Common OnePlus 9/9 Pro Problems and How to Fix Them

The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are two of the best Android flagships you can buy right now. Both feature stunning displays, effortlessly smooth software, and great performance. The OnePlus 9 Pro also boasts a souped-up camera designed in partnership with Swedish manufacturer Hasselblad. However, as strong as both phones are, you’re likely to encounter one or two bugs as you start using either of them for the first time, especially since both have been out for only a few months.

Luckily, we’ve put together a repository of common OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro problems, as well as solutions on how to fix them. While some of the below issues will likely be ironed out by future software updates, others require specific actions, adjustments, or workarounds. Regardless, all of them are curable in one way or another, so they shouldn’t get in the way of you enjoying your new phone for too long.

Also, this is an article that will be regularly updated as new problems come to light. So, check back periodically if there’s anything up with your OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro that you aren’t seeing here today.

Issue: OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro overheating

A number of OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro users have complained their phone overheats under various circumstances. For example, this can often occur when shooting 4K or 8K video, with the phone soon feeling a little too hot after a few minutes of filming. Others have complained of heating problems occurring when taking normal still photographs.

There’s no single fix to such an issue, although there are a number of things you can try to stop overheating. The problem may also be helped by future software updates, so make sure you update your OnePlus as soon as a new update is available.

Workarounds:

• Avoid using the phone too much in high temperatures and direct sunlight. This may exacerbate any in-built tendencies the device has to overheat.
• Do not film video in 8K or 4K for too long. Take breaks. Try shooting in standard (1080p) HD.
• Remove battery-draining apps from your phone. This means apps that claim to improve performance or battery life, as well as apps that run in the background (and you don’t really use or need).
• Try clearing the cache for any app you believe may be causing the overheating. To do this, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All Apps, and then tap the app you want and select Storage & Cache > Clear Cache.
• Some users recommend wiping your phone’s system cache or even performing a factory reset if issues persist. However, a factory reset in particular should be tried only as a last resort, and needless to say, you ought to back up your phone before resetting it.

Issue: OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro battery draining too quickly

This problem overlaps with the overheating issue. That’s basically because anything that causes your OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro to work too hard and overheat is also likely to cause its battery to drain faster than it should.

Again, a software update may hopefully rectify this problem, which quite a few users are complaining about on the official OnePlus forum. You could also try the possible solutions outlined above for the overheating issue. Otherwise, here are some alternative fixes that may help specifically with excessive battery drain.

Potential solutions:

• Close app background data for less-important applications. Obviously, you can’t do this with every app (e.g., those you really need to be running in the background), but take a closer look at the apps you do have on your phone and turn off background data for any you think aren’t that essential. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Network > App Data Usage > [App] > Background Data.
• Certain apps have a tendency to make excessive demands on certain phones. One user in the OnePlus forum has compiled a list of the worst offenders and noted steps you can take to reduce the burden it places on your OnePlus.
• Users have noted that by turning off certain settings and features — e.g., Wi-Fi (when you’re sleeping), double-tap to wake, ambient display — you can reduce your passive battery consumption.

Needless to say, if nothing works (including factory resets), you may want to consider contacting OnePlus for a repair or a replacement device.

Problem: Notifications not working properly

Forum users have noted several varying issues with notifications. This includes notifications appearing but being unable to actually open them, while it also includes notifications not coming at all (or the notification sound coming, but without an accompanying notification).

There are numerous factors likely at play here, given that each problem is a little different. Nonetheless, here are a few things you can try if you’re having any kind of issue with notifications, and updating to new software (where available) is always a good idea.

Potential solutions:

• Check your phone’s battery optimization settings and doze settings. Try switching from Optimize to Intelligent Control. If you’re having notification issues with a particular app, try whitelisting/enabling it.
• Try resetting your phone’s app permissions. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All Apps > More > Reset App Preferences.
• Try clearing the cache for any app you believe may be causing the overheating. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All Apps, and then tap the app you want and select Storage & Cache > Clear Storage.
• Check the settings of any app that is having problems with notifications. For example, with Gmail, go to Settings and check that inbox, email, and all other relevant notifications are enabled.
• Try uninstalling and reinstalling any offending apps.

Problem: OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro freezing

While comparatively rare, certain users have complained that their OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro has a tendency to freeze. For instance, they open an app, but it takes longer than usual to load properly.

Potential solutions:

• You may have a problem with the OnePlus Launcher app. Either check Google Play and see if there’s an update for it or try clearing its cache.
• Some cases of freezing occur with a message: “System UI isn’t responding.” If so, clear the cache of the System UI app.
• Try downloading a new launcher app on your phone and then selecting it as your default home app.

Problem: Wi-Fi/cellular data connections not working

Some users report being unable to connect to a mobile (or Wi-Fi) network on their phones. Mostly this is an issue with connections falling in and out, even though users are on a network they’ve used without problem in the past with other phones. Some users have also noted a problem where the phone fails to switch automatically to a cellular network whenever a Wi-Fi connection is lost.

Assuming that you’re confident there isn’t a problem with your cellular or Wi-Fi network, you might want to try the following.

Potential solutions:

• Reset your network settings. Go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth. Tap Reset Settings, and then enter your password.
• Switch on Airplane mode for half a minute or so, and then switch it off again. This can sometimes help you reestablish a connection.

Issue: Gallery loading slowly or not loading properly

Various users have griped about problems with Gallery not loading images or loading them very slowly. This can be for a variety of reasons, with some posters blaming a recent update for the snag.

Given that this is almost definitely a software issue, it will likely be solved by an incoming update. However, you can try the following steps in the meantime.

Workarounds:

• Delete the Gallery app’s cache. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All Apps > Gallery > Storage & Cache > Clear Cache.
• Likewise, follow the same path as above and tap Clear Storage to clear the Gallery app’s data.
• If Gallery still doesn’t load properly, try using a third-party gallery app, such as Google Photos.

Again, consider a factory reset if the above steps and new updates don’t work.

Editors’ Recommendations