2
    David Xanatos Apr 8, 2015 Link to comment

    My email app can't get email now that I've upgraded to lollipoop. Settings are all the same, it just sits there and then tells me the server is unavailable. All my other devices still access fine, just my LG has this issue. Very annoying. Plus UI icons look like they were designed by a three year old. Very poor. What gives?

    Kings Hockey


    • 1
      Peter Wolly Apr 16, 2015 Link to comment

      Go off wifi and onto the data network. I have the same issue. Trying to figure out how to stay on wifi and get the email app to work...


      • 2
        Unclephilly72 Apr 16, 2015 Link to comment

        is your browser super slow when on wifi also? first thing i noticed after lollipop upgraded.


  • 1
    Omed Apr 3, 2015 Link to comment

    Ok so I just got 5.0 Lolipop update and a lot of my apps (facebook, snapchat, clash of clans, Playstore) don't seem to work. Facebook and snap chat just keep loading but won't get anywhere, and the play store and some games won't open at all just freeze up.... What can I do to fix this??
    Update: Facebook is now working....


    • 1
      Nichelle Mata Apr 18, 2015 Link to comment

      Same thing is happening to me does anybody know how to fix it???


    • 1
      Ryan Torncello May 20, 2015 Link to comment

      Same happened to me. After 2.5 hours with customer service and a hard restart, no fix. They sent me a new phone and now i refuse to update to this lollipop Shit.


  • 2
    Cookie Mar 3, 2015 Link to comment

    I really hate this update. So while listening to pandora or I♡, it will randomly stop for awhile, and off and on. I don't know if it's signal issue, but I never had this problem before the update. Also, the home/back/menu buttons have changed to circle/square /triangle. I can't figure out how to change it back. Oh and the battery life is HORRIBLE. I can actually watch the percentage numbers countdown before my eyes. I so wish I could go back to kitkat. :(

    Ryan Torncello


    • 2
      Cookie Mar 3, 2015 Link to comment

      Tagging for reply notifications


    • 1
      Ryan Torncello May 20, 2015 Link to comment

      Lollipop sucks


  • 1
    Ernest Feb 28, 2015 Link to comment

    My LG G3 keeps showing up 'Turning on Wifi' whenever I tries to turn on my wifi, can't connect into wifi. Reset phone couple of times still did not help. Please help me, thanks.


    • 2
      Cookie Mar 3, 2015 Link to comment

      Try turning off the data optimizer. Not sure if it's just a sprint thing for me, but it incessantly searches for a better connection


  • 4
    Jack Strauss Feb 24, 2015 Link to comment

    The problem with the update is that it looks nothing like the Lollipop on my son's Nexus 5 or my N7. Half of lollipop was the UI changes.

    Worse, Active notifications not working is not limited to the lock screen. If I get an email, I was able to delete it right from the notification dropdown (on an unlocked phone). Now, I can only swipe it away. Has someone for a way around that? Is there some setting somewhere to make notifcations active again?


  • 1
    Josephine Juwana-Budiman Feb 24, 2015 Link to comment

    Since the update my lg g3 now keeps restarting for no reason. This happens every few minutes. Anyone with the same issue? I don't know if it's the update or faulty manufacturing since I have only gotten the device for 3 weeks and it updated to lollipop the next day after purchase. The restarting issue only started yesterday. I don't know what's going on. Please help.


    • 2
      Cookie Mar 3, 2015 Link to comment

      Mine did this at first, but stopped within a few minutes


  • 1
    Mrsjlb Feb 21, 2015 Link to comment

    Can I revert my phone back to KitKat???? I hate the lollipop changes, especially the home buttons...the Triangle, Circle and Square is just awful looking...


    • 2
      Cookie Mar 3, 2015 Link to comment

      If you figure out how to go back to kitkat, please share. I hate this too


    • 1
      Roy Molini Mar 31, 2015 Link to comment

      I agree, the Home touch buttons look absolutely un-smart. Did a 2nd grade student choose those? I really hope LG will fix these idiotic upgrade faults.


    • 1
      maccham Apr 13, 2015 Link to comment

      You can change the "home" buttons in your settings. Not going to give you a step by step instruction


      • 1
        denisem0720 Apr 23, 2015 Link to comment

        Unless I'm completely missing something, you can only change WHICH buttons are shown, not change the shape or icon for the back or home button. If I'm wrong, please tell me where to find this because these buttons look like a 3 year old drew them...


  • 1
    EB71 Feb 21, 2015 Link to comment

    I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but In use ES file explorer. I never had any problem moving or deleting items on my SD card. After I upgraded to lolipop, I get told I can't do either, even though ES says it has permission to modify the SD card.


  • 1
    Kyle Taylor Feb 21, 2015 Link to comment

    Silent Mode still exists. You have two ways to access it. Tapping the sound button in the slide on the notification center allows you to toggle through to it. Also by using the hardware volume rocker to go down to silent mode and accessing it to allow priority notifications, certain callers, and more including setting silent mode to automatically turn on and off as scheduled.


  • 5
    Niel Feb 20, 2015 Link to comment

    No problems here :) although yesterday it asked for a backup PIN code twice, as if I had tried to many times to unlock it. But it was on my desk, so I did not unlock it with the wrong knock code.

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