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Is your shiny new Sony Xperia Z1S giving you trouble? Try these six fixes

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Sony Xperia Z1S review front screen music
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You save up your money. You get the house prepared for its arrival. The excitement builds up to that special day and then, when you bring it home, it flat out refuses to behave the way you expected. Dealing with a disobedient smartphone can be a serious headache. If you’re unlucky you may run into one or more of these Sony Xperia Z1S problems.

Don’t worry. You’re not a bad owner. We all have to deal with this kind of challenging behavior from time to time. With a little patience and the right strategy we can transform your naughty Xperia into a shimmering glass angel.

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Glitch: Touchscreen unresponsive

Sony Xperia Z1S review screen macroA lot of people have complained about the touchscreen on the Xperia Z1S. It randomly fails to register touches. This seems to crop up any time there is a lot of input on the touchscreen, so if you use a Swype keyboard or play an intensive game then some touches don’t register. You can test for it very easily by going to Settings > About Phone > Diagnostics > Test Device > Touchscreen. Try drawing a line continuously for 10 seconds and see if it works correctly.

Workarounds:

  • If you don’t touch the screen for a few seconds then it should start working again properly, at least temporarily.
  • If it happens in a specific app then sometimes tapping home and touching the screen is enough to return normal behavior, but the problem can crop up again.
  • You can get a temporary reprieve by restarting your Xperia Z1S.

Potential solutions:

  • According to support staff in this Sony forum a fix is coming in the next software update to address this issue, but there’s no firm date on that. You can check if anything is available via Settings > About phone > Software updates > System updates.

Annoyance: Can’t connect to Wi-Fi or keeps dropping

If you find that your Xperia Z1S refuses to connect to your Wi-Fi network, or that it drops for no apparent reason then you can try these troubleshooting steps.

Potential solutions:

  • Turn your Xperia Z1S and your router off and then on again.
  • Make sure you have the latest software by checking here Settings > About phone > Software updates > System updates or at the Sony website.
  • Make sure that your router software is up to date. You may need to check in with the manufacturer or your ISP. You can often find instructions by Googling the name of your router.
  • Tweak your router settings. You can try changing the network mode, set a static IP address, and make sure that the MAC address for your Xperia Z1S is allowed and/or that the MAC filter is off. If you download Wifi Analyzer you can see how busy the channels are and pick a less crowded one.

Malfunction: Overheating

We hear a lot of complaints about smartphones overheating and it’s inevitable to a degree because manufacturers are packing in bigger batteries and screens into slimmer form factors. Overheating in the Z1S can lead to problems with freezing, crashes, rapid battery drain, and camera errors. There are some things you can try to address this issue.

Workarounds:

  • Avoid using it continuously for too long. Try to give it regular breaks to cool down.
  • If you’re using a case then take it off; it could prevent heat from escaping.
  • The Xperia Z1S is waterproof, but you should resist the temptation to put it in cold water. If it’s too hot then you could crack the glass.

Potential solutions:

  • It could be caused by software on the phone, check Settings > About phone > Software updates > System updates to make sure you have the latest update.
  • There’s a chance that a rogue app is responsible. A quick way to check is to boot up in safe mode. Turn the phone off and then press and hold the power key until you feel it vibrate. When you see the Xperia logo screen, press and hold the volume down key and the device should restart in safe mode. If the problem is gone in safe mode, then it’s likely that one of your installed apps is causing it. Restart the Xperia Z1S to get out of safe mode and try uninstalling apps and testing until you find the culprit.
  • You could also just factory reset the phone and then selectively reinstall apps. To do that go to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset > Reset phone. Make sure you backup your important files first.

Problem: Water damage

Sony Xperia Z1S review ports open
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’ve damaged your Xperia Z1S in water, then you certainly aren’t the first person to do so. The phone is waterproof, but it’s very important to remember to seal the flaps carefully before any immersion. The Xperia Z1S is only designed to handle depths up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. That means fresh water only. If you do end up with water damage then here’s what to do:

Potential solutions:

  • Sony Xperia Z1S review submergedDon’t try to turn it on. Gently dab the outside with kitchen towel or something absorbent and when it’s dry, open the flaps to drain any water from inside. Leave it off and put it somewhere dry with the flaps open. A bowl of rice can help to extract the moisture. Leave it alone for at least 24 hours.
  • If it doesn’t work when dried out then you’ll have to get a repair. If it was due to a hardware fault then Sony should accept responsibility, but the blame can be difficult to establish, considering Sony encourages users to take the phone underwater. There are water damage indicators inside the phone, so if you left the flaps open and forgot, don’t expect a positive response. You can contact Sony and find out where your nearest repair center is.
  • There are also many independent repair companies out there and they can often repair water damaged phones. If you know it was your fault, then they are definitely your best shot, as they’ll be a lot cheaper than Sony.

Problem: Yellow tint on screen

If you take a look at your phone next to a different model, you might notice that white and grey backgrounds on the Xperia Z1S have a yellow tint to them. This was a big issue for the Xperia Z1 and it may be present on your Xperia Z1S.

Potential solutions:

  • Go to Settings > Display > White balance and switch B to 100. Whites should now look whiter.
  • If it still bothers you, call Sony or go back to the retailer / carrier who sold you the phone and get a replacement handset.

Problem: Random reboots

A few people have suffered from random reboots. The Xperia Z1S simply turns itself off without explanation and then starts up again. The same pattern can repeat randomly.

Potential solutions:

  • Try installing free Sony software, PC Companion or Bridge for Mac. When you plug in your device you can check for updates via Support Zone > Start > Phone Software Update > Start or you can choose the Repair phone option.
  • It could be an app causing the issue. Make sure all your apps are up to date in the Play Store app under My apps > All.
  • If that doesn’t help, then try a factory reset and then reinstall apps selectively. Back up and then go to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset > Reset phone.
  • If you can’t find a software issue then it could be faulty hardware. Contact Sony and discuss a replacement handset.

That’s it for our roundup of Sony Xperia Z1S problems and potential fixes. Before you go why not take a look at our Sony Xperia Z1S tips? 

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Simon Hill
Simon Hill
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Simon Hill is an experienced technology journalist and editor who loves all things tech. He is currently the Associate Mobile…
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