The most common Moto Power 5g problems and how to solve them

There is plenty of competition among budget Android phones, and Motorola is one of the most reliable brands for producing great-value phones. The Motorola Moto G Power 5G is packed with useful features, like a massive battery and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Still, it has problems, including lackluster performance and an atrocious camera.

We identified the common problems you’ll encounter when using the phone. We show you how to fix these problems and reduce the impact of others. After following these steps, try our favorite tips and tricks for this phone.

Common fixes for your Android phone’s problems

In this article, “Moto G Power 5G” refers to the 2024 model.

Before diving into the fixes for your Moto G Power 5G, perform these steps. While they may seem obvious, something as simple as restarting your phone can fix glitches and bugs.

Restart your phone

A quick and easy fix. Try this before anything else.

1. Press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons on the phone until the power window appears.
2. Tap Restart.

If the device is unresponsive, press and hold the Power button for 30 seconds until the device reboots.

Check for software updates

Motorola will only update the software on the Moto G Power 5G for one year. After updating it to Android 15, you won’t see anything but security updates (those end two years later). However, if you’re within this window, a pending software update can fix problems with your phone.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap System updates.
3. Tap Check for updates.
4. Install any pending updates.
5. Restart your phone.

Perform a factory reset

A factory reset can fix stubborn software glitches and potentially speed up your phone. However, you can safely reset your Moto G Power 5G so that you don’t lose valuable data.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap System.
3. Tap Reset options.
4. Tap Erase all data (factory reset).

Follow the steps to factory reset your phone.

120Hz refresh rate is unattainable most of the time

A 120Hz refresh rate is a surprising feature on a budget phone like the Moto G Power 5G. The phone’s Dimensity 7020 chipset is not powerful enough to maintain a framerate this high. So, while it may seem like a waste of the phone’s potential, manually setting the display to a lower refresh rate makes scrolling through menus and watching animations less choppy.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Display.
3. Tap Display refresh rate.
4. Select 60Hz (recommended).

Minimize, stop, or disable bloatware and ads on the Moto G Power 5G

The Moto G Power 5G ships with Glance and Swish, software packages that insert ads into various parts of your phone, including the lock screen, notification bar, and app drawer. Here’s how to remove both from your phone.

Disable all Glance features

You can’t completely remove Glance without ADB commands, so opt out of all optional Glance-related features during setup. However, if ads still appear on your lock screen and notification bar, here’s how to turn off Glance.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap Show system apps.
4. Tap Motorola Display.
5. Tap Disable.

Remove apps installed by Swish

Next, disable the preloaded apps and ad shortcuts on your phone. Open your Moto G Power 5G’s app drawer and find two folders labeled Shopping and Entertainment. These applications are designed to look like folders. Open one, and you’ll see shortcuts to preinstalled apps.

You can remove all unwanted apps by tapping and holding the app icon or going to the Apps menu in your Settings app.

Notifications are delayed or never arrive

The Moto G Power’s sluggish performance shouldn’t affect when you receive notifications. If notifications from certain apps are delayed, this is likely due to settings related to the app’s battery usage. Here’s how to check and adjust this setting.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap See all apps.
4. Select the app with delayed notifications.
5. Tap App battery usage.
6. Tap Unrestricted.

This may impact your phone’s battery life, especially if the app uses a lot of data in the background. If your phone’s battery life suddenly drops after changing this setting, change it to Restricted or Optimized.

Fix subpar photos on your Moto G Power 5G

No more overprocessed or washed out pics

The Moto G Power cameras are of such poor quality that you will be retaking a lot of photos. However, you’ll get the same inadequate result. While there isn’t much you can do about this, following some basic smartphone photography tips will make your photos ready for Instagram.

• Ensure the sun is facing the subject.
• Polish the camera lenses occasionally with a microfiber cloth or your t-shirt.
• Don’t use the zoom in low-light conditions.
• Use the full power of editing tools in apps like Google Photos.

Avoid performance decreases after a few weeks of use

The Moto G Power isn’t a powerful phone, so expect long wait times when opening large apps. However, if you notice significant delays when opening the app drawer or scrolling through the home screen, clear your phone’s cache, as this can increase its performance.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap See all apps.
4. Select an app you use frequently.
5. Tap Storage and cache.
6. Tap Clear cache.

If you’re unsure whether you should clear your phone’s cache, read our guide on everything you need to know about clearing your phone’s cache.

Keep your Moto G Power in good shape

The Moto G Power is an underpowered phone, even among similarly priced budget Android devices. This guide helps you compensate for some of its shortcomings. However, if you’re still frustrated with the phone’s performance after following this guide, try these tips to speed up your phone.