# What does this light and this icon mean on my phone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 18, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759 "2018-03-18T01:33:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/1 "2018-03-18T01:33:45Z")
The more tech. questions I post lately, the older I feel. I just got a new phone and I have a couple questions. Phone seems fine, no issues. It’s this phone here: [Huawei Mate SE](https://www.amazon.com/Huawei-Mate-Factory-Unlocked-5-93/dp/B0791VS3N9/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1521336687&sr=8-3&keywords=huawei+mate+se) 1. It has a weird green light that only comes on sometimes. I apologize for this pic; it’s pretty bad. [Here it is. Upper right corner of the phone.](https://imgur.com/toWpeqJ) 2. This one is a notification at the top. A little ! next to the battery, but not contained within it. Phone charges fine as far as I can tell. [It’s actually left of the “95%” in this pic.](https://imgur.com/J3wG7yF) What are those? I see nothing in any user manual or online FAQ’s for the phone. Android 7.0, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/2 "2018-03-18T02:41:45Z")
On my phone, the notification slot between the battery percentage and the wifi is for the data network bars. Would it make sense if the icon in your picture was showing “no cell network available”, or at least a cell network problem of some kind? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/3 "2018-03-18T02:50:17Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > On my phone, the notification slot between the battery percentage and the wifi is for the data network bars. Would it make sense if the icon in your picture was showing “no cell network available”, or at least a cell network problem of some kind? Ah. I have yet to receive my SIM card to activate cell service. Maybe that is it ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/4 "2018-03-18T04:43:52Z")
The picture to the left of the 95% looks like [the universal symbol for a SD memory card](https://www.google.com/search?q=symbol+for+sd+card&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwim_pyrhvXZAhUs8IMKHcCbBkQQ_AUICigB&biw=1148&bih=581) with an exclamation point in it. Perhaps it is trying to tell you that the SD card is not installed or there is something wrong with it. [From android.net.](http://www.android.net/forum/nexus-one-tech-issues-bug-reports/101359-format-sd-card.html) Or maybe not: [What does SD card with exclamation mark mean in my Samsung phone?](https://theinformr.com/answers/what-does-sd-card-with-exclamation-mark-mean-in-samsung5497/) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/5 "2018-03-18T12:00:41Z")
Thanks, what about the green light in the upper right corner? ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/6 "2018-03-18T12:01:34Z")
As for the green light, just don’t worry. So far, I’ve had 4 Android phones over the past 10 years, and that light has been lit or blinking just about all the time for at least 4-5 years. It’s supposed to blink to indicate that one application or another has a notification for you (it’s visible even when the screen is off). Different apps can have different LED colours. In practice, there are so many notifications all the time the that thing is always blinking and you can just ignore it. If non-blinking, it may also indicate the state of charge when the phone is plugged in. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/7 "2018-03-18T12:25:21Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Ah. I have yet to receive my SIM card to activate cell service. Maybe that is it yes. that icon means “SIM card error.” ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/8 "2018-03-18T13:48:24Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > The more tech. questions I post lately, the older I feel. … Immediately stop thinking this way! It’s not a function of age. New techie gadgets always come out with features and notifications that aren’t even remotely intuitively obvious. This trend is accompanied by a proportionate drop in accompanying documentation. Believe me, it’s not you. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/9 "2018-03-18T14:24:18Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Immediately stop thinking this way! It’s not a function of age. New techie gadgets always come out with features and notifications that aren’t even remotely intuitively obvious. This trend is accompanied by a proportionate drop in accompanying documentation. Believe me, it’s not you. Thank you. I have a Masters degree in media and technology. I taught technology for one year in schools. But, with two kids and tough finances, I’m late at getting new tech. I had a tiny $50 phone and an iPad. This is my first modern phone. What I really want us a way to directly control sounds for various apps. Sent from my BND-L34 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/10 "2018-03-18T15:31:27Z")
The little green light is there to let you know that the NSA is listening to you. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/11 "2018-03-18T15:55:17Z")
