Phone screen locks during call, can't bring it back

[mset]

I found one thread on this but the only suggestion had to do with cases/screen protectors, neither of which I'm using.

Basically, what happens is that I dial a number like my carrier or another number which will require me use the dial pad to enter further numbers (voice prompts, phone number for my LD dial-around etc). The screen goes dark and touching it won't bring it back up. I am not holding the phone up to my face, so the screen shouldn't lock. However, it does , and then I can't use the power button to bring it back up. Or rather, I sometimes can and sometimes can't.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening and what I can do to avoid it?

 

[bosshaug12]

Could be dust or some other debris blocking the proximity sensor. You can try getting a compressed air duster and spraying around the ear speaker or the where the glass meets the frame above the proximity sensor, no guarantees on that though but worth a shot. If not you could always try a factory reset, again no guarantees but worth a shot.

 

[mset]

Could be dust or some other debris blocking the proximity sensor. You can try getting a compressed air duster and spraying around the ear speaker or the where the glass meets the frame above the proximity sensor, no guarantees on that though but worth a shot. If not you could always try a factory reset, again no guarantees but worth a shot.

Okay, thanks. It seems like the two faint circles at the top left of the screen (that's the sensor right?) are under the glass, but maybe a shot of air would do something. It's worth a shot. The weird thing is that I can't replicate the problem, it's intermittent. If I test by calling a number then moving the phone up to my face and away again, it works as it should.

 

[bosshaug12]

Okay, thanks. It seems like the two faint circles at the top left of the screen (that's the sensor right?) are under the glass, but maybe a shot of air would do something. It's worth a shot. The weird thing is that I can't replicate the problem, it's intermittent. If I test by calling a number then moving the phone up to my face and away again, it works as it should.

Yes, those faint circles are the openings for the sensors.

Since its intermittent it could be the lighting situation wherever you happen to be. I know sometimes a prox won't work, for example, indoors under fluorescent lighting but will work fine outside.

 

[mset]

Yes, those faint circles are the openings for the sensors.

Since its intermittent it could be the lighting situation wherever you happen to be. I know sometimes a prox won't work, for example, indoors under fluorescent lighting but will work fine outside.

Okay, I'll see if I can make some sort of correlation between lighting conditions and this issue.

 

[jm345]

When I make a call the screen usually goes dark automatically, I think when they answer their phone. If you make a call and put the phone to your ear right away you would not notice the screen going dark. And since you don't need the screen at that point, it saves the battery to turn off the display. But I often use speakerphone and therefore keep the phone in front of me and the screen goes dark. If I put it to my ear and then move it away the screen returns.

 

[dbareis]

I don't normally use speakerphone but couldn't it be the display timing out? Press power button to turn back on...

 

[junglejunkie]

My wife's N4 seems to be having the same problem. When she takes the phone from her ear to hang up, the screen stays off touching the screen or the power button did nothing....I saw it happen today personally. Lighting was adequate. I cleaned her screen thoroughly and rebooted just to be safe. Guess we'll wait and see if this keeps occurring. Her N4 is 3 weeks old.

Edit: it is intermittent, she says it's has happened just a few times.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[mset]

I don't normally use speakerphone but couldn't it be the display timing out? Press power button to turn back on...

As I mentioned in the OP, this doesn't work.

But I often use speakerphone and therefore keep the phone in front of me and the screen goes dark. If I put it to my ear and then move it away the screen returns.

I tried several times to make the problem happen on purpose, and succeeded a few times. Your trick did in fact work a couple of times, but it didn't work every time.

As an Android noob, let me ask a dumb question - I will know when there's been an update to the OS, right? I know part of the benefit of having this phone is that we get updates pushed right away straight from Google. The reason I ask is that the phone has become slightly unstable in the past 48 hours; battery life has tanked and I can't reliably do the double finger swipe down from the top to reveal the quick-access Settings screen.

 

[Jessica Woolley]

fellow droid razor m users,

mine and my boyfriends did the same thing i called my cell provider and they were clueless. they made me factory reset witch did nouthing. i racked my brain the i learned that when you hold the phone to your face it blacks out witch i new but reading this post got me 2 thinking. maybe my screen protecter was making it think i was holding it to my face. sure enough that was the problem in my case. i have sence learned that sensors in the phone are very very touchy. try removing you screen protecter and see if that works.


all the best of luck,
jessica woolley

 

[elaton]

Hello.

I had this same problem with my Nexus 5 and here's how I fixed it: Go to Settings, Accessibility, then make sure that the box beside "Power Button Hangs Up Call" is UNchecked. As soon as I turned that off I was able to click the power button to wake the phone without hanging up my phone call.

Hope this helps.

 

[Roberto Donaire]

I created an account on this site with the sole intention of thanking you!! You saved me a lot of time and headaches. And for that I am grateful. God bless!

- - - Updated - - -

fellow droid razor m users,

mine and my boyfriends did the same thing i called my cell provider and they were clueless. they made me factory reset witch did nouthing. i racked my brain the i learned that when you hold the phone to your face it blacks out witch i new but reading this post got me 2 thinking. maybe my screen protecter was making it think i was holding it to my face. sure enough that was the problem in my case. i have sence learned that sensors in the phone are very very touchy. try removing you screen protecter and see if that works.


all the best of luck,
jessica woolley

 

[Paul Millage]

You are a Goddess!. I've been racking my brain with this issue and your post fixed it!

fellow droid razor m users,

mine and my boyfriends did the same thing i called my cell provider and they were clueless. they made me factory reset witch did nouthing. i racked my brain the i learned that when you hold the phone to your face it blacks out witch i new but reading this post got me 2 thinking. maybe my screen protecter was making it think i was holding it to my face. sure enough that was the problem in my case. i have sence learned that sensors in the phone are very very touchy. try removing you screen protecter and see if that works.


all the best of luck,
jessica woolley

 

[Tobias Grahn]

Hello.

I had this same problem with my Nexus 5 and here's how I fixed it: Go to Settings, Accessibility, then make sure that the box beside "Power Button Hangs Up Call" is UNchecked. As soon as I turned that off I was able to click the power button to wake the phone without hanging up my phone call.

Hope this helps.

Thx alot, been going crazy here, also on a N5.