Français
Symptom · All brands
Why won't my mobile computer turn on?
Explore preventive maintenance
Preventive battery replacement, Wi-Fi coverage audit and a general check of your scanners and mobile computers.
In brief. The most documented case of a mobile computer that will not turn on is a battery that is too deeply discharged: several models refuse to start, or stay in standby, until it has recharged enough. Leave the mobile computer on its powered cradle for several hours. If it turns on but stays frozen, a forced restart, using a button combination specific to the model, brings it back without resetting it.
Examples:
See all 46 scanners and mobile computers
CipherLab
Datalogic
- Datalogic Falcon X4
- Datalogic Falcon X60 - X65
- Datalogic Matrix 120
- Datalogic Matrix 220 XAI
- Datalogic Matrix 320
- Datalogic Memor X3
- Datalogic PowerScan 9100 Series
- Datalogic PowerScan 9500 Series
- Datalogic PowerScan 9600 Series
- Datalogic Skorpio X3
- Datalogic Skorpio X4
- Datalogic Skorpio X40 - X45
- Datalogic Skorpio X5
Honeywell
Why will the mobile computer not start? The causes cited by manufacturers
These causes are taken from the manufacturers' guides; each example names the model concerned. The entry for your model, in the model-by-model table below, gives the exact procedure.
- Battery too deeply dischargedThe Datalogic Memor X3 and Skorpio X3 refuse to start if the battery is not sufficiently charged; the Zebra MC3200 goes into critical suspend below a battery threshold.
- Insufficient first chargeHoneywell ships its CK62 and CK65 with a partially charged battery and requires a first charge of at least 5 hours (CK62) and 4 hours (CK65); Datalogic ships the Falcon X4 with its battery disconnected.
- Complete dischargeCipherLab provides a “hibernation reset” for its mobile computers: battery removed, power button held for one minute, battery put back, then ten minutes of charging.
- Frozen mobile computerA forced restart brings it back: Power button held for about 8 seconds on the Honeywell CK62 and CK65.
- Handling during a battery swapUnitech warns that plugging in or removing a USB stick during a battery swap causes a forced shutdown of the HT730.
What to check, in order
- Put the mobile computer on chargeOn its original cradle or cable, for several hours if the battery is empty.
- Read the charging lightIt shows whether the battery is charging or whether an error is preventing it.
- Try a charged batteryTo find out whether the battery is at fault.
- Perform a forced restartWith the button combination in your model's guide.
- As a last resort, the recovery menuIt allows a factory reset, which erases the data.
What the documentation recommends, model by model
For 28 models, the manufacturer's documentation describes this symptom. Each row links to the detailed entry in the guide, with the full procedure and its sources.
| Model | Guide entry | Short answer |
|---|---|---|
| Zebra MC3200 (MC32N0) | Why won't my Zebra MC3200 mobile computer switch back on, and why is its light flashing orange? | The mobile computer is in critical suspend: the battery has dropped below the critical level and the device has gone into suspend to preserve data. Put it in its cradle or change the battery. |
| Zebra MC3200 (MC32N0) | How do I restart my Zebra MC3200 mobile computer when it stops responding? | On Android: soft reset (press and hold Power, then Reset) if an app is frozen, hard reset (Power + keys 1 and 9 at the same time) if the mobile computer no longer responds. On Windows CE: warm boot, by holding Power for five seconds. |
| Zebra MC3300 | Why is the light on my Zebra MC3300 mobile computer flashing orange slowly? | According to Zebra, this slow flashing indicates a fully discharged battery: it is recharging, but not yet enough to run the mobile computer. Leave it in its cradle or on its cable until the light turns solid orange. |
| Zebra MC3300 | Why won't my Zebra MC3300 mobile computer start any more? | Check that the battery is in place and charged: the MC33XX guide says to press it in firmly until both release buttons return to position, then press the power button. An orange light flashing slowly indicates a flat battery that is not yet charged enough to start. |
