This wikiHow teaches you how to fix a frozen Samsung Galaxy Tab device. Most tablets freeze due to apps loading or running improperly so the app is closed or restarting the device to resolve the frozen device. If the tablet doesn't respond after uninstalling the problematic app and restarting the device several times, it means that your tablet needs to be factory reset.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Closing Apps
Step 1. Press the Home button
This button is on the tablet case. Once pressed, the app will be minimized and you can see the Home screen.
Step 2. Wait until the app is minimized
You need to wait a while if the device freezes.
If the app doesn't minimize after a minute, skip to the restart your Samsung Tab step
Step 3. Try closing the app
Press the device's view button, which is the two boxes in the lower-left corner of the tablet, then tap X on the top right side of the application page. If the app hasn't frozen too much, it should be able to close.
If the app is not responding, you can proceed to the next method to force the app to close
Step 4. Open Settings
Tap the Settings app icon, which resembles a cog in the tablet's App Drawer.
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You can also swipe down from the top of the screen and then tap the quick "Settings" icon
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Step 5. Tap Apps
It's near the bottom of the Settings screen to open a list of apps installed on your tablet.
Step 6. Select an application
Scroll down the list until you find the frozen app, then tap its name to open its page.
Step 7. Tap FORCE STOP
It's at the top of the page. This will close the app, but you could lose any work that isn't stored in the app (if possible).
You will be asked to confirm the force closing of the app
Step 8. Consider deleting the app
If the app continues to freeze, we recommend removing it from the tablet.:
- open Settings
- Tap Apps
- Scroll down and tap the app you want to remove.
- Tap UNINSTALL (if the app is a system program, tap DISABLE).
- Tap UNINSTALL or OK when requested.
Method 2 of 3: Restarting the Tablet
Step 1. Try restarting the tablet
Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons for about 7 seconds to restart.
This method does not always work if the tablet freezes. If the tablet does not restart within 30 seconds, continue with the rest of the steps in this method
Step 2. Press and hold the Power button
If the tablet does not restart normally, you will need to force close it and restart it manually.
You will need to use this method when dealing with a tablet that is not responding properly or is stuck
Step 3. Wait until the tablet power off
In most cases, you only need to press the Power button for a few seconds; but when the tablet freezes, you need to hold the Power button for 2 minutes.
You can also remove the battery from the device to turn it off
Step 4. Release the Power button
Once the tablet starts to turn off, you can release the Power button and let the tablet turn off as usual.
Step 5. Turn the tablet back on after 1 minute
If the device has been off for 1 minute, press the tablet's Power button (or press and hold it for a few seconds) to turn it on. When you're done re-speeding, the tablet should be working again.
Step 6. Remove problematic apps if needed
If your tablet freezes from opening or running it for too long, we recommend that you remove the app completely:
- open Settings
- Tap Apps
- Scroll down and tap the app you want to remove.
- Tap UNINSTALL (if the app is a system program, tap DISABLE).
- Tap UNINSTALL or OK when requested.
Method 3 of 3: Performing a Factory Reset on the Tablet
Step 1. Turn off the tablet
Press and hold the Power button, then tap Power off (power off) in the menu that appears.
- If the tablet does not turn off, hold down the Power button) until the device turns off.
- You can also remove the battery from the tablet to force it to shut down.
Step 2. Open the recovery screen
Once the tablet is off, press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons at the same time, then release the Power button when the Samsung logo appears and release the Volume Up button when the Android logo appears.
Step 3. Select Wipe data/factory reset
Press the Volume Down button until the option is highlighted, then press the Power button to open it.
Step 4. Select Yes -- delete all user data
It's in the middle of the menu. If so, the tablet will start deleting data.
Step 5. Wait for the factory reset to complete
You need to wait from 2 minutes to more than an hour.
Step 6. Set up the tablet
Once the reset is complete, you can set up the tablet as if it were new, and the apps and/or settings that caused the freeze will be gone.
Tips
- We recommend backing up data to an external memory card before performing a factory reset to prevent data loss.
- If the device continues to freeze after a factory reset, take the device to the nearest Samsung Service Center for professional assistance.
