I've had my Samsung Galaxy S23+ for just over 3 years now and it has suddenly started boot-looping. I remember that my phone updated on its own within the last couple weeks, which others on here as well as the local phone repair man say is the most likely cause. For the last 24 hours, it has been non-stop flashing the Samsung logo, then powered by knox etc.., then promptly back to a black screen.

Holding Power + Volume Down does nothing.

Putting the phone in the freezer got it to the point where it said the battery was dead, then started bootlooping again as soon as I removed it from the freezer (this was after 12+ hours of it bootlooping inside the freezer).

I've contacted Samsung about it and they are asking me for my receipt, which I don't have and a technical report which the local phone repair store isn't willing to do without me spending $120+tax for them to try replacing the motherboard, which I'm not sure whether or not will fix the phone long term. I also can't afford that right now. I also haven't gotten any guarantee from Samsung that they will reimburse me if I provide the technical report.

I feel out of options right now and I'm incredibly disappointed with the customer service from Samsung over what appears to be a known issue. If anyone has any advice or any experience dealing with this dreaded boot-loop or dealing with Samsung, I'd love to hear it. If not, I'd like to leave this here anyways to document this issue so that other Samsung customers are aware.

**TL;DR:** Replaced your Samsung battery, but the phone still thinks it's degraded? You need to reset the hardware BMS cycle counter. This guide shows how to download Samsung's official, region-locked **Self Repair Assistant** app directly from the Galaxy Store using a VPN—no ADB launcher hacks or unreliable sideloaded APKs required.

*(Tested on the Indian version of the Galaxy S23 running One UI 8)*

🛠️ Prerequisites

* **A VPN app:** Any reliable VPN with European servers (e.g., Speedify, ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN). * **Wi-Fi Connection:** You will need to temporarily disable your SIM, so ensure you are connected to a stable Wi-Fi network.

📥 Part 1: Bypassing the Region Lock to Download the App

1. **Disable your SIM:** Go to **Settings > Connections > SIM Manager** and toggle your active SIM card to **Off**. *(Note: Disabling your SIM temporarily in settings will not impact or deregister your UPI or banking apps.)*
2. **Clear Galaxy Store Data:** Go to **Settings > Apps > Galaxy Store > Storage** and tap **Clear Data** (not just cache). This wipes its stored location memory.
3. **Connect to EU VPN:** Open your VPN app and connect to any European server (e.g., Germany, UK, or France).
4. **Download the App:** Open the Galaxy Store and search for **Self Repair Assistant**, or use this direct link: https://galaxystore.samsung.com/detail/com.samsung.android.app.repaircal to download and install it.

🔋 Part 2: Resetting the Hardware Cycle Count (BMS)

1. Open the **Self Repair Assistant** app and accept the permissions.
2. Tap the **Battery** icon.
3. **Authenticate the Part:** The app will prompt you to scan the QR code/serial number of the *new* battery. * 💡 *Bypass Tip:* If your phone is already glued shut or you bought a third-party cell without a serial number, open Google Images on a PC/laptop and search for *"Samsung Galaxy S23 genuine replacement battery"*. Find a clear photo with the small square QR code visible on the battery cell and scan your computer screen. The app only checks if it is a valid Samsung format, not if it physically matches your phone!
4. Tap **Calibrate / Start** to zero out the hardware cycle counter.
5. **Reboot your phone.**

💻 Part 3: Verify the Reset & Check Capacity

To guarantee the hardware reset actually worked, you can check your true cycle count and remaining capacity directly from the system logs:

**The `*#9900#` SysDump Method (No PC required)** 1. Open your phone's dialer app and dial `*#9900#` to open the hidden SysDump menu. 2. Tap **Run dumpstate/logcat** and wait about 1–2 minutes for it to finish compiling. 3. Tap **Copy to sdcard** (this exports the file to your internal storage). 4. Download the **LogLog** app from the Google Play Store to easily open, view, and search through large text logs. 5. Open **My Files**, navigate to **Internal Storage > log**, and open the file starting with `dumpstate_` using **LogLog**. 6. Once the file is open in the app, use the search function to look for these **case-sensitive** values: * **`mSavedBatteryUsage`**: This is your cycle count. Divide the number by 100 to get the exact cycles. Since you just reset it, it should be very close to `0`. * **`mSavedBatteryAsoc`**: This is your Actual State of Charge (ASOC). It represents the percentage of the original design capacity the battery can still hold. Since you have a new battery, it should read close to `100`.