| Zebra MC3300ax | Why won't my Zebra MC3300ax mobile computer switch on? | Make sure the battery is properly engaged, with both release buttons back in position, then press and hold the Power button until the Zebra splash screen appears. If the battery is flat, place the mobile computer in its cradle: the light should turn solid orange. |
| Zebra MC3300x | Why does my Zebra MC3300x mobile computer switch itself off? | According to Zebra, the mobile computer shuts down when the battery reaches the critical level of 6%. If only the screen goes off, the mobile computer is simply in suspend mode: press the Power button to wake it. |
| Zebra MC3300x | Why won't my Zebra MC3300x mobile computer switch on? | First check that the battery is properly locked in and charged, then press and hold the Power button until the Zebra splash screen appears. If the mobile computer starts but stays frozen, move on to a reset. |
| Zebra MC3400 / MC3450 | Why will my Zebra MC3400 mobile computer no longer switch on? | According to Zebra, the battery is discharged or not inserted correctly, or the system has frozen. Recharge or replace the battery, reinsert it until the two release buttons return to position, then press and hold the Power button; if nothing changes, perform a hard reset. |
| Zebra MC3400 / MC3450 | How do I restart my Zebra MC3400 mobile computer when it has frozen? | If an application stops responding, perform a soft reset: press and hold Power, then touch Restart. If the whole mobile computer stops responding, perform a hard reset: press and hold Power, the left scan button and Volume Up for at least 4 seconds, then release when the screen turns off. |
| Zebra MC9190-G | Why will my Zebra MC9190-G mobile computer no longer switch on? | The Zebra guide is explicit: if the MC9190-G does not switch on with the red Power button, perform a cold boot. First check that the battery is charged and inserted until it clicks twice. |
| Zebra MC9190-G | How do I restart my Zebra MC9190-G mobile computer when it stops responding? | Perform a warm boot: press and hold the Power button for around five seconds and release it as soon as the restart begins. The procedure is the same under Windows CE 6.0 and under Windows Mobile 6.5. |
| Zebra MC9200 | Why will my Zebra MC9200 mobile computer not switch on? | First check that the battery is charged and fully inserted. If the mobile computer still does not switch on, Zebra asks you to perform a cold boot. |
| Zebra MC9200 | How do I restart my Zebra MC9200 mobile computer when it has frozen? | Under Windows, press and hold the Power button for around five seconds and release it as soon as the warm boot begins. Under Android, press and hold the Power button until the “Device options” menu appears, then touch “Reset”. |
| Zebra MC9300 | Why will my Zebra MC9300 mobile computer not switch on even though its light is flashing? | The MC93XX guide lists four causes: battery too low to start but still retaining data, faulty battery, mobile computer removed from the cradle while charging, or battery at an extreme temperature. Recharge or replace the battery, at a temperature between 0 and 40 °C. |
| Zebra MC9300 | Why does my Zebra MC9300 mobile computer stay off when I press Power? | The Zebra guide cites a battery that is not charged, a battery that is not installed correctly or a system crash. Charge or replace the battery, check that it is properly latched, then perform a hard reset by pressing and holding Power for at least 16 seconds. |
| Zebra MC9400 / MC9450 | Why does my Zebra MC9400 mobile computer switch off on its own? | The Zebra guide gives three causes: the display has gone to sleep after a period of inactivity, the battery is empty (the device shuts down at 6%), or the temperature exceeds 58 °C. Press Power, then recharge or replace the battery if necessary. |
| Zebra MC9400 / MC9450 | Why does my Zebra MC9400 mobile computer no longer switch on? | According to the Zebra guide, the battery is discharged or incorrectly installed, or the system has crashed. Press and hold Power, recharge the device in its cradle, and perform a forced restart (hard reset) if it still does not respond. |
| Zebra TC22R | Why has my Zebra TC22R mobile computer stopped responding, and how do I restart it? | Zebra provides a soft reset for when apps stop responding: press and hold the power button; the long press lets you restart or switch off the device. If the problem persists after restarting, the Enterprise Reset erases user data. |
