r/fairphone

I’ve been testing this for a couple of weeks trying to rule out all obvious causes and support-script explanations. This is a summary of persistent issues I can reliably reproduce.

Device:

• Fairphone 6 (Spain)
• Android 16 (FP6.QREL.16.48.0)
• Factory reset done
• Network settings reset multiple times

Touchscreen freezing

• Random system-wide touch freeze (whole screen or active UI stops responding)
• Not app-specific
• Some gestures may still work (e.g. Home button gesture)
• Happens every few hours during normal use
• Lock/unlock temporarily fixes it
• Still happens in Safe Mode → likely not app-related

Hotspot / tethering issues

• 5 GHz / 6 GHz hotspot often not visible unless 2.4 GHz compatibility mode is enabled
• Steam Deck + Windows devices often get stuck on “Obtaining IP address”
• Connections drop or become unusable under normal usage
• Other phones (Pixel / Samsung / Motorola) work fine with the same setup

Tried:

• Factory reset
• Safe Mode
• APN verified
• VPN disabled
• Power saving / hotspot timeout disabled
• Multiple SIMs (Vodafone / Orange)
• Network resets multiple times

Impact: Device is unreliable both as a daily driver and hotspot device. I currently need a second phone just for tethering.

In use since January 21, 2026. The FP6 came with Android 15. Since I'm used to taking screenshots by double-tapping the back of the phone, I installed TapTap from GitHub (this also eliminates the many unintentional screenshots some people take). The FP6 is my only mobile phone, and it works almost flawlessly. Upgrade to Android 16 on March 24, 2026. Build number: FP6.QREL.16.48.0. Android security update from February 5, 2026.

What's the status (for me)?
Images cannot be taken and sent from the Signal app (apparently a known issue, but Signal doesn't consider it their problem).

Images are sometimes not saved. Workaround on the "public issue tracker" website, or search here in the subreddit.

Slow automatic screen brightness adjustment. This is sometimes really really bad. ;-(

The FP6 seemed to have some issues with a test pedometer app; was it running in the background? I'm not using it anymore...

Otherwise, it's an unassuming mid-range smartphone with a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button... and a sturdy casing. These are my personal experiences with the FP6. I previously had a Google Pixel, btw.. but now: "as fair as possible" and repairable—that's the most important thing for me.

P.S. FP offers a "protective case" for €30, which I have. But it's really just a protective frame. It seems to work, but the price is definitely too high. Buy something better.

Hi all, I have my fairphones for almost 2 years now.

Really happy except for the battery. It runs out real fast

I' m going to change the battery because I think it's probably worn out but the battery was never really good to begin with.

Are there any recommendations how to make the battery last? A "clip-on" battery pack or something?

I've got a Fairphone 3 many years ago. It was a mixed experience. I was able to repair it on my own a 2-3 times (including replacing one of the pieces), clean it deeply from dust. That's all cool, but it's not 100% what I am looking for. I would like a truly modular devices where I can choose the different pieces inside, the ports (my beloved headset jack that Fairphone decided to get rid of). I would be very happy if I could update different components (like in a PC basically) instead of being forced to buy a new device every few years. Maybe I want bigger memory, but I am fine with an old terrible camera? If I had that, I could justify a high price tag for a phone with a lower performance.

Fairphone has got a nice idea behind, a step in the right direction, but in the end, it still feels like a company that wants me to buy their new phone every few years and wireless earbuds to go with it, instead of allowing modular upgrades on older devices. 7 years of support are great, but not unheard of in the industry. The subpar performance of their phones doesn't help.

Are there any alternatives to Fairphone that you would recommend? Bonus points if it is from an EU based company.

Hi. I bought my F5 (e/OS) in May 2025 and have never been able to get the Google Maps app to work - it will not recognise my location or display any address I enter. I have tried removing and reinstalling the app, restarting my phone and adjusting every setting I can think of, but nothing works. I don't know if this is connected, but the Strava app also does not work properly for me - it opens just fine, ​but won't record my activity.