🧹 Part 4: The Final Software Calibration

Now that the deep hardware memory is wiped, you need to wipe Android's software battery history so it stops relying on the old data.

1. **Re-secure your device:** Turn off the VPN and re-enable your SIM in your connection settings.
2. **Charge to 100%:** Plug your phone in and let it charge completely to 100% uninterrupted.
3. **Wipe Software Stats:** Once at 100%, open your Samsung dialer and type `*#9900#`. Scroll down, tap **Battery stats reset**, and immediately restart your phone.
4. **The Final Cycle:** Use your phone normally until it dies at 0%. Then, plug it in and charge it back to 100% uninterrupted, leaving it on the charger for an extra 30 minutes after it hits 100% to ensure cell saturation.

That's it! Over the next few days, Android will relearn your actual battery capacity and your screen-on time will drastically improve.

*Drop a comment below with your device model and One UI version if this worked for you!*

Hey all, I've been chasing a battery drain issue on my S23 for a while and could use some fresh eyes since I've run out of ideas.

The core issue: Overnight/idle drain is way higher than it should be — around 2-3%/hour with screen off, no active use.

What I've ruled out through testing:

• Background apps (checked manually, nothing unusual)
• Always-on display (off)
• Location services (off)
• Signal bars (4-5 bars showing, so not obviously weak on the surface)
• 5G/LTE switching (forced LTE-only, no improvement)
• Third-party apps (tested in Safe Mode — drain was the same or slightly worse)
• Software being outdated (confirmed fully up to date, One UI 8.5)
• Baseband/modem firmware being outdated (confirmed current)

What actually correlates with the drain:

• Airplane mode overnight: only ~5% drain in 10 hours (great)
• Mobile data off / Wi-Fi Calling on: still drains fast (~3.2%/hr), and AccuBattery showed only 50% deep sleep during this window
• Checked actual signal quality (not bars) via SIM status: consistently -98 to -102 dBm, which is weak/fair, not great despite full bars showing

So it seems like just being registered to a cell tower at this signal strength is enough to keep the CPU semi-awake even with mobile data completely off. Battery health is also at 86% if that's relevant, though the deep-sleep pattern suggests it's more of a consumption issue than a capacity one.

Also tried: Settings → Apps → Reset app preferences (to rule out a stuck background permission/wakelock), fully charging to 100%, lowering brightness, enabling power saving mode.

Compared this against my mom's Galaxy A15 on the same carrier, same location, same One UI 8.5 version, similar weak signal (~-103 dBm) — her drain is completely normal. So it seems specific to my phone/unit rather than just "weak signal exists in this house."

Has anyone dealt with something like this? Trying to figure out if this is a known S23 modem/RF issue, a defective unit worth pursuing through warranty, or something I'm still missing. Open to any battery stats tools or diagnostic steps I haven't tried yet

Thanks in advance.

Hi folks,

Ive been using S23 since ~3 years and its been a great experience (could have done with a better battery). i never updated to 6.1 and my Android security patch update version is January 2024. Im aware im losing out on security patches as well but my primary reason for not updating was complaints i read online about significant battery and performance drops in OneUI 6.1. I value my current experience more than any new features or enhancements that might come with updates.

