8 Sony Xperia Z3 problems, and how to deal with them

Unresponsive screen, texts won’t send, overheating

Glitch: Touchscreen unresponsive or glitchy

A lot of people have had trouble with the touchscreen refusing to register touches, being laggy when typing, fast scrolling, or randomly highlighting text and zooming. This seems to be an issue that has cropped up on other Xperia phones as well.

Workaround:

• A restart of the phone will usually resolve the glitch, at least temporarily.
• If your issue is specifically with the keyboard, you might find that another keyboard works better. Try downloading Swiftkey or the Google Keyboard.

Potential solutions:

• Go to Settings > Display, turn Tap to wake up off, and see if that helps.
• You should also make sure that Glove mode isn’t on in Settings > Display.
• Go to Settings > Language & input > Xperia keyboard, and try turning Gesture input off. If it is already off, then turn it on and then off again, just to make sure.
• You could also take a look in Settings > Accessibility > Touch & hold delay to try changing it to Medium or Long.
• Try installing Sony’s PC Companion software, and choose Support zone > Phone/tablet software update > Repair my phone/tablet, and then follow the instructions carefully.
• You could try a factory reset. Back up your precious stuff, and then head to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset, and give it a try.
• There’s a chance that you have hardware fault, but you’d expect the flaw to be pretty consistent if that was the case. Try downloading Yet Another MultiTouch Test, and see what’s happening. If nothing else has worked, you may have to contact your retailer, carrier, or Sony about a replacement.

Problem: Texts won’t send

A few people have run into an issue where they can’t send text messages from their Xperia Z3 handset.

Workarounds:

• Try switching Airplane mode on and off again.
• This may be caused by VoLTE, if you have the option. Go to Settings > Call, and make sure that Enable VoLTE is not checked.
• You could also try turning Wi-Fi calling off in Settings > More.
• Try going to Settings > Date & time, and make sure that Automatic date & time and Automatic time zone are not checked.

Potential solutions:

• The first thing to check is your APN settings. Go to Settings > More > Mobile networks > Access Point Names, and make sure they are correct. You can find the right settings on your carrier’s website.
• Try using a different SIM card, just to make sure that’s not the issue.
• You could install Sony’s PC Companion software, and choose Support zone > Phone/tablet software update > Repair my phone/tablet.
• If you’re still having issues then it’s time to contact your carrier.

Issue: Overheating

Quite a few Xperia Z3 owners are suffering with overheating issues. This is most common when using the camera, but it might happen when you play graphically intensive games, or when you’re downloading, charging, and using the phone all at the same time. It was a major issue on the Xperia Z2 when trying to record 4K footage, and it seems that Sony hasn’t entirely resolved it with the Z3.

Workarounds:

• Remove the case, if you’re using one, to allow the heat to dissipate. Do not dunk it in cold water, because there’s a risk it will crack.
• Try to avoid using the phone while it is charging or in very hot environments, if you can.

Potential solutions:

• There’s always a chance that you have a software issue, or a rogue app is causing problems. Try wiping the cache partition first. Hold down Volume up and Power together, while the phone is on, and wait for the screen to shut off. You should feel the device vibrate three times, and you can release the keys. Press and hold Power to turn it back on, and see if the problem persists.
• Your last resort is to try a factory reset, or repair using Sony’s PC Companion software.

No notifications, battery drain, and more

Bug: No notifications on lock screen

A lot of people found that notifications stopped showing up on their lock screen after the Lollipop update rolled out. Sony acknowledged this bug and released a software update designed to fix it, but there are a couple of other things you may need to check.

Potential solutions:

• Go to Settings > Sound & notification, and make sure that it says Show all notification content under When device is locked.
• Go to Settings > About phone > Software update, and make sure you have the latest available patch.
• If you have an ActiveSync account with enforced security on the phone, then it could be the problem. Try removing the account, and test whether notifications come through. Make sure you have the latest software, restart your Z3, and then add the account back again. It should work now.

Problem: Rapid battery drain

One of the main selling points for the Xperia Z3 is a long lasting battery, but after the Lollipop update, some owners have found that the battery is draining much more rapidly than before.

Potential solutions:

• Start with a simple restart of your phone.
• Go to Settings > Power management > Battery usage, and take a look at what is guzzling the juice.
• Make sure that you configure and use Stamina mode in Settings > Power management.
• If you had apps disabled before, you may need to disable them again after updating your software. It’s worth checking in Settings > Apps and flicking over the Disabled tab to make sure.
• Uninstall or disable every app you aren’t using.
• It’s worth wiping your cache partition. With the phone on, hold down Volume up and Power together, and wait for the screen to shut off. You should feel the device vibrate three times, and you can release the keys. Press and hold Power to turn it back on.
• If problems persist you could try removing apps one-by-one, or just go for a factory reset and selectively reinstall.

Issue: Call and notification volume too low

This is a common problem with the Z3 and the Z3 Compact. People are having trouble hearing the notification alert, but alarms and calls are loud and clear. Some people are also having issues with ringtone volume being too low.

Workaround:

• Make your own sound or use Zedge to find something more noticeable than the stock choices.

Potential solutions:

• Take a look in Settings > Sound & notification, and set your volume levels. Try changing your Phone ringtone and Default notification ringtone, and then change them back again. Use the volume keys to tweak the volume while playing them in the selection screen.
• Some people report that this issue is fixed after an update. Check in Settings > About phone > Software update.

Problem: Wi-Fi slow, won’t connect, or dropping

People always have issues with Wi-Fi and smartphones, and there are lots of possible causes and solutions.

Potential solutions:

• Turn it off and on again. Do it with your Z3 and with your router.
• Take a look in Settings > Power management, and check out your Stamina mode settings (if you’re using it). This could be causing unexpected Wi-Fi issues.
• Try going to Settings > Wi-Fi, and long press on your connection, then tap Forget network. Set it up fresh.
• Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, open the menu via the three vertical dots, tap Advanced to make sure Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep is set to Always.
• Maybe you’re using a busy channel. Try downloading Wifi Analyzer and take a look. You can switch your router channel if the one you’re on looks very busy. Refer to your ISP to find out how.
• Make sure that your router firmware is up to date. Take a look at the manufacturer’s website, or check with your ISP.
• If you’re having issues with range, then be aware that 5GHz will generally be faster, but shorter range than 2.4GHz. You may want to try switching.
• If you’re using a case, try taking it off to test whether it makes a difference to your connection strength.
• Make sure that your router doesn’t have MAC filtering on, or if it does, go to Settings > About phone > Status, and enter your Xperia Z3’s Mac address into the filtering table on the router.

Issue: Z3 won’t turn on

If you find that your Z3 won’t turn on when you press the Power button, don’t panic, you’re not alone.

Potential solutions:

• The most likely cause is that the battery has run down, so plug it in and leave it for 30 minutes, then try turning it on again.
• If that didn’t work, then try holding down the Power and Volume up buttons together until you feel three vibrations. Now use the press and hold the Power button to start it up as normal.
• If you’re still having issues, try popping open the side panel and find the tiny yellow button next to the SIM card. Use the tip of a pen to press and hold it down until you feel a series of vibrations. Press and hold the Power button, and you should feel a vibration that signals it is starting up.
• If none of that worked, then try installing Sony’s PC Companion, and go to Support zone > Phone/tablet software update > Repair my phone/tablet.

That’s all of the Xperia Z3 problems we have right now, but we may post more issues and fixes in future.