Receive SMS -> screen turns on

[StuartV]

When I receive a text message, my screen turns on for a few seconds, then turns off again. Is there a way to stop this?

If I touch the screen when it is on, it takes me into whatever I touched, and the screen stays on. That is particularly a problem when it turns on while in my pocket.

My phone is set to have no lock screen (and unless you use a PIN or similar, I don't know why you would want a lock screen - it's just one more step to get to using your phone).

My Messaging app is set to show notifications in the notification bar and play a sound and vibrate, but not to show a message preview.

So, I think it's actually a bug that the screen would turn on at all, just from receiving an SMS or MMS message.

Am I missing something? Is there a way to stop this behavior?

 

[rockhopperGS3]

I have noticed this as well but I like it as it lets me go right to the sms from lock screen unlike before on my gs3. I have found this has not affected battery life on my phone so im not worried, I think the screens just turns back off even if its in your pocket.

 

[fatboy97]

I know this is a choice... but I use Go SMS Pro for my SMS app. I can control the notification and if I want the device to turn on the screen or not much easier using this app. I can even change the LED Notification light to blink a different color, so I know if it's a SMS instead of the stock color so then if it's the stock color I know it's an email.

 

[MikeLip]

Uncheck Preview Messages in the messages settings menu.

 

[StuartV]

I think the screens just turns back off even if its in your pocket.

I think mine usually just turns back off. But, I'm pretty sure that sometimes it registers a screen touch, even though it's in my pocket. Then, the screen stays on and it does all kinds of random things.

And I KNOW that if I feel it buzz and reach in my pocket to take it out while the screen is still on, it almost always registers screen touches and could do just about anything. From activating a random speed dial shortcut I have on my homescreen to emailing or texting somebody.

Very annoying.

I know this is a choice... but I use Go SMS Pro for my SMS app. I can control the notification and if I want the device to turn on the screen or not much easier using this app. I can even change the LED Notification light to blink a different color, so I know if it's a SMS instead of the stock color so then if it's the stock color I know it's an email.

I have used Go SMS before. I don't really like the UI as much as the stock app, so I hope I can find a solution to this and continue to use the stock app.

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

When I receive a text message, my screen turns on for a few seconds, then turns off again. Is there a way to stop this?

If I touch the screen when it is on, it takes me into whatever I touched, and the screen stays on. That is particularly a problem when it turns on while in my pocket.

My phone is set to have no lock screen (and unless you use a PIN or similar, I don't know why you would want a lock screen - it's just one more step to get to using your phone).

My Messaging app is set to show notifications in the notification bar and play a sound and vibrate, but not to show a message preview.

So, I think it's actually a bug that the screen would turn on at all, just from receiving an SMS or MMS message.

Am I missing something? Is there a way to stop this behavior?

I think you answered your own question there...the lock screen helps prevent pocket dialing.

Not sure about the answer to your main question, however.

I have noticed this as well but I like it as it lets me go right to the sms from lock screen unlike before on my gs3. I have found this has not affected battery life on my phone so im not worried, I think the screens just turns back off even if its in your pocket.

How?!? I've wondered this, because I get the notification on my lock screen, but then can't do anything with it. It seems like I should be able to click the message to access it, but I can't; have to unlock phone then go to messages then read new message.

 

[StuartV]

I think you answered your own question there...the lock screen helps prevent pocket dialing.

Well, yeah, except this is only an issue with the S4 (and maybe the S3). Most phones do not turn on the screen just because you received a text message.

And I really shouldn't have to put up with having a lock screen all the time, just to deal with a problem the phone has when receiving a text message.

I can see no reason why I should have to take more than one action (pressing the side button or Home key) to wake my phone up and have it be ready to use. Pressing a button and then swiping across the screen is 2 actions, the second of which is pointless. If there are things I want to be available when I wake the phone up (i.e. the things you can put on the lock screen), I will put them on my home screen. I can customize my home screen with a lot more flexibility than I can customize the lock screen.

The only use for the lock screen that I can see is if you want or need to have it require a PIN (or face unlock or other security measure).

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

Well, yeah, except this is only an issue with the S4 (and maybe the S3). Most phones do not turn on the screen just because you received a text message.

