topic Re: Google input/search stopped working in XPERIA archive

Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:18:14 GMT

Hi folks.

Tonight I've found out that some Google-function on my device are suddenly not working.
When I open Chrome I can all of a sudden not press the address bar. Normally I use it as the search bar but it just doesn't register. I can press the home button, taps button and menu button and the screen register touch around that area otherwise.
I stopped Chrome and uninstalled updates and nothing changed. Then, when I went into Google Play I then find out that I can't press the search bar on the start page in Play either. If I go into an app and press the search icon/magnifying glass I can type in that search bar.

Okay, so I went into the Google App on my device and there I can search by typing (and voice) and if I open a new tap in Chrome and go to homepage/Google I can search as well.
For some reason I can't use Google search bar in some apps.

I have no idea if it should interfere in any way but earlier today I was setting up Chrome on my pc to multiple users in Chrome and under the setup of my login/user I put it to synchronize things between all devices I'm logged on to.

I hope someone can help because it is really annoying me!

Cheers

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Uliwooly — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:25:37 GMT

Test it in >>> safe mode

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:47:01 GMT

I'm in safe mode now. No difference.
I've just run a diagnostic test just to test the touch screen and no faults appeared.
Until now it is only in Chrome browser (address bar) and in Google Play (search bar on start page) that has this issue where I can't click on/activate the bars and write there...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 23:02:18 GMT

Edit: Still in Safe Mode.
I've opened a couple more Google apps and it seems that also in Maps, Drive and Gmail the problem appears.
To be more clear: the Google search bar (with the three-line button at the left) seems to be the problem. When I'm in Maps, clicking on what seems to be the search bar makes it react like the bar isn't actually there.
Same in Play, where if I press on the right side of the search field it changes from the 'Apps and games' tap to the 'Entertainment' tap (translated the taps from Danish. Don't know if the taps are called the same in other languages).

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Uliwooly — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 23:23:44 GMT

What if you clear the app data of all those apps?

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 08:21:59 GMT

Still the same...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Didrik — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 12:49:38 GMT

Hi @Celica_85,

Could you try Force stopping and clearing cache for the Google Play Services app? Go to Settings > Apps > Tap the three dots > Show system > Find Google Play Services > Press Force stop > Tap Storage > Clear cache and reboot your phone. Are you still experiencing the search bars not working?

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 15:21:51 GMT

I couldn't force stop services, but I cleared the data (not just cache) and restarted my device... and no changes...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Uliwooly — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 20:50:25 GMT

What if you disable OK Google?

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 21:25:27 GMT

OK Google? Don't know what that is?

Just found out that this problem also affects the calendar on my device. I have one of the calendar widgets on my home screen and it is not responding when being tapped. Also, when in the calendar app the top of the screen is apparently also some sort of Google Search bar. I can't tap/choose month and I just tried to delete an event. I can press the options button (the three dots in upper right corner) and then the delete option appears but for to actually delete the event I have to tap on screen where the option button/three dots are behind the delete option. If it's tapped further to the left on the screen where nothing is underneath it just reacts like if I'm pressing somewhere else on the screen and the delete option closes/disappears...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Didrik — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 08:23:42 GMT

Hi again @Celica_85,

OK Google is the voice search/control in Google. However if you are still experiencing that this is happening I would suggest that you perform a software repair using Xperia Companion. Note that this will reset your phone, it's important to make a backup using Xperia Companion first.

Let me know how it goes!

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 09:22:11 GMT

I've turned that off now and still no difference.
I'll have to try out what you're suggesting.
At this point I kind of realized that I have to do a reset.
Just a little annoying since I've only had this device for like 2 months...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Didrik — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:31:33 GMT

It's never fun to reset your phone, I understand that. But in this case as the next step I'd advise to perform the software repair. Let me know after if you are still unable to use the searchbar in these apps.

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 12:32:15 GMT

I'll look at it all tomorrow, and I'll let the forum know what the result of it is...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 21:17:14 GMT

Okay, I'm about to go nuts!!!!

I just did the whole software repair, twice.

First time I went for the option to restore my phone via backup when I started it up which resulted in no difference.

Then, I did the repair once again and choosed to start up the phone as a new device, so no data from before should interfere

and I still experience the same problems!!!!!!!!!!

I even found one more problem earlier today: I was talking to a friend about the whole thing and gave it a try with putting the Google Search widget on the home screen. It opens the Google App so not much of a result but when I tried to delete it I couldn't.

I could "mark" the widget and drag it around but I couldn't get it to the top of the screen to the trash bin/remove from screen-area.

It ended up with dragging the widget to an empty pane/page and then delete the whole pane/page.

Now, after deleting everything, software repair twice and a factory reset (out of frustration) every problem is still there. I can't remove any widgets from the home screen. When it's dragged to the top it results in the phone just dumping whatever widget I'm dragging at the top of the home screen like the delete-area is the top of the whole screen!

I'm about to give up on it and send it in for repair through my provider (having an insurance through them that covers basically everything). It just doesn't seem right and I don't know what they should be able to do at this point that I haven't done...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 21:38:22 GMT

Aaaaaaand I've just found out that if I turn my phone (horizontal) I can use the search bar in Chrome and in Maps.
I'm speechless..............

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Roadrunny76 — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 11:08:21 GMT

When you pull down the notification bar from top, can you use settings and EDIT? It looks like you might have touchscreen issues and that part of the screen is not working anymore since you can not reach the trash when you try to delete a widget from home screens.

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Roadrunny76 — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 11:13:09 GMT

You can also try this: type in the phone dialer the code *#*#7378423#*#* then choose Service tests then Touchscreen and then see if you can draw in that area of the screen where you encounter issues.

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 11:57:54 GMT

I've tried running the diagnostic tool for the touch and no problems. I can use the drag down menu and press every single thing there. It is only when in vertical everything that seems to be build around the Google Search bar that doesn't work + I can't delete things on home screen...

Re: Google input/search stopped working

Celica_85 — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 12:59:52 GMT

I've opened for developer mode and turned on marker and show touch. As you can see on the picture above, when on upright/vertical it's like it registers touch around the search bar 2 places.

Then, turning the phone horizontal it suddently registers touch 1 place in the middle of the search bar:

When it comes to deleting stuff on home screen I can move apps/widgets to this point and then the phone just dumps whatever I'm moving at the closest tile to where my finger are. The app/widget doesn't follow up to the delete area: