Nexus 6P common issues and how to solve them

Before Google decided to get into the hardware market race individually with the Pixel, they made a few devices in cooperation with Samsung, LG, and Huawei. The most renowned device they powered was created by Huawei and it goes by the name of the Nexus 6P. This handset was immediately acknowledged as a remarkable combatant in the flagship level. And it still is.

However, even though the 6P offers a slick design, great screen, clean Android with fastest updates, it still has some issues. Some of them are small or even negligible, others are total dealbreakers. It depends on your luck, more than a misuse. So don’t blame yourself if the boot loops start or screen starts flashing abruptly.

We enlisted common issues regarding this exquisite model that’s far beyond flawless. Also, the instructions for advanced troubleshooting steps can be found at the bottom. We hope you’ll find them helpful.

Nexus 6P Common issues round-up and fixes

Connectivity issues

It’s not uncommon for a smartphone of any kind to have connectivity issues. Even though Nexus 6P is in many regards great, users reported a large variety of issues. And those reports include both Wi-Fi and Mobile Data, with different symptoms. Some users are unable to connect, while others are experiencing unstable or slow connection. And that’s not how the things are supposed to work. For that purpose, we prepared some tips that should help you resolve connectivity issues, so you can use your device just like intended.

Wi-Fi

• Update your OS and make sure to use the stable version. Android O Beta isn’t included.
• Reset Network Settings.
• Restart router or modem.
• Use 2.4 GHz band instead of 5 GHz. It lacks range, but it’s a more stable option.
• Wipe cache partition within Recovery settings.
• Reset phone to factory settings.

Mobile Data

• Reset Network Settings.
• Re-establish carrier settings manually. For the individual setup, check your carrier’s site.
• Disable Bluetooth while using Mobile Data.
• Make sure you haven’t set Mobile Data limit.
• Check your SIM card.
• Switch to other data transfer technology, i.e. from 3G to 4G or LTE.
• Wipe cache partition.
• Restore factory settings.

That should get you going. Have in mind that the Android OS version can heavily impact all-around system behavior. If you’re running unstable version, there’s a chance that your custom settings won’t function. In that scenarios, it’s safest to restore your device to the default version by resetting to its factory settings.

Bluetooth issues

Bluetooth is somewhat a problem from the beginning with the 6P. And it intensified with some of the previous Nougat updates that affected many users. Moreover, users around the world are rightfully dissatisfied with Google’s inability to resolve problems that are present for quite some time. Namely, users reported that they were unable to connect to already paired devices or that the connection is unstable and that affects their use substantially.

We looked up for the possible solutions and this is what we found:

• Delete all pairings and reconnect again.
• Check the pairing device. It’s not uncommon for the headset or car system to get out of hand sometimes.
• Don’t use other connections while using Bluetooth.
• Reset factory settings.

If the problem is persistent, there’s a chance that your Bluetooth radio is faulty. In that case, the obvious step is to contact your carrier or a responsible vendor.

Battery issues

Well, battery on the Nexus 6P caused a lot of problems for users around the world. And some of them decided not to hold on and pressed charges against Google and Huawei, respectively. That kind of shows how much trouble faulty batteries cause on the Nexus 6P. Boot loops and sudden drains were, obviously, the drop that spilled the glass.

If you’re experiencing boot loops, do yourself a favor and replace the device. On the other hand, it’s not always certain that the hardware is to blame for battery issues. With the frequent updates, there’s always a chance that something may go wrong in the software department. For that purpose, check out this tips to increase battery life, at least to the slightest extent:

• Disable power-consuming background apps.
• Navigate to Settings > Location > Mode, and choose Device only.
• Navigate to Settings > Location > 3-dot Menu > Scanning, and disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning, respectively.
• Wipe cache partition.
• Reset factory settings.