And I really shouldn't have to put up with having a lock screen all the time, just to deal with a problem the phone has when receiving a text message.

I can see no reason why I should have to take more than one action (pressing the side button or Home key) to wake my phone up and have it be ready to use. Pressing a button and then swiping across the screen is 2 actions, the second of which is pointless. If there are things I want to be available when I wake the phone up (i.e. the things you can put on the lock screen), I will put them on my home screen. I can customize my home screen with a lot more flexibility than I can customize the lock screen.

The only use for the lock screen that I can see is if you want or need to have it require a PIN (or face unlock or other security measure).

I agree with all this. I have a friend however who has a Razr Maxx, and he somehow manages to pocket dial me at least once fortnightly. He claims he must accidentally trigger the power button in his pocket somehow?...beats me? Either way, I like having the lockscreen and don't feel it's a huge deal to have to swipe it away, but I see your point as well.

 

[jonsnowden]

Did you ever find a solution to the problem of the phone unlocking for a couple seconds upon receiving of a test message? So annoying!!

 

[carraser891]

The screen turn on feature is actually on most I phones. I find the feature useful so you don't have to wake the phone to see who is texting you

Posted via Android Central App

 

[StuartV]

Did you ever find a solution to the problem of the phone unlocking for a couple seconds upon receiving of a test message? So annoying!!

The only solution I know of is to root the phone. Then, it is possible to change a setting to prevent it from turning on.

I hate using a lock screen. For me, the lock screen is just one extra step I have to go through before I can actually use my phone. But, I have not rooted my phone yet, so I have had to cave and set the lock screen to "Swipe". Otherwise, my phone kept turning on in my pocket (from receiving a text), and then staying on and I was pocket dialing, pocket texting, etc.. Super annoying!

Now, with the lock screen, it just turns on and then some times stays on, because it's in my pocket and my leg keeps "touching" the screen, so then it just runs down my battery.... :-(

 

[gwtx2]

I was looking for a way to turn off this "feature". It's kind of useless if you use a lock screen anyway as it only shows youhave a message. And oh by the way.I use a locked screen because of two reasons. One is don't want someone snooping on my phone in case I misplace it and two, my employer requires that any personal device which connects to their network or to their email servers must have a numeric passcode lock screen. So, some people do have legitimate reasons for locking their phone

 

[Reuben McPeak]

I found this thread by searching for a solution to the same problem.
While I do use and like using a screen lock, I do find the screen turns on and the keypad (albeit for emergency calls) bloops in my pocket after I've received a text.
I'm still deciding if I like bloops or not, but either way, I should be able to avoid the problem.

Trialling the other fella's suggestion of turning off previews. Just waiting for someone to text me now to see if that solves it!

 

[spydie2]

Turning off preview DOES NOT fix the problem. The only solution I've seen is to use something like RingoPro for your notifications, then turn off the messaging app notifications and it quits coming on. OR... you could use another messaging app (my favorite is Chomp SMS) and inside the new messaging app you can turn off the screen, but you still have to disable all notifications in the original messaging app for this to work, which doesn't make any difference because you have a lot more options in Chomp SMS for notifications than you do in the stock app. Both my Note 2 and 3 have this problem... can't remember if my SGS3 did.

 

[sev02]

I have a droid razr and use gosms with no pop up selected but it is STILL lighting up on texts.

 

[pawelek110]

yea.. there is the way .. but u need to root your device. I've found solution but on my S3.. i think this will help on S4 also.
You need to navigate to data/data/com.android.mms/shared_prefs/ and edit com.android.mms_preferences.xml. Find <boolean name="pref_key_backlight" value="true"> and change to true.. save file and reboot your device.. Thats it.. hope so thats helps

 

[amazondrone]

If you have 4.3, you can get an app called LockScreen Protocol. It turns off notifications on your lockscreen. I loved this little app after the software update to 4.3, but I did the updated to 4.4.2 and now I have that stupid message preview on the lock screen (or homescreen, if it happens to be open). I hate it and would love to just have the notification and preview in the status bar, but haven't figured that out yet. I'd appreciate a fix for this!