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Huawei P9 and P9 lite: problems and solutions

AndroidPIT huawei p9 review 3650
© nextpit

The Huawei P9 and the P9 lite are both well-regarded phones from our reviews. Nevertheless, there have been a few problems. We've managed to identify some of them and can now show how to resolve these issues. 

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Huawei P9 (lite): push notifications

Some P9 and P9 lite owners reported that they've been having a few problems with push notifications. Specifically, push notifications for email or messenger apps don't work when the P9 or P9 lite is in standby mode. This issue is due to a faulty interaction between the Huawei software interface and the Android 6.0 Doze mode. It's easy enough to get around this problem, but you will need to change some settings.

First go to the Battery manager, which you can find under Settings > Advanced settings. Here, there are two tricks you can use: under Protected Apps, you can exclude apps from the Doze mode, by just selecting the app that is causing the problem. You can also set the power saving mode to Performance. Now the problems should be fixed. If this is still not the case, the next step takes you deeper into the app settings: Settings > Apps > Advanced > Ignore optimizations. Here you can type the word "Allowed" at the top of the screen and then select "All". Now look for the affected app in the list and select it. After this, just select "Allow."

p9 push notifications
Push notifications can be restored on the Huawei P9 and P9 lite. / © NextPit

Huawei P9 (lite): alternative launcher 

If you want to use an alternative launcher - for example, to retrieve the app drawer - you're in for a surprise: after installing a launcher, Android will always ask you for the desired starter when you press the Home button. This isn't the case with the P9 or the P9 lite. Instead, you'll need to enable the launcher deep in the Settings menu: 

  • Settings > Apps > Advanced > Default App Settings > Overview 
  • Select the currently installed launcher. 

Then you'll have to push away a dialog box, as Huawei will warn you about how this option can affect your battery consumption and some other annoying consequences.

p9 launcher
You can easily change the launcher. / © NextPit

Huawei P9 (lite): unresponsive (or under-responsive) touchscreen

Some owners have also been reporting some issues with the touchscreen, where the device only responds when you press down firmly or doesn't react at all. Unfortunately, the cause of this problem hasn't been identified yet, but there are a few indicators: some users only started to experience these problems after they had installed an update. Some have resorted to a factory reset, but again this has not resolved the issue. So, under the circumstances, there's a strong chance that this may be a software problem and Huawei will need to do something about it.

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Some Huawei P9 and P9 lite models have issues with the touchscreen. / © NextPit

Huawei P9 (lite): auto-rotate doesn't work

The function to rotate the display automatically is found by default in the speed settings. If your display does not rotate automatically, even if the function is activated, you can do the following:

  • Make sure the function is activated. You can do this by going to Settings > Display > Auto-rotate
  • Make sure the app supports the function as well (not all apps do)
  • Restart your phone. If this doesn't help, try doing a hardware reset (but remember to do a backup first!)
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Not all apps support auto-rotate. / © NextPit

Huawei P9 (lite): the screen turns black for some apps

Some users have been reporting that the screen turns black on some apps. This indicates that you have too many active apps working simultaneously on your smartphone. The problem can usually be resolved with a simple restart. 

If the problem persists after you've restarted your device, you can use the pre-installed phone manager to clear the cache and close any unused apps. If this still doesn't help, try reinstalling the affected app. 

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Clearing the memory can resolve the problem. / © NextPit

Huawei P9 (lite): camera issues

One of the biggest selling points of the Huawei P9 and P9 lite has been its camera. So, when users start complaining that they haven't been able to switch between photo and video modes, it's a pretty substantial problem. Happily, there is a solution. To resolve this issue, first make sure you have enough memory available. Then, under Settings > Apps > Camera > Memory, delete the cache and then the data.

After that, you should either restart your smartphone or reset the hardware. If the problem persists, try using an alternative camera app.

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Delete the cache and then the data. / © NextPit

These are the main problems that we've heard of - but that's not to say there aren't any others. Have you been experiencing problems with your P9 or P9 lite that we haven't covered here? Have you come up with any troubleshooting solutions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.

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Hans-Georg Kluge

Hans-Georg Kluge
Editor

Hans-Georg writes about apps, hardware and other stuff that happens in the Android universe. He is a happy owner of the Galaxy S7 but enjoys time with an iPad as well.

