Note 4 Sudden Battery Drain

[venfmuvnk]

I have an ATT Note 4.
I've been having the same issue going on for a while. Charged at 100% in the morning leaves me with less than 70% with minimal use, and then before you know it goes down to 50 & 40%, and then it just restarts. If I have to use the 'phone' and I mean not the 'smart' part of my smartphone, I had no choice but to put it on life support (ultra power saving' mode.
What I did was a compilation of suggestions from everyone and
1. Took out the SD card ;
2. Turned on Power Saving mode (not ultra) - option 'select when turned on';
3. Restrict background data on apps that you can wait to check notifications when you want to;
4. Restrict performance - select;

After making above changes, my Note 4 got a new life. Turning off color display to gray scale added an extra few hours.
Yesterday, gray scale mode left me with 16% power by late night with regular use - which is excellent!
Today, I'm at 63% with color display on and regular use (it's about 6pm PST).
.
.
.
This leads me to believe that it is a software issue. Hope they come up with an update to fix this.
I'm not a techie - I'm actually in healthcare, but like to think logically - so correct me if what I'm doing is incorrect. I would like to claim this as a differential diagnosis.

Some of you with this problem should try this and see if you can replicate my findings.

 

[dabombcra]

I have an ATT Note 4.
I've been having the same issue going on for a while. Charged at 100% in the morning leaves me with less than 70% with minimal use, and then before you know it goes down to 50 & 40%, and then it just restarts. If I have to use the 'phone' and I mean not the 'smart' part of my smartphone, I had no choice but to put it on life support (ultra power saving' mode.
What I did was a compilation of suggestions from everyone and
1. Took out the SD card ;
2. Turned on Power Saving mode (not ultra) - option 'select when turned on';
3. Restrict background data on apps that you can wait to check notifications when you want to;
4. Restrict performance - select;

After making above changes, my Note 4 got a new life. Turning off color display to gray scale added an extra few hours.
Yesterday, gray scale mode left me with 16% power by late night with regular use - which is excellent!
Today, I'm at 63% with color display on and regular use (it's about 6pm PST).
.
.
.
This leads me to believe that it is a software issue. Hope they come up with an update to fix this.
I'm not a techie - I'm actually in healthcare, but like to think logically - so correct me if what I'm doing is incorrect. I would like to claim this as a differential diagnosis.

Some of you with this problem should try this and see if you can replicate my findings.

The Verizon Note 4 is not great when it comes to the battery life. The factor reset helped. I occasionally get a random reboot. I feel there is a glitch in the software

 

[Zanutus]

When my phone updated to 5.1.1 AT&T, my battery life was awful.

When my phone updated, a setting was activated without my knowing.

This setting was Enhanced 4G LTE services.

I had this previously disabled because it interfered with the phones ability to download images and data over WiFi. For instance the play store would have no images for apps. Face book was only text. And other issues.

When my phone updated, this got re enabled and my battery life suffered. I have always had great battery life lasting a full day at work with moderate use, heavier use when I come home. Usually 25% left when I plug it in at night.

After update, I had to plug in three times to make it through a typical day.

This setting can be found under:

Settings, data usage, mobile data, "Enhanced 4g LTE Services"

This setting has to be the most useless setting on the whole device. It destroys battery life, WiFi data transfer, while adding no benefit to my call quality. I live in a major US city, so I am sure this "service" is avaliable here. What a terrible setting to put on unsuspecting people's phones.

Posted via the Android Central App

Can you still get on the Internet and download stuff with that feature off? I wasn't able to

 

[venfmuvnk]

There's an option to switch off the Enhanced 4G LTE Services. I haven't tried it, but it's off on my phone now and will check out and see how it helps.
With all the tweaks on the settings on my phone, it's working to an acceptable level - definitely would want more!

Settings:
>Data Usage
> Mobile Data
> Standard Data & Enhanced 4G LTE Services


Uncheck the latter.

 

[dss2000]

I've been having this identical problem. At around 50% battery phone just dies and gets stuck in boot cycle. Sometimes it's when taking a picture or scanning a bar code. If you plug it in to charger or if you pull the battery out and re-insert it it will be okay and continue but battery has gone from 50% to like 35% charge from when it died to when you reinsert the battery. I have several batteries some only months old (all OEM purchased either at Verizon online or Best Buy) and different ones seem to do it at different %'s. One it's around 50%, another around 25%. Seems like phone is sensitive to something in each battery that it can't handle. I ordered a warranty replacement from Verizon but if it's in the software I'm not sure if a replacement wont be the same. This started happening before 6.0.1 update. I remember because I was hoping the update would fix the issue but it didn't.

