Can't set default apps (Android 16, FP6)

Help Fairphone 6
1

Hi, for the past week the default apps in the settings (phone, messages etc) have been reset and I’m unable to set them back. The phone app is working but I can’t set it as default and the messages app doesn’t work, it asks to be default when I start it, but after I set it and validate it goes back to the screen asking to be default…

If I go to the settings page for default apps, all entries are empty and if I try to set some app as default the small circle stays white (while when trying to set the messages app from it’s start screen the circle becomes blue but it doesn’t work anyway)

Phone is a regular Fairphone 6 with no fancy application, all from PlayStore with auto update

build number is FP6.QREL.16.61.0

2

Welcome to the forum.

I don’t recall a similar problem and I suspect that a full reset may be the solution. In view of that, I would advise you to ensure that you have adequate backups.

It’s also important to make this known to official FP support.

Are you signed in to a Google account as owner?

If you go to
Settings > About phone,
do you see your account name at the top of the page?

You might also make sure that the SIM is properly seated and contacts clean (assumimg it’s not an eSIM)

3

I too thought a complete reset is the way to go, I am checking my backups of important data and copying the rest on the PC.

I see my name at top of the “about phone” page, and yes the SIM card is clean and seated…

So if no bright idea pops out on the forum, I’ll launch the total reset !

thanks for answering anyway

4

Give it a few days. Also it would be desirable to find out what caused this.

5

I tried to retrace what have been done on this phone over the last two weeks : no new app installation, regular updates from the Play store every night and auto backups (google, whatsapp, etc.) but nothing that could point to that problem.

I am not an Android specialist, but I think there’s no way to re-install the A16 update over itself ?

6

There is a way however when your booloader is not already unlocked this includes a factory reset.

So you have more than one phone and messages App installed or just the stock apps?

7

I have another app (IP phoning app) that is proposed in the default app dialog for the phone app, but I never used it as default, and the message app is the stock one.

I have two browsers, both are proposed in the dialog, but again none can be set as default, the same for the other default apps, sometimes 2 or 3 choices offered but none can be selectad

8

Did you perhaps transfer data from an iPhone to the Fairphone?

9

I only have a Fairphone since last august, some apps with historical data (Whatsapp, banking app…) transferred from my previous Xiaomi phone, the rest installed anew, and no iPhone around

10

I would deinstall all third party apps, to see if it helps to only have stock available.

11

I’ll do that over the week-end, but I think that if “something” blew out some file in the system area that won’t restore it (but anyway back to the stock phone is also close to the total reset :wink: )

12

Well, a similar effect can be achieved with Safe mode.

@jyhelle I would give Safe mode a try. More info here.

13

Did you clear cache and storage of the settings App? And with all Apps I mean all offered as standard App not all installed apps

14

the problem remained both in safe mode and after uninstallation of all imporetd apps, so :

full reset and reinstall in progress …

thanks for your ideas anyway !