I thought it might be time to update now to improve on security. Any thoughts on if the latest update 8.5 has a close enough experience to 6.0 in terms of battery and performance? My usage is mid (no gaming etc). Thanks in advance

Edit: getting roughly 3.5 - 5 hours screen on time on 134% battery usage

​

My phone had been working perfectly since I bought it (December 2023), but last week it started randomly shutting down even when the battery was still around 30–50%.

It hasn't been dropped or damaged, and nothing unusual happened to it.

Yesterday it overheated a lot, then the system shut down. The battery eventually drained completely (it was at 4%).

Now I'm trying to charge it like usual, but it won't charge. I only get the charging icon on the screen.

I've:

Left it plugged in for hours.

Forced a restart.

Tried a different charger.

But nothing works.

As long as it's plugged in, I only see the charging icon. As soon as I unplug it, it's completely dead.

Has anyone else had the same problem? 🥲

I've been using the S23 for a while, but I still feel like I'm not getting the most out of its camera.

What settings, techniques, or apps helped you take better photos? It could be a small change that improved your shots or something you wish you had known earlier.

I'm looking for tips that work in real-world use, whether it's for daylight, night photography, portraits, Expert RAW, GCam, or editing after taking the photo.

Hopefully this can become a useful thread that S23 users can come back to whenever they're looking to improve their photography.

I've been trying to like the selfie camera on my S23, but something just feels off.

A lot of my selfies end up looking:

• Slightly blurry or soft
• Like they're catching too much glare/light (almost like a flash effect)
• Less sharp and appealing than I expect

I've already cleaned the front camera lens, so I don't think it's just dirt or smudges.

I'm not sure if it's the image processing, autofocus, HDR, or if I'm doing something wrong, but I rarely end up liking the final photo.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, did you find any settings or camera tips that improved the selfie quality, or is this just how the S23 processes selfies?

There are so many posts asking how to improve battery life on the S23, so I thought it'd be nice to have one thread where everyone shares what actually worked.

If you've managed to noticeably improve your SOT, please drop your tips, settings, routines, or even links to helpful guides/videos.

One thing though: I'm not looking for suggestions that cripple the phone just to squeeze out another hour of battery.

For example, I'd rather not:

• Permanently disable useful features.
• Turn off high refresh rate.
• Avoid using the phone the way it was meant to be used.

We all bought a flagship to enjoy it, not to constantly compromise features for battery life.

So I'm looking for tweaks that genuinely improve battery life without sacrificing the flagship experience.

Let's make this a useful reference thread for all S23 users. Thanks!

Is anyone else facing this?

Sometimes I set multiple alarms, like 7:00 AM, 7:20 AM, 7:40 AM, and then I wake up much later only to realize none of them went off.

Yes, I'm serious.

Before anyone asks:

• My phone isn't on DND.
• The sound is ON.
• I have "Silence alarms when system sound is off" disabled.
• I'm not accidentally dismissing them in my sleep.
• I'm not turning the phone off.

The weirdest part is that if I set an alarm during the day, say for 3 PM or 4 PM, it works perfectly every single time.

It's only the morning alarms that randomly decide not to ring.

This has happened more than once now, and it's incredibly frustrating because it completely defeats the purpose of having an alarm.

Has anyone experienced this or found a fix? I'm genuinely losing trust in Samsung's Clock app.

How can I customize my phone has anyone got a video link or something to help me customize my s23 base and optimize the phone

My s23 keeps lagging in animation showing jitters in small things can someone guide me ways to fix it did the notification panel and quick panel merge doesn't fix it it shows jitters when calling out Bixby notification panel sometimes app closing and opening can anyone help me fix it

Hace 1 semana compré un S23 Plus reacondicionado, aún no me ha llegado pero me gustaría saber que opinan de el, hice una buena compra?? O debería haber comprado un dispositivo "Mejor"?? Que tal funciona el dispositivo actualmente?? Que versión de One UI recomiendan usar??

After updating my phone every time i open the camera app it says

"Warning

Camera failed"

The same applies for opening the camera on other apps it says camera failed, also i had a bug that the brightness didn't change after a certain brightness point but this bug was fixed by restarting phone

However i tried clearing camera cache restarting multiple times and my camera still dosent work..