| Zebra TC8000 | Why does my Zebra TC8000 mobile computer not switch on even though the light flashes once? | According to Zebra, this brief flash indicates that the battery does not have enough charge to start the mobile computer. Place it in a powered cradle or fit a charged battery. |
| Zebra TC8000 | Why has my Zebra TC8000 mobile computer stopped responding, and how do I reset it? | First do a soft reset: hold down Power until the menu appears, then tap Reset. If the mobile computer does not respond at all, do a hard reset by holding down Power, the trigger and the PTT button for five seconds. |
| Zebra TC8300 | Why does the light on my Zebra TC8300 mobile computer flash briefly without the display turning on? | According to Zebra, this brief flash at power-on means the battery does not have enough charge to start up. Recharge it or replace it with a charged battery. |
| Zebra TC8300 | Why will my Zebra TC8300 mobile computer no longer turn on? | Zebra cites three causes: discharged battery, incorrectly installed battery, or system freeze. Recharge or reinstall the battery, then perform a soft reset and, if necessary, a hard reset. |
| Datalogic Falcon X4 | Why does my new Datalogic Falcon X4 not switch on? | According to Datalogic, the Falcon X4's main battery is disconnected at the factory to prevent excessive discharge and it is shipped less than half charged. Install it, place the mobile computer in its cradle and only use it after at least 4 hours of charging. |
| Datalogic Falcon X4 | How can I cold boot my Datalogic Falcon X4 running Windows? | The Datalogic knowledge base describes the hardware cold boot of Windows CE mobile computers: remove the battery, hold down the SCAN key, press the reset button at the bottom of the battery compartment, put the battery back and switch on again. The warm boot, for its part, is used to apply a saved change. |
| Datalogic Memor X3 | Why does my Datalogic Memor X3 mobile computer not switch on when I press ON/OFF? | The Memor X3 constantly monitors its battery level and refuses to start if the battery is not sufficiently charged. Insert a charged battery, place the device in a powered cradle or connect it to a mains charger. |
| Datalogic Memor X3 | Why is Windows CE frozen on my Datalogic Memor X3 mobile computer? | Start with a warm boot: it closes applications and clears the working memory while keeping files and the registry. If Windows CE remains frozen, Datalogic provides a cold boot, which also erases files that are not in flash memory. |
| Datalogic Skorpio X3 | Why does my Datalogic Skorpio X3 mobile computer not turn on when I press ON/OFF? | The Skorpio X3 constantly monitors its battery level: if the battery is not sufficiently charged, it refuses to turn on. Fit a sufficiently charged battery or place the mobile computer in a powered cradle, then press ON/OFF again. |
| Datalogic Skorpio X3 | Why does my Datalogic Skorpio X3 mobile computer stay stuck on an application? | Datalogic provides two restarts that keep your files: a warm boot closes the frozen application, a cold boot resets the whole system. For a cold boot, switch off the mobile computer, remove the battery and press the SCAN key and the Reset button in the battery compartment at the same time. |
| Datalogic Skorpio X4 | Why will my Datalogic Skorpio X4 mobile computer not turn on? | The Skorpio X4 starts when a charged battery or an external power supply is in place and you press ON/OFF. A new battery is supplied disconnected and less than half charged: charge it first, then, if the screen stays black, perform a hard reset. |
| Datalogic Skorpio X4 | How do I restart my Datalogic Skorpio X4 mobile computer when it is frozen? | On Android, hold down the Power button and tap Reboot (soft reset). If the screen no longer responds, or on Windows, perform a hardware restart: mobile computer off, battery removed, press the SCAN key and the Reset button in the battery compartment simultaneously. |
| Datalogic Skorpio X5 | Why does my Skorpio X5 not switch on? | Press and hold the on/off button for at least 4 seconds: a short press only toggles sleep mode. If nothing happens, check that the battery is engaged and charged: it is not fully charged on delivery. |