Funnily enough, some other apps, including ​a non-Google app called Maps​ (powered by Magic Lane) seem to work more or less fine. However, as a runner with a truly lousy sense of direction, not being able to use either Google Maps or Strava is getting to me, and I'm concerned about what other apps might not work on my phone.​

Has anyone else had similar problems?

Hi, a while back I posted about my attempts to reverse-engineer the control protocol of the Fairbuds. I've spent a lot of time experimenting with it since then.

The app now has a web version (thanks, u/zyberspace!) and much-improved presets.

It mostly fixed my problems with the Fairbuds. They're not perfect by far since I'm operating with limited data and many open questions, but I don't think about the sound anymore when listening to them.

Give it a try! Especially if your Fairbuds are just lying around unused.

Has someone faced the same thing? Is there a fix? Maybe gcam mod or something.

Hi, for the past two weeks or so my App Lounge hasn't been working - I just get​ a blank screen when I open it. It started working again briefly today, but now it's on the blink again. I can't find anything describing similar problems in this subreddit​ or on Fairphone's website. Has anyone else had a similar issue?

Hi all, I've just got an FP6 with Android, started setting everything up and it looks like DigiD does not allow ID-check. Does this happen to anyone else? Had this with Android 15 and also when I updated it to Android 16 (not /e/OS or Graphene). I've erased the app data and tried anew, but had no luck.

It says that the check is not possible because the device does not conform to the requirements.

Edit: DigiD support says that this means that the phone does not fullfil the "strict requirements". When asked what those "strict requirements" are and if there are then phones that do work with DigiD, the answer given was that I should buy a high-end phone such as the Apple iPhone or a top of the shelf Android device.

I recently got the FP6 after using a Samsung S10+ for what feels like an eternity (definitely more than six years). After finding out my Samsung charging cable won't work with the FP, I got that fixed but today I got into my car and plugged the phone in only to find out my Android Auto won't connect. It's kinda pissing me off tbh... I can look over not being able to use the old charger but now that is going on my nerves.

So here's the situation: I turned on fast charge in the battery settings and disabled the only charge to 80% feature. The phone charges as long as it's connected to the car (Skoda 2021 model), the phone shows me the little notification prompt saying Android Auto would be connected.

The cars system recognizes the phone, it shows it as present when selecting the phone, but it won't connect. I press the button to connect Android Auto but the car keeps telling me it can't connect.

Anybody else encounter this issue? I've read that Android Auto has been an issue for some FP users, and I'm hoping I just haven't stumbled upon the solution just yet. The cable should be good enough, it used to connect my old phone just fine to the car and it connects my wife's phone just as well. I'm really hoping there's an easy solution to this, sadly Android Auto is something I need day to day as I both need Google maps to navigate as well as the phone itself to make calls.

I'm using the FP6, latest Android version, so not using e/OS and I'm in Germany.

I just noticed while booting up some singleplayer phone games for the first time, that none of the progress made has been saved. Even settings changes are gone after closing the game.
What could be the issue here? Is it because it would normally rely on Google Play to sync such things?
How can this be fixed?

I absolutely hate the fabric earpads on the 2025 I just picked up, it's scratchy and irritating. Do the leather ones from the 2023 fit on the 2025 or should I just return them and get something else?

I've tried to see if I can open up and replace the fabric on the earpads but it's all glued together and there's no third party options I can find.

For the last couple of days, the moisture detector in my (Fairphone 6, e/OS version) USB-C port keeps telling me it detects moisture/debris, then later it tells me it's fine again, then later it tells me it detects moisture/debris again, and the cycle will repeat, even though nothing has changes in the phone's environment. The gaps vary from a few minutes to a couple of hours, but it keeps doing it, and every time it changes its mind about whether or not it can detect moisture/debris, it sends me a notification with a sound. I've had problems with overzealous moisture detectors with other phones, but at least those only told me when I plugged the charger in, whereas this one sends me a pointless notification every hour or so (or more frequently!) and it's driving me up the wall. Can anyone help?

