A proximity sensor on your Oppo phone is probably one of the most underrated features of all. It aids in keeping the screen dark when on calls to prevent accidental touches and actions. However, some users have reported proximity sensor not working issues. Here’s how you can diagnose the problem and fix it using various troubleshooting methods listed below.
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The Problem
First up, let’s see what problems users are facing. Apparently, Oppo users are reporting that their phone’s screen doesn’t turn off when on a call. A proximity sensor is tasked with detecting if the phone is near the user’s ear (or other stimuli) to turn off the screen. This prevents users from accidentally muting a call or recording or performing other functions that may not be call-related such as opening an app or even disconnecting the phone during a call. There are a few reasons why it could happen and here’s what you need to know about it.
Proximity Sensor Not Working During Call on Any OPPO Phone and How To Fix It
There are some reasons why a proximity sensor won’t work and here are the troubleshooting methods you can employ.
Phone case/cover
Phone cases/covers protect a device from breaking or shattering due to falls or accidents in many cases. However, there are numerous companies that produce such phone cases and it is possible that the dimensions could be slightly off. One of the reasons why a phone case or cover may hinder the proximity sensor if it is blocked. If you have a phone case and a proximity sensor not working issue, remove the cover and check if it makes any difference.
Dust & Debris
What could dust do? If that is what you think, you should think about it again. If you are using tempered glass on your phone, it is likely that there’s a slot for the front camera and the proximity sensor. This creates a wholesome area for dust to accumulate and debris such as lint can accumulate on top of it as well. The problem kicks in over time as the proximity sensor won’t be able to gauge proximity. Thus, cleaning it is one of the best solutions to fix proximity sensor not working during calls.
Restart the phone
If the dust or the phone case doesn’t appear to be a problem, could it be a software issue? Perhaps many users are facing temporary software-borne proximity sensor not working during a call. The swiss army knife troubleshooting method to fix any temporary glitch is simply to restart the phone. This refreshes system apps and functions on an Oppo phone relieving it from any software glitch or issue that made the proximity sensor go haywire.
Update the OS
As said, the software can be at fault and the ColorOS on Oppo phones is no exception. It is possible that your phone is facing an issue with the proximity sensor due to outdated software and to counter it, you can simply update the software to the latest patch and that should do the trick.
Perform a Restore Factory
This is a dire step so think well before going through with it. Performing a restore factory will simply delete all data and wipe it out to memory transforming your device into a clean slate as if you just purchased it. This is a common trick to get around any software-borne issue in case nothing from the above methods works. However, it risks deleting all data, and thus, taking a backup is a must.
Diagnosing The Proximity Sensor
Before you can walk into a service center assuming that the proximity sensor is now working at all, you can diagnose it first. Oppo has a feature to diagnose its sensors and here’s how you can do it based on which ColorOS version you use.
Diagnosing Proximity Sensor On ColorOS 11
Here’s how you can diagnose if a proximity sensor is working properly or not on devices running ColorOS 11.
- Go to Phone Manager on your device.
- Navigate to Diagnostics >> Continue and select “Sensors”.
- Untick all components except Proximity Sensor and tap on “Run diagnostics”.
Follow the instructions mentioned on the screen to verify the results. If it comes abnormal, the hardware for proximity is at the fault and you would need a repair/replacement to fix the issue.
Diagnosing Proximity Sensor On ColorOS 6.1 to 7.2
On devices running ColorOS 6.1 to 7.2, here are the instructions to follow.
- First up, open Phone Manager on your device and proceed to “Quick Check” >> Start Check >> Continue”.
- A list of all the sensors available on your Oppo smartphone will appear before you so untick all of them, select “Proximity Sensor” and proceed by tapping on “Check/ Run Diagnostics”.
As usual, this will take a few seconds and once the diagnosis is done based on the instructions mentioned on the screen, you will either get to know if the hardware is working properly or not.
Diagnosing Proximity Sensor On ColorOS 6.0
Here’s how you can diagnose if the hardware is to be blamed on devices running ColorOS 6.0.
- The first step is to open the Phone Manager and proceed to “Component Check >> Run Test”.
- Next up, check for all the sensors that’ll appear on the list and untick all leaving the proximity sensor for diagnosing.
- Tap on the “Star Detection” button and this will give you some on-screen instructions to follow.
After following the instructions, check the results from the diagnosis. If it is a hardware issue, you will have to get it repaired or replaced.
Diagnosing Proximity Sensor On ColorOS 5.0 to 5.2
This is a step-by-step instruction on how to diagnose proximity sensors on Oppo devices running on ColorOS 5.0 to 5.2.
- First up, open the Phone Manager on your Oppo phone.
- Proceed to “Diagnostics >> Run Test”.
- Amongst the list of all the sensors, select proximity sensor only and proceed by tapping on “Start Detection”.
Follow the instructions carefully to gauge if the proximity sensor is working or not. If the hardware is to be blamed, you will have to get it fixed unless you are okay with the problem.
Diagnosing Proximity Sensor On ColorOS 3.2
If you are using an Oppo smartphone running on ColorOS 3.2, follow the instructions mentioned below to run a diagnosis.
- First up, open the Phone Manager on your device and proceed to “Common Problems Detection >> Routine Test >> Diagnostics >> Detect Now >> Continue”.
- Amongst the list of all sensors, untick all except the proximity sensor and tap on “Start Detection/Run Diagnostics”.
Once the diagnosis is done, you will get the results if the proximity sensor is working or not, and in both cases, I recommend reporting it to a service center to know what’s causing the issue in the first place.
Report to a service center
Assuming that you are facing trouble using the proximity sensor on your Oppo smartphone and the results after diagnosis came out abnormal or “error”, you will have to report the issue to a service center. You can either walk into an authorized Oppo service center and get the problem fixed securely without voiding the warranty. On the other hand, reporting the issue and fixing the same from a local service center is cheaper but risks losing the warranty on the device. These are the two options available at this juncture.