Can't swipe to pick up anymore

[AC Question]

I started having this problem only a few months ago.
It started with 1 contact- I changed the contact pic, updated it and started working again.
Now I can't swipe to pick up 1/2 of my calls.
I activated the feature "pick up clicking on home button" but that also works only once every few calls, it definitely goes by luck.

I don't want to buy a new phone yet but I need to find a way to pick up calls.
Any help?
I also tried to activate the voice control "pick up / hang up" but that doesn't work either.
I also tried the shaking feature with no success.

I googled this topic but the only answers are from at least 3/4 years ago ... I wonder if any new solutions came out in the meantime.

Thanks

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone?

 

[MIKA80]

It's a S5 Mini

 

[Rukbat]

It sounds as if the phone app went a little bad - unfortunately it's a system app, and you can't replace it. (You can make outgoing calls on other phone apps, but incoming calls go to the phone app that came with the phone.) Since it's probably no longer in warranty, you may have no choice but to get a new phone (or sign up for the pre-order for the Note 8 and make do until you get it - whichever is your choice).

 

[belodion]

^ Would reflashing the stock firmware help?

 

[B. Diddy]

See if the problems persist in Safe Mode: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-28456

 

[MIKA80]

Thing is that it's not constant, so I can't tell if in safe mode it will work on not as it does work fine sometimes.

 

[B. Diddy]

Does the phone have a screen protector?

 

[MIKA80]

no screen protector nor case.

 

[B. Diddy]

Try wiping the cache partition as well: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-28492

 

[MIKA80]

just done, lets see if it helps but I believe I had tried it before ...

 

[B. Diddy]

When you say you can't swipe to answer a call, do you mean that the phone is telling you to swipe to answer, but the touchscreen won't respond? Or is the phone ringing, but you don't see any way to answer the call?

 

[MIKA80]

no, so this is what happens: phone rings, I see the 2 circles, I should swipe the green one to the right but when I try the phone stops ringing but the call was not picked up, I still see the 2 circles but at this point I can't do anything to answer the call, and if I press the home button the call drops and I get missed call.

 

[B. Diddy]

Safe Mode is still worth trying, because if it happens in Safe Mode, you know it has more to do with either the firmware or hardware. But if you test around 10 incoming calls in a row and they all answer normally, it increases the chance that something you installed is causing the issue.

 

[MIKA80]

so I keep my phone in safe mode for a day and see?

 

[B. Diddy]

That can be inconvenient, I know, but if you can do it, it's worth a try. Otherwise, try having several different contacts try to call you while in Safe Mode to see if the problem still happens in that short period of time.