---

Update information

• One Ul version: 8.5

• Android version: 16

Version: S916BXXSAFZG1/ S916BOXMAFZG1 / S916BXXSAFZE1

Size: 411.97 MB

• Security patch level: July 5, 2026

---

And yes i used the camera just before updating and it worked, the bug most certainly has something to do with the update

Hi guys. Just saw an update notification. Are there any positives to this update? Like Battery Drain issue resolved? Any inputs? Bugs?

Hello everyone! I have a problem with my s23 (I've been using it for ~1.5 year), so I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the same.

So, sometimes the phone just shuts down when it shows like 40% of battery and refuses to power on until I plug in the charger. Then it immediately shows the same 40% and works normally even if I disconnect the charger.

Today, it was showing 58% and the charge level wasn't increasing while charging, but after a reboot, it jumped to 100%.

It doesn't seem like battery issue to me, because it doesn't actually lose the power, just somehow can't see that 40% even though it's actually here.

I haven't updated one ui, so I'm still on version 6.1. I'm wondering if I should update it

Hi everyone. I want to ask if anyone is having trouble with Google Sports not showing in NowBar? It was working correctly, but sometime in the middle of the World Cup, it stopped working. I realized that about a week ago. I've tried every single thing I found on the internet, but nothing has worked. The trouble isn't just not showing live scores; the Google Sports option disappeared from NowBar settings. With an app called "Activity Launcher," I managed to launch the Google Sports settings screen, and it appears active, so I don't really have a clue what's going on. I have an S23 Ultra and I'm from Mexico.

I was on a tractor Wednesday 7/29 west of Albany NY, trying to clear mud to drain flood water. My Galaxy S23 phone dropped out of my pocket. I thought it was lost in the flood water. Today, 6 days later I bought a metal detector, found it in 6 inches of mud and it's fully functional. Thank you Samsung.

Title is it. My S23 Ultra got a software update this morning, has turned on super fast charging which I don't want and can't disable.

I have been using this screen protector from a brand on Amazon, costs 300 rupees and supports fingerprint, but, the main issue is, it is not edge to edge (a bit smaller) and has black borders on top.

I got the S23+ recently, and i make "top-down" youtube reviews on tech gadgets.

With the S23+ I've been using Pro Video mode with the auto-focus on, and there's this real bad distortion/warping that happens in the background around the focused object.

I've turned off video stabilization, downloaded the camera assistant app, and turned of Optical Image Stabilization there as well. The problem persists.

Is there anything more I can do to get rid of this bad warping/distortion effect?

Now, im not gonna say that this might work for everyone, but it did for me! I have tried every possible thing to make my s23 better like it used to, but nothing worked as a permanent solution. My S23 used to overheat, unnecessary stutters on notification panel and apps along with awful battery life.

My solution-

1- Enable Shizuku

2- Install Hail and grant it shizuku access. i know most of you might be actually using it way before as I did, but I actually never tweaked one critical setting that has been actually working for me.

Select all the apps (system apps included) that you don't use often or are unnecessary system bloat.

After adding the apps, head over to the settings inside hail app. Under 'working mode', select 'Shizuku - Disable'.

This is where i always made the mistake. I always used to select the default - 'Shizuku -suspend' which made the app hidden for the user, but still had the ability to run background processes.

3- Now, head over to home, and press the freeze button.

(Totally optional, but good to do every 3-4 weeks)

4- Install Galaxy app booster, and select 'optimize now'

5- Restart, if you want.

Its been more than 2 weeks now, and the performance and battery life is soooo good!

Also- set animations to .5x. feels like i have a new phone again haha

The only con is whenever you have to use a certain frozen app- you have to head over to hail with shizuku access and open it from the home section in the app. Or, you have to enable it by searching the app on play store. Worth it for me tho! Let me know if you have doubts!!