That’s a notification light. _Something_ is trying to tell you something. Many programs can turn it on, if you don’t know what it is, you’ll have to dig around for what turns on a steady green light. Start with whatever email program you use (as well as any on there that you don’t use, like a native Gmail client). Check if they can turn on the LED, and if so, is it green and solid (vs blinking). If that’s the case, change it, either turn it off or change the color. Continue to do this with other programs until you find the culprit. My first guess is something ‘standard’, like email, text messages or phone calls. See if you can find a pattern where it turns on when you get one of those things and turns off after, or shortly after, you look ‘deal’ with that item. ie check your email, see who the missed call was from, actually read the text message. It could also have something to do with a game, alarm, timer etc. And finally, if it only happens when your phone is plugged in. It may be a light to indicate that your phone is plugged in or that it’s at 100%. In short, it’s probably something and lots of things can control it, it’s just a matter of figuring out which one it is. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/12 "2018-03-18T16:05:40Z")
I too have wondered what the blinky green light meant on my Samsung Android. A steady red (when plugged into a charger) means it’s charging, a steady green (ditto) means it’s fully charged and a blinking blue means there’s a message – voice or SMS – received, but with the blinking green I’d look around and find nothing. You’d think it would have something to indicate _which_ app needs something done. It is not on all of the time, but is on a lot – like once or twice a week with no obvious way to extinguish it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/13 "2018-03-18T16:38:53Z")
A few more thoughts on this: 1)It’s entirely possible it’s a bug. Either in one of your apps or multiple ones conflicting with each other. 2)Go to settings/notifications and turn off some or all of them. That might help you figure something out. 3)There are apps that ‘organize’ how all the other apps can control the light. I’ve seen reports of some of them actually making the light turn on when it shouldn’t, however, it might be worth downloading one of them simply to see if will help you track down the problem ane deleting it afterwards. 4)If you haven’t done it since the problem started, reset your phone. Just to make sure it’s not something easily cleared up that way. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/14 "2018-03-18T19:36:05Z")
The green light is more of a curiosity to me than anything. The phone was an open box(certified excellent condition), but it is working in full 100% new condition as far as I can tell. > [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > The little green light is there to let you know that the NSA is listening to you. Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a Huawei Mate SE. _Beijing_ is listening to me. Ha ha(that’s probably true, actually). :o ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/15 "2018-03-18T23:51:43Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Ah. I have yet to receive my SIM card to activate cell service. Maybe that is it Regarding that warning, yes, that’s the sim card not installed warning. If you pull up pictures of sim cards, you’ll see that’s what shape they are. BTW, when you get yours, do it over a table or something so it’s easier to find when you drop it. They’re really small, like really really small and weigh next to nothing. Trying to get those in is like handling a contact lens. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/16 "2018-03-19T00:24:05Z")
If you [download the user manual](https://www.phonearena.com/phones/Huawei-Mate-10_id10599/manual) for your phone and look at the notifications, you’ll see that that is indeed notification of missing SIM card. The green dot could be a general indication that there is a notification which you haven’t looked at yet–IOW it could be anything: a new mail message, missed call, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/17 "2018-03-19T16:30:39Z")
Or the green light could be a notification about the SIM card. Just to make sure you really see it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/18 "2018-03-19T17:21:19Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Or the green light could be a notification about the SIM card. Just to make sure you really see it. But then it likely wouldn’t be intermittent. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/19 "2018-03-19T17:55:09Z")
Green lights are not generally used as a notice that there’s a problem. Was the phone plugged into a charger when you took that photo? I suspect that 95% indicates the battery is nearly fully charged. And an icon in the shape of a SIM card and your admission you haven’t installed a SIM card pretty much tells me what that icon indicates. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-light-and-this-icon-mean-on-my-phone/810759/20 "2018-03-19T21:39:47Z")
On my android, the notification light is customizable. You’ll have to root through a few layers of the settings menu, but you should be able to control what app notifications it lights up for, whether its solid or blinking, and what colors correspond to what.