| Datalogic Skorpio X5 | Why does my Skorpio X5 no longer respond to the keys or the display? | First try a long press on the on/off button, then “Restart”. If the menu does not appear, perform a hardware restart (Hard Reset): press and hold the on/off button and the ESC key together for at least 5 seconds. |
| Honeywell CK3R and CK3X | How can I restart my frozen Honeywell CK3X mobile computer? | Hold down the Power button for about 2 seconds and choose “Reboot” on the Intermec Power Options screen. According to Honeywell, this restart stops the processes without saving the system state. |
| Honeywell CK62 | Why will my Honeywell CK62 not start? | The CK62 arrives with a partially charged battery: charge it for at least 5 hours, then hold down the Power button for about 3 seconds and release it. On the very first start-up, the Welcome screen offers configuration. |
| Honeywell CK62 | How do I restart my Honeywell CK62 when the screen no longer responds? | Hold down the Power button for about 8 seconds to force the CK62 to restart. If the screen still responds, use the normal restart instead: hold down Power until the menu appears, then Restart. |
| Honeywell CK65 | Why will my Honeywell CK65 mobile computer not switch on? | The CK65 ships with a partially charged battery: charge it for at least 4 hours, then hold down the Power button for about 3 seconds before releasing it. Also check that the battery is an approved model, properly locked. |
| Honeywell CK65 | How do I restart my frozen Honeywell CK65? | Hold down the Power button for about 8 seconds: the CK65 restarts, even if the touch screen no longer responds. If the screen responds, hold down Power until the menu appears and tap Restart. If only scanning or a key is causing a problem, reset the scanner or key settings to their default values. |
| Honeywell CK67 | Why does my Honeywell CK67 stay off? | The CK67 battery ships partially charged: leave the mobile computer on a CK67 charging accessory for at least 3 hours, then press Power for about 3 seconds. The first start-up opens the Welcome screen, which offers a configuration barcode or the wizard. |
| Honeywell CK67 | How do I force my frozen Honeywell CK67 to restart? | Keep the Power button pressed for about 8 seconds: the CK67 restarts even if the screen no longer responds. When the screen responds, use Restart instead, in the menu that opens when you hold down Power. |
| Honeywell CK75 | Why will my Honeywell CK75 mobile computer not switch on? | The CK75 ships with a partially charged battery: charge it for at least 6 hours on a 70 Series charging accessory. According to Honeywell, it switches on automatically as soon as the battery is installed; if not, briefly press the Power button. |
| Honeywell CK75 | How can I reset my Honeywell CK75 mobile computer? | Hold down the Power button until the menu appears, choose “Reset” on Android or “Reboot” on Windows Embedded Handheld, then tap “OK”. If the screen no longer responds, hold down Power for about 8 seconds to force a restart. |
| Honeywell ScanPal EDA61K | Why does my Honeywell EDA61K mobile computer not switch on? | Hold down the Power button for about 3 seconds, then release it. If nothing happens, charge the battery: the mobile computer is shipped partially charged and Honeywell asks for at least 5 hours of charging on an EDA61K accessory. |
| Honeywell ScanPal EDA61K | How can I restart my frozen Honeywell EDA61K mobile computer? | Hold down the Power button until the menu appears, then tap “Restart”. If the touch screen no longer responds, hold down Power for about 8 seconds until it restarts. |
| Unitech HT380 | Why does my Unitech HT380 mobile computer not turn on after several days without charging? | According to the quick start guide, a battery that has been discharged for several days must be charged for a few minutes before powering on. Place the mobile computer on its cradle, wait for the system light to turn solid red, then turn it back on. |
| Unitech HT380 | How do I access the Recovery menu on my Unitech HT380 mobile computer? | With the mobile computer off, hold down Power and the right Scan key until the Unitech logo appears, then release. When “Supported API: 3” is displayed, press the volume keys in the order +, -, +, -, +, +, -, -: the Recovery menu appears. |