Screen Overlay issues

Screen Overlay is a nifty feature that enables certain apps to appear on top of other apps. Basically, it grants some distinctive multitasking features to apps like Facebook Messenger bubble heads or WhatsApp chat pop-ups. Now, with the installation of the certain app, you automatically grant the permission to a certain app to draw over other apps. But, it seems that due to update changes or system corruption, Screen Overlay prompt keeps popping to inform you that some apps need permissions in order to show on top.

Well, the Nexus 6P had a massive issue with that distinctive error in Marshmallow, but it allegedly still suffers from same ills in Nougat, as well. Luckily, the resolution isn’t too complex, and these instructions should help you to get rid of Screen Overlay annoying prompts.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Click on 3-dots menu.
4. Tap Configure apps.
5. Tap on Draw over other apps.
6. Disable all apps one by one.
7. Now, you can enable them one by one to see which is causing the Screen Overlay prompt.
8. After you find the culprit, you can enable other apps one by one and use your device just like before.

In addition, you can reset all permissions for apps and enable them to draw on other apps later.

Microphone issues

Sub par in-call quality is another issue reported by various users. All that features on 6P are great, but what to do with the phone that offers the lackluster or quiet sound quality? Well, we not so much, to be perfectly honest. To make the things even worse, the main culprit may just be the noise-canceling back microphone. Due to lack of proper software optimization, it downgrades in-call quality. And that wasn’t the initial idea, was it?

Some users managed to resolve this problem by covering the noise-canceling back mic. You can try to do that, it might improve your overall in-call experience.

Screen rotate issues

Nexus 6P with it large screen thrives in landscape mode orientation. It’s great for High-quality videos, it’s amazing for reading and typing. However, occasionally, even though the automatic screen rotation is enabled, the screen just get stuck with portrait orientation. In order to make your life just a bit easier and resolve the problem at hand, we prepared some steps you should take into consideration. Hopefully, they should help you resolve this problem.

• Wipe cache partition.
• Boot in safe mood.
• Uninstall apps that may affect screen rotation.
• Restore factory settings.

OK Google issues

Google’s smart assistant debuted on Nexus devices, and it should be working the best on Nexus 6P, the most premium of them all. However, that’s not always the case. The most common issue, reported by many users, is the absence of the beep sound after you summon OK Google with the voice command.

This can be resolved by following these steps:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Open Accessibility.
3. Enable Switch access.

Moreover, you can try and clear the data and cache from Google app.

Instructions: Wipe cache partition, Safe Mode, Reset Network and Factory settings

• Wipe cache partition

1. Power off your device.
2. Press and hold the Volume Down key and Power Button simultaneously.
3. When the phone starts, use the Volume Down to navigate trough the menu.
4. Select Recovery mode with the single press of Power button.
5. Press the Power button to start Recovery mode. The Android robot with exclamation point should appear.
6. Hold Power Button and press once Volume Up key. The menu should appear.
7. Use the volume buttons to scroll to “wipe cache partition” and confirm with a single press of Power Button.

• Enable Safe mode

1. Press end hold the Power button until you see the Power Off menu.
2. Tap and hold the Power Off option on the screen until you’re prompted to restart in the Safe mode.
3. Confirm the selection.
4. If certain problems are not present while the device is in the Safe Mode, the 3rd-party app is most of the time the main suspect behind the problem.

• Reset Network settings

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Backup & reset.
3. Tap Reset Network Settings.
4. Confirm selection.
5. This will reset all network settings, including APN, wireless, and Bluetooth settings.

• Reset factory settings

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Backup & Reset.
3. Choose Backup Now to save your data to a cloud service. Additionally, you can backup your data to a PC.
4. After it is done, in the same menu choose Reset Phone.
5. Tap Erase All and confirm.
6. The device will reboot and start the process that should last for less than 5 minutes.
7. This will completely restore every customized setting, so make sure to backup your data.

With these instructions, we’re wrapping it up. Don’t forget that this is great, premium device and that you should expect premium service. If you have issues and the workarounds we presented fell short, make sure to contact your vendor or carrier and ask for a replacement.

And don’t forget to share with us and our readers, questions, suggestions or some other issues we forgot to mention. We eagerly await your thoughts on this matter.