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11 comments
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  • 1
    Monique Sep 28, 2021 Link to comment

    Hi guys.

    I have a problem with my 2 p9 lite phones... Both of them doing the same. What happens is that the battery will be low so we plug it to charge, then when you want to switch it on it just keeps on showing the Huawei sign and doesn't want to do anything else. Please can someone help me


  • 1
    Ann Aug 9, 2019 Link to comment

    My photos won't save. Approximately 49 out of 50 won't save and I can't sort it.


  • 1
    Yasir Aziz Apr 18, 2018 Link to comment

    Hello everyone
    Many app is missing after rollback and Bluetooth is also not opening. Built num also change nrd90m test keys anyone help me how i solve it
    Now i use Android 7


  • Lauren Picken 1
    Lauren Picken Feb 13, 2018 Link to comment

    When taking pictures my phone will sometimes freeze and sound like it's taking loads of pictures. It often, whilst on camera mode, will either turn off or give me a warning on the screen to tell me my phone will shut down in 30 seconds due to low battery when before I used the camera I could have had a full battery. Can anyone help?


  • 3
    Christoph Affolter Jan 4, 2018 Link to comment

    Problem solved ! not software, but mechanical
    After posting here, I continued to search for solutions (new energy in the new year) - and so I found the solution.
    reddit (link prohibited by this forum) (user animflynny2012) pointed to a mechanical problem (for the P10, not the P9). But it looked appealing to me, so I thought it worthwile to give it a try.
    So, I put the phone standing up on its lower edge and let it fall flat onto its screen face. And - in the first check - everything was OK !!
    Seems to be a very feeble camera from Leica - if it works, there are good pictures, BUT mechanically it does not stand very much ...


  • 3
    Christoph Affolter Jan 2, 2018 Link to comment

    Serious focussing bug !
    My Huawei P9 (bought in 10/16) suddenly got the focus bug (in June '17): focussing with the main camera is only possible until ca. 30 cm. Focussing even nearer is possible, so I would say the thing is off by 3 Dioptries.

    From user discussions (e.g. at XDA), I see "Factory reset didn't help". Others tell to clear the cache drive, but I cannot find this menu.
    The only answer I got from Huawei support - apart from "remove the plastic sheet on the lens" - was "please reset it to the factory settings." I waited to do this all this time, because it seems it is very risky and goes near bricking !! They say e.g. "If the OS is Android 5.1 (or later) installed on your device already, you can not access the device after the reset procedure (factory state-recycling)."

    Modell EVA-L09
    Android 7.0
    EMUI 5.0.1 (updadated from 5.0 as the error began, "no new version")


  • Katie Prystash 1
    Katie Prystash Oct 15, 2017 Link to comment

    My camera worked great for the first 2 weeks and since then (about a month) 9 out of 10 photos I take won't save or are deleted from my gallery after a few minutes. I thought maybe it was a space issue but I have an external memory card with plenty of space... Has anyone else had this problem??


    • 1
      Ann Aug 9, 2019 Link to comment

      I have this same issue. Have u found a solution yet?
      I too have this problem. Have u found a solution?


  • Mike Papadakhs 1
    Mike Papadakhs Sep 11, 2017 Link to comment

    Camera issues. In pro mode, if I set by myself ISO and Shutter, then I cannot set exposure. If exposure is set to +4 or -4, the photo is remaining exactly the same


  • 1
    AlexSellani1 Apr 2, 2017 Link to comment

    When I have internet without wifi turned on and I turn on Bluetooth my P9 lite just crash
    And sometimes when I turn on and turn of Bluetooth the shortcut continued turned on


  • Bsimmo 1
    Bsimmo Mar 23, 2017 Link to comment

    GPS problems on the Lite.
    Mine and Friends P9 lites while using programs like Strava, they stop after an almost specific time/distance rendering the P9 Lite useless for Strava. Once it recovers the same happens again. All sort of thing tried to remedy this setting, power save, run always etc. Like you have for the Push notifications

    A search shows even the P8 has these problems too.

    Maybe if EMUI5 comes to the P9lite they may have fixed these bugs.

    (Google Maps works fine though)

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