 

[Kevins89notch1]

It's been happening for a while, but here's the proof from just 10 minutes ago. http://i.imgur.com/dlVE33F.png

So, specs: Verizon Note 4, Developer Edition, thus locked on 4.4.4 It's rooted, but I've never flashed anything. I've also bought 2 other batteries and that doesn't change anything so yes it's the phone and not a battery.

 

[Galarneau]

It is a phone issue, i have had this problem for months and tried everything i could think of. Mine drains normally until it reaches 31%, from there i have no idea when it will shut off. Anything from taking a picture to trying a video game or even restarting my phone will make it drop to 15-10% and give me the low battery warning, from there i have anywhere between 0-20 seconds before it shuts off. Tried new batteries, gps off, data off, factory reset, new sim, removing sd card... no luck. It looks like the software isn't able to track what is actually left in the battery at any one time, and this started happening around September 2015 for me.

Other issue, and i have no way of knowing if they are at all related, my GPS is failing. Looses connection all the time, can't track me while i am moving ect... It is not software related in this case, as after reading a forum months ago another user with the same problem said that physically bending the phone sometimes improved the gps tracking, and it does indeed on mine as well. Doesn't fix it completely but it sometimes makes it track my position enough that i can get a general idea of where i am supposed to go.

 

[pangadaywalker]

So I just registered here to say I have the same exactly problem and I am wondering if someone could finally solve it?

I have replaced my battery with no luck. Same thing. I reach 35% and my phone loses all battery in about 2 minutes or less. I am already going crraaaaaazy with this!!!!

 

[vamaxel]

When I'm at like 25%, if I take a photo or turn on the camera, my phone just shuts off and has no power. What the hell is that?

Also, when my screen is off and phone not being used, my battery runs down very slowly, but when I use my phone, the percentages drop every few minutes.

Anyone else see this?

Any ideas? Is this a battery issue or hardware?

Also, are the Anker batteries on Amazon NFC capable?

Posted via the Android Central App

Hi! I've got the same problem. Got a new battery today. Didn't change a thing. Have yoi solved the issue? Thanks!

 

[amberc1983]

There's an option to switch off the Enhanced 4G LTE Services. I haven't tried it, but it's off on my phone now and will check out and see how it helps.
With all the tweaks on the settings on my phone, it's working to an acceptable level - definitely would want more!

Settings:
>Data Usage
> Mobile Data
> Standard Data & Enhanced 4G LTE Services


Uncheck the latter.

I have Verizon and I can't seem to find the enhanced 4G LTE feature. I followed the above steps and that option wasn't available. Can someone please help me?

 

[dlcpa]

I hope you're right. I'm downloading the update now. The other day it died at 50% while I was playing with Google Earth. Not a half-hour ago it died at 60%. I was playing with SnapChat and it died.

Ria, how is your GPS working, any trouble finding satellites?
Sent
OK, it's usually not the battery but something else causing repeated processor access. The two times it happened to me were because of incorrect MS Exchange server addresses ( and that was clearly indicated in the battery usage stats) and the other was my GPS antenna couldn't find the satellite and tried all day and all night, the phone was hot and the battery expanded. These both were with the Note 2 but I have a Note 4 now.

 

[venfmuvnk]

This option is available on the screen where you turn the mobile data on or off. The second option on the same page is the Enhanced 4G LTE Services check box.

 

[venfmuvnk]

There's a new update from ATT for Note 4 and I have installed the new upgrade to 6.0.1 and it seems to have made a difference. I have not done a factory reset yet. Hopefully the upgrade and a factory reset should do it!

 

[LedZeppelin1]

If you do a factory reset, will that wipe out everything? Like text messages, photos, and emails?

