Blackberry Troubleshooting
Trackpad or Trackball is Frozen or Not Functioning

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Try the following actions to resolve the issue. If the issue persists, proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

Try to duplicate the issue

Validate that you understand the symptoms that you are experiencing. For example, practice using, moving, and navigating using the trackball or trackpad to duplicate the experience.

Clean the trackball

The trackball on a BlackBerry smartphone can get dirty from everyday use.

Note: Do not use water, compressed air, or any cleaners on the trackball. This damages the BlackBerry smartphone and voids the warranty.

Hint: Removing the battery as part of this process helps to avoid accidental key presses.

To clean the trackball, complete the following steps:

  1. Turn off the BlackBerry smartphone.
  2. Remove the battery.
  3. Press and roll the trackball up for 15 seconds.
  4. Press and roll the trackball down for 15 seconds.
  5. Press and roll the trackball left for 15 seconds.
  6. Press and roll the trackball right for 15 seconds.
  7. Confirm that trackball performance improves. If performance does not improve, repeat steps 3 - 6.
  8. Reinsert the battery.

Test trackball sensitivity

To test trackball sensitivity, complete the following steps:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Options > Screen/Keyboard.
  2. In the Trackball or Trackpad section, click Horizontal Sensitivity or Vertical Sensitivity to change the sensitivity level.
  3. Press the Menu key and select Save. The new sensitivity levels are saved. A higher sensitivity number indicates a higher sensitivity level for the trackball or trackpad.

Make sure the trackball is not affected by a software freeze or an application freezing.

To check if a software freeze is affecting the trackball, complete the following steps:

  1. From the Home screen, select Options.
  2. Select Screen/Keyboard.
  3. Select Trackball Audible Roll (Click).
  4. Rapidly roll the trackball up, down, right, and left.
  5. If you hear the trackball click while not responding, you can resolve this issue by updating the BlackBerry® Device Software on the BlackBerry smartphone.
  6. If you do not hear the trackball click, the problem may be related to a hardware issue. Follow your wireless service provider's procedures to service or return the BlackBerry smartphone.

Perform a Hard Reset

A hard reset is similar to restarting a computer that stops responding. A hard reset closes all running BlackBerry applications, restarts the BlackBerry smartphone operating system, and restarts the hardware components of the BlackBerry smartphone, including the wireless transceiver. A hard reset does not delete any settings or data on the BlackBerry smartphone.

Note: If you completed the Clean the trackball procedure then you have already performed a hard reset on the BlackBerry smartphone.

To perform a hard reset, complete the following steps:

  1. Turn the BlackBerry smartphone off.
  2. Remove the battery.
  3. Reinsert the battery.
  4. Wait for the BlackBerry smartphone to turn on.

Note: If the issue returns after performing a hard reset, then contact technical support for further investigation.

Trackball replacement

Your wireless service provider may participate in the trackball replacement program, contact them to see if they do.

Note: the trackball replacement program covers the following BlackBerry smartphone models:

Update the BlackBerry Device Software

You can download the latest version of Blackberry Device Software from www.blackberry.com/update. Follow the instructions on the screen to download the latest version currently available from your wireless service provider.

If this issue is still not resolved, follow your wireless service provider's procedures to service or return the BlackBerry smartphone.

Blackberry Smartphone Inspection Checklist

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