Hello! Recently, New Zealand disabled its 3G network. Since then, my phone has been unable to make calls. Going through Fairphone's troubleshooting steps, the issue isn't with my phone, but with the New Zealand network not recognising my phone. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Fairphones in New Zealand and getting them to manually provision their Fairphone, or just any advice more generally. Thank you!

EDIT: For anyone coming in with the same issue, reprovisioning the sim did the trick. Everything is working now. :)

After updating to android 16 i am no longer able to have the "back button" on the right side and the "recent apps" button on the left as I did since having a S2. there us the option to switch the buttons in the settings menue but it does not change it.

anyone else frustrated with the update?

Hey, I'm in the process of looking at degoogling where possible and also trying to offboard from the corporate overlords where possible. I am a tech with good "google fu", but I've never really looked into non AU based phones and understanding radio/mobile networks.

I currently use the Samsung FE 23 it's been a reliable phone but I'm not a fan of all the extranous samsung/google shit. I have a few requirements and just wondering if anyone is able to verify what is/isn't capable.

1. Does it work in Australia? I'm currently with AussieBB (optus reseller) but regional WA only gets Telstra reception. Some people posted elsewhere and said it works with optus so I'm assuming AussieBB should be fine being an optus reseller, but what's the chances of Telstra working?
2. I have a personal medical device (sensor) that connects and is monitored via the phone (uses NFC to initatiate and connect via bluetooth). The official company supported devices are pretty limited, but that's mostly becuase government regulation and testing takes ages for devices to get officially approved. I'd prefer to get the Murena e/OS but not sure if the OS would be compatible. There approved OS's are pretty much just apple and android. The specific app is the Librelink (or alternatively dexcom) if anyone knows if that works with Murena e/OS otherwise I guess I'd have to go with there android OS :(
3. Does anyone know if the cardholder backing blocks/interferes with the NFC scan, as per above I need to use the NFC scanner to start the connection with the sensor every 2 weeks, and currently I use a magentic card holder so I can remove the card holders to do an NFC scan with the phone, but I've had other cases where the cards block the NFC scan so I'd have to remove the case everytime to complete the connection.
4. Is the e/OS much different from android? Like the difference between Mac and Windows or is it pretty much android with all the tracking removed?

Edit:
The repairability sounds nice but would I really just be trading being locked into samsung for being locked into fairphone? Is there third party parts for fairphone, or is it really all just coming from fairphone?

Hi, my Fairphone isn't charging properly anymore. When I plug in a charging cable, it sometimes charges quickly, but other times it charges very slowly with the same cable. If I connect a power bank, my Fairphone charges the power bank. What could be the problem? I've already tried a different USB-C port and different cables. Thanks for your help.

I just bought the gen2 Fairbuds xl and the joystick controls for the volume down seem broken right out of the box.

First for clarity, I found the manual confusing as it says to ‘press and hold’ the joystick in the 4 directions for controls. I took that to mean ‘press in the button and then move it in any direction’ but that just pauses the music. Simply moving the joystick up changes volume and left and right changes songs without ‘pressing‘ so let’s say ‘clicking’ the button is pushing it in and ‘pressing’ it is moving it in a direction. Holding it doesn‘t seem needed, volume goes up just fine by moving the stick up.

The volume down control at first seemed to do nothing. I move the stick down nothing. I move the stick down and hold it no matter how long, nothing. If i move the stick down and ‘ click’ it, volume goes down.

I want to know if anyone else has this issue and whether it’s intended behaviour. If it’s intended I’m returning it and not getting a new one. I find it very strange design to make volume down the only control with different behaviour and because I need to click it, half the time I accidentally pause the music instead.

if it’s broken right out of the box I might return it and give it another try with a new one.