 

[Ranrick Snow]

I've also been experiencing this sudden battery drain or unexpected shut down issue with my Note 4. I've been reading this forum and have tried updating... clearing the cache partition in safe mode... resets... charging without the quick charger... all failed to resolve the issue. I've then noticed that a lot of folks were finding resolution in swapping the battery... with third party batteries. Some of these batteries don't have the NFC feature built in like the OEM Samsung battery. I know it's a conspiracy... but the price of a replacement is very affordable... so I peeled the sticker off my OEM battery and removed the NFC device and the lead to the battery. I immediately I was able to drain the battery fully to 0% without shutting down. The battery longevity is noticibly better and my phone doesn't stutter as it used to do intermittently. Not saying this is the fix... just sharing what I've found. It might be worth it to test your phone after carefully removing the sticker on your OEM battery and disengage the NFC. I've never used NFC and probably never will.

 

[lagunarad]

Hi! I've got the same problem. Got a new battery today. Didn't change a thing. Have yoi solved the issue? Thanks!

Me too. There has to be a fix for this. I wonder if the chargers are going bad.

 

[lagunarad]

Guys I am based in the UK and my Note 4 has been doing the same thing since update also, 35-40% then boom dead switches off and needs a full re-charge, this happens everyday without fail !!!
If it's a bug it would make sense as so many guys are getting the same issue??

Same, same.

 

[Tampa8]

I hope this helps those with Battery problems and rebooting after the Marshmallow update including 6.0.1
This all worked 100% on my Note 4.

I won't list all the known things like turning off location, turning off wifi or data etc as all those generally help save battery but are not what the real problems are.

FIRST - If you are using a non system Font, one you downloaded from anywhere but Samsung change the Font to a system Font. That alone can cure the constant rebooting. It turns out those Fonts are no longer compatible with Samsung Phones, if you want custom fonts you have download them from Samsung.

Second - Turn off Google back-up in settings. On My phone that is in the General tab, back-up/Reset.
This is a big problem since the update, it keeps the phone awake (not the screen) close to 100% of the time. That not only makes the battery drain quickly but makes it harder to recharge it, it looks like it is a battery or recharging problem, it isn't it's the backup function problem.
After turning it off you must turn off Wifi, reboot the phone to where you can clear Dalvik Cache (Cache Partition) in the recovery screen. Just turning off Back-up probably will not fix it. If you do not know how to do that it is better for you to research it than me try to give instructions here. It isn't hard and does not delete any of your data or apps etc. from your phone.After clearing the Partition Cache you reboot the Phone.
You should not have to do this procedure again if you keep Back-up off. There is a chance if you charge your phone with Wifi on you could get the problem back, I have not had that happen on my phone but I see a post or two of people claiming it came back if WIFI was on when they put the phone on the charger.

There could be an app or two not compatible with Marshmallow or at least the 6.0.1 update of it. It could cause slowness or reboots. Generally it will be a Widget that causes the problem. If it isn't an app that runs all the time you should get a clue when you open it and problems begin. OR on rebooting your phone you get the message XXX APP has stopped. I would be looking at that app as a problem. I found it was a widget when it disappeared after a couple of days of rebooting. I deleted that widget and app and the rebooting from that was gone. I had a clue something was running incorrectly because my app that tells me if something is running - not in the background but actually running - kept showing there was one thing running but it didn't show what it was. After deleting that widget and app the Active Apps showed Zero as it should be.

It is very unlikely after an update that it is your battery that is the problem, though it could be by coincidence. It is much more likely the Back-up problem simply makes a somewhat weaker battery drain faster and take longer to charge. Now my Wakelock Detector shows the phone is going into deep sleep nearly all the time except for things I am aware of that wake it for a very short time. And my Battery life is superb and no reboots.

 

[jesus buenrostro]

Where and what brand was the battery?
How much was it for?

 

[Shickler64]

Im seeing this too! The first two times were when i was watching HD video files, 700 - 900mb files, i thought it was just an issue with the files as I could replicate it about every other time they were opened.

Ive seen it a few times again since with other apps, just 20 mins ago the battery was at 58%, opened Adventure Capitalist game and 30 seconds later phone rebooted itself and came back on with 41% then as i was entering the password the battery dropped to 0% and went off.

Phone is rooted on 5.0.1 and with original battery, this is on 3 network in England.

I was thinking of trying a factory reset, does anyone think its worth trying?

Mate having the same problem here, have verizon in the states, have tried everything fact reset even hard reset, nothing has worked, thing they program em to fail after 18 months so you have to get new phone every 2 years