Do you have a Huawei Mate 20 Pro, but it does not work as it should or do you realize that it gives some problems? You’re probably not alone: Your Mate 20 Pro may have a gremlin (or two) inside it doing mischief. Here’s a rundown of the most common reported issues with Huawei’s impressive phone.
Problem: write permission to SD card doesn’t work with third party apps
Some users posting on the XDA Developer Forum have reported that they have a problem transferring files from their Mate 20 Pro to an external SD card. Specifically, it comes up in some cases after the upgrade to EMUI 10. Huawei and Google apps are still able to transfer files to SD card, but some third party apps can’t.
Based on the forum messages, it is not entirely clear what is causing this and if there is a single solution that guarantees operation in all cases. According to Huawei’s own comments in its official forum , this is, in fact, a design feature implemented “to ensure the proper functioning of the system and data security.” However, users have suggested the following possible solutions, which may work in certain cases.
Possible solutions:
- Use Mixplorer or other file explorers, which are third-party Android file managers. Some users claim that these applications work for them.
- Switch to EMUI 9. This is a complex process that erases the data on your phone (you need to make a backup first) and you should only do this if you really need to use third-party file browsers to transfer files to an SD card. As detailed on the Huawei website , it requires downloading the latest version of HiSuite . Once you have downloaded HiSuite to your PC, connect it to your Mate 20 Pro, launch HiSuite and click Update> Switch to another version. You may need to first go to your Mate 20 Pro’s Settings and enable Allow HiSuite to use HDB before doing this.
Problem: NFC doesn’t work
We have seen some complaints on the Huawei forum and the XDA developer forum about issues with NFC and specifically with Google Pay payments not working properly. This doesn’t seem to be a problem with EMUI 10, but only with EMUI 9. However, if you still have EMUI 9, there are a couple of different possible problems, so here is what you should try:
Possible solutions:
- Upgrade to EMUI 10.
- If you have rooted your Mate 20 Pro or unlocked the bootloader, that may prevent mobile payments from working; Installing an Android beta can also affect banking applications.
- Turn off your Huawei Mate 20 Pro, then press and hold the Power and Volume Up keys together. The phone should load the recovery menu and you can use Volume Down to activate Clear cache partition and press the Power key to select it. When you’re done, select Reboot System Now.
- If your problem is specifically with Google Pay, try uninstalling the Google Pay app. Then restart the phone, install the Google Pay app and set it up again.
Problem: volume too low
There have been some reports in the XDA developer forum and on Reddit on volume issues with the Mate 20 Pro. Some people complain that the volume is generally too low. Again, this is a problem that has been reported for EMUI 9, with no online reports associating it with EMUI 10. Try updating to see if that solves the problems. If not, try one of these possible solutions:
Possible solutions:
- If you have a problem in landscape view, it may be because the main speaker is reducing the volume to switch to stereo sound. Take a look in Settings> Sound and make sure Stereo + sound is turned off and try again.
- Look in Settings> Sound> Dolby Atmos and try to change the Smart settings to what makes sense for your content and thus check if it makes a difference.
- Low volume could be related to the headphones or USB-C adapter you are using. Look for a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter that has a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) chip.
- You can find volume-raising apps, like this one, on the Play Store , but we advise you to be careful because high volumes can damage your hearing and potentially destroy the speakers.
Problem: green tint on the screen
Multiple people complain on the internet that their phone screens have turned green, which is only getting worse. Often most noticeable with a dark or low-light wallpaper, the green tint extends from where the side of the phone curves and can spread over the top of the screen. Huawei has released a statement on this matter on its support website, stating that it may be the result of using the phone in low temperatures. He suggests that the following measures be taken to improve the situation:
Possible solutions:
- Go to Settings> Display> Color & Eye Comfort> Temperature & Color Mode, and then tap or drag the dot on the color circle, or tap Hot or Cold to adjust the color temperature to your preferred level. Huawei recommends adjusting the color temperature to a colder color for a better experience.
- Disable Eye Comfort mode and see if the problem is resolved.
- Disables Night mode and increases screen brightness. Huawei claims that this can reduce green tint.
- If the above solutions don’t work, please contact a Huawei Service Center, your network or the supplying retailer in case there is any hardware problem as it should be covered by warranty. Visit the Huawei website for information on the one closest to you.
Problem: fingerprint sensor on screen
New technology can often be problematic, and while the Mate 20 Pro’s in-display fingerprint sensor is one of the best, it’s not perfect, and it can become less reliable over time. If your fingerprint sensor needs multiple attempts to unlock your phone, when it used to work with only one, the best thing to do is to re-register your fingerprint. That said, this is another issue that has not been reported more recently, so it may be worth updating as well, as Huawei has released updates since the Mate 20 Pro release that have improved the fingerprint sensor.
Possible solutions:
- Open Settings on your Mate 20 Pro, go to Security and Privacy, then Fingerprint Identification and enter your security code. Select the registered fingerprint that is causing the problem, then click Delete from the list that appears at the bottom of the screen. It will ask you to add a new fingerprint or, if not, select New on-screen footprint from the available options.
- If you have a screen saver installed, this can affect registration or usage. If possible, remove it and re-scan your fingerprint. Also, some screen protectors can reduce the reliability of on-screen fingerprint sensors, so check this with the manufacturer before purchasing.