How to Unfreeze Your Motorola DROID RAZR

At one time or another most cellular phones will freeze or lock up. With many models, the simple fix is to remove the battery and reinstall it. The Motorola DROID RAZR is a bit different in that you can’t just flip the phone over, pop off the battery cover and remove the battery. RAZR users don’t have access to the battery (without actually taking the phone apart) so the fix for a frozen phone requires a few basic steps.

If you don’t have an owner’s manual (they aren’t included with the phone) go to the Motorola website and download the version for your specific phone (see Resources). The website also offers the option of having a manual mailed directly to your home. The manual suggests trying a forced reboot to restart a phone that has frozen. Press and hold the power key and the volume down key for about 10 seconds. You may need to hold the power key to turn your phone back on after this step.

If your phone remains frozen after the forced reboot, further action is required. According to Motorola, your phone’s battery could be completely drained of power if the device has been frozen for a long time. Since the phone needs at least a five percent charge to restart, charge your phone before trying to restart it. The Help Topics section of the Motorola website assures users that personal data will not be affected if this reboot step is applied.

The Help Section outlines the proper steps required to successfully recharge and restart your phone. Plug in your phone to the supplied power supply and into a wall outlet. Do not use a USB port for charging or press the power button during this step. Within 30 seconds of plugging in your device, the battery meter indicator on the front of the phone should be visible. If the battery meter fails to come up after 30 seconds, press and hold the power and volume down button for 10 to 20 seconds with the device plugged in. Your phone should now restart and go into the regular reboot process. If the battery meter is below five percent, the phone will be unable to power up until it reaches this power level.

The battery meter will not remain visible during the charging process; tap the volume key to continue monitoring the battery. It may take 15 to 20 minutes for the phone to reach the minimum five percent charge needed to reboot the phone. Do not try to remove or replace the battery as this could result in damage to the battery and the possibility of burning injuries. If these steps don’t unlock the phone, you should take it to a certified Motorola dealer or repair center for further options.