| Unitech HT730 / HT730 Plus | Why does my Unitech HT730 mobile computer shut down when I plug in a USB flash drive while changing the battery? | This is the behaviour described by Unitech: connecting or disconnecting a USB flash drive during a battery swap causes a forced shutdown of the HT730. Finish the swap before handling the drive. |
| Unitech HT730 / HT730 Plus | Why has my Unitech HT730 mobile computer stopped responding to the keys and the touchscreen? | Perform a hard reset: hold down the Power button for about 10 seconds until it shuts down, then press Power again to turn the mobile computer back on. |
| CipherLab RK25 | Why will my CipherLab RK25 mobile computer no longer switch on? | After a full discharge, the CipherLab FAQ recommends a “hibernation reset”: remove the battery, hold down the power button for about one minute, refit the battery and charge for about ten minutes. Switch the mobile computer on as soon as it shows 5 to 10% charge. |
| CipherLab RK25 | How can I force a restart of my frozen CipherLab RK25 mobile computer? | Hold down the power button and a volume key at the same time for 13 seconds: this is the combination given in the CipherLab FAQ to force the RK25 to restart. |
| CipherLab RK26 | Why does my CipherLab RK26 mobile computer stay off after a full discharge? | CipherLab's FAQ on its Android mobile computers provides for a “hibernation reset”: battery removed, power button held for one minute, battery reinserted, then ten minutes of charging. Only switch the mobile computer on when a percentage is displayed and is above 5 to 10%. |
| CipherLab RK26 | Why does my CipherLab RK26 mobile computer start on an error screen with “Try Again”? | The RK26 is showing its exception screen. Tap “Try Again”; if the screen comes back, CipherLab asks you to save the logs to an SD card so that its support team can analyse the fault. |
| CipherLab RK95 | Why will my CipherLab RK95 mobile computer no longer turn on? | After a full discharge, apply CipherLab's “hibernation reset”: remove the battery, hold down the power button for one minute, reinsert the battery and charge for about ten minutes. The RK95 power button is at the bottom right of the keypad. |
| CipherLab RK95 | How do I enter Recovery mode on my CipherLab RK95 mobile computer without volume keys? | With the mobile computer off, hold down the power button and the right side trigger until it vibrates (about 10 seconds). At the Android robot, press power and the up arrow together. In the menu, the up and down arrows replace the volume keys. |
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my mobile computer turn on after being left discharged?
Leave it on charge for several hours on its cradle: several manufacturers state that a mobile computer refuses to start until the battery has recharged enough. CipherLab also provides a “hibernation reset” after a complete discharge. If nothing changes, try another charged battery.
How do I force a frozen mobile computer to restart?
With the button combination in its guide: Power button held for about 8 seconds on the Honeywell CK62 and CK65, Power alone for at least 16 seconds on the Zebra MC9300. A forced restart is not a factory reset: it restarts the mobile computer without resetting it.
Maintenance and repair of your scanners and mobile computers
Maintenance contract
Preventive maintenance (battery replacement, Wi-Fi audit, device checks, detailed report) and corrective maintenance (phone support, repair, express exchange). Essentiel, Confort or Premium plans.
See the contractsRepair request
Scanner or mobile computer out of order? Give the model and the problem in the repair request form (in French) and our team will get back to you.
Request a repairQuote or out-of-contract service
Device bought elsewhere, a fleet to bring up to date or a contract to set up: describe what you need and our team will get back to you.
Contact us
Does this problem keep coming back across your fleet?
During a preventive visit, your scanners and mobile computers are checked and cleaned one by one, minor faults are fixed and you receive a report; removable batteries are replaced every 18 to 24 months.
Explore maintenance contracts Request a quote