The sturdy hardware is one of the reasons iPhones have higher resale value than their Android competitors. However, that doesn’t imply it won’t fail. It should come as no surprise that as your iPhone ages, the volume keys may either become stuck, mushy and unresponsive, or stop providing the necessary input. After all, the recognisable home button is known to malfunction after becoming worn down. It’s the kind of problem that degrades the user experience and eventually becomes irritating. When your iPhone’s volume buttons stop working, try these 11 helpful tips and solutions if you are experiencing this problem.
11 Tips to Fix iPhone Volume Buttons Not Working Issue (2022)
Let’s first quickly review the potential causes before moving on to the ways to fix the iPhone volume key stuck or not working issue! Then, we’ve provided a list of the top 11 solutions and workarounds for this frequent iPhone problem.
What Could Cause the iPhone Volume Buttons to Stop Working?
Even if hardware failure is the first thing that springs to mind when the iPhone’s volume controls become unresponsive or cease functioning, you shouldn’t rush and go to a repair centre right away. Instead, wait a little while. A buildup of dust, your case’s prominent yet non-responsive buttons, a rare software flaw, or an obsolete version of the software could all be contributing factors. We shall therefore investigate each potential cause and attempt appropriate solutions.
Along the way, we’ll also go through a few trustworthy workarounds that will enable you to manage the volume on your iPhone without using the actual volume buttons. Check out these potential solutions for the current iPhone volume button issue:
iPhone Volume Buttons Not Working? How to Fix!
1. Ensure Your iPhone s Volume Buttons are Enabled
- Go to Settings -> Sound & Haptics and make sure the Change with Buttons toggle is enabled.
2. Remove Your iPhone Case
Believe it or not, some cases (especially the less expensive and durable ones) don’t include tactile buttons. Therefore, if you have a case on your iPhone, take it off to check the volume buttons’ functionality. If the volume buttons function properly, it was your case and not the iPhone hardware that was at fault. We advise you to look through our roundups of the finest iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max cases if you want to get a case with responsive buttons.
3. Clean the Volume Buttons
It is simple to ignore the presence of dust or grime, which never misses an opportunity to enter ports and holes. The likelihood that dust or filth is the root of the problem if the volume buttons appear stiff or stuck is very high. To remove the dust from the volume buttons, use compressed air. A cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol can also be used to gently clean the volume buttons.
4. Hard Reset Your iPhone
When addressing typical iOS 15 issues, a hard reset (also known as a force restart) is necessary. The majority of iPhone users consider it their go-to troubleshooting strategy mostly because of its speedy capacity to resolve a variety of issues. Therefore, we should try it to fix the iPhone’s volume button problem as well.
- On iPhone 8 or later: Press the volume up button. Then, quickly press the volume down button. Now, press and hold the power button until your iPhone screen goes black and the Apple logo pops up.
- On iPhone 7/ 7 Plus: Hold down the volume down button and the power button simultaneously until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
- On iPhone 6s or earlier: Hold down the home button and the power button until the Apple logo shows up on the screen.
Check the volume buttons to see if they are functioning normally once your iPhone restarts to see if the problem has been resolved.
5. Reset All Settings
Try restoring your iPhone to its factory default settings if the volume buttons are still not functioning. Keep in mind that it will erase all of your iOS device’s current settings and restore them to their default settings. Your private information and media, however, will be secure.
- On iOS 15 and later: Head to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset All Settings.
- On iOS 14 or earlier: Navigate to Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset All Settings.
6. Use AssistiveTouch to Adjust Volume on iPhone
Although this is not a fix for the volume buttons, you may use AssistiveTouch to easily change the volume on your iPhone. AssistiveTouch may be a useful solution if the volume buttons on your iPhone are not functioning.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone -> Accessibility -> Touch -> AssistiveTouch and turn on the AssistiveTouch toggle.
- After that, under the Custom Actions section, select Single Tap and choose Volume Up . Then, select Double Tap and choose Volume Down .
From now on, you may use rapid touch gestures to change the volume on your iPhone. To boost the volume, simply tap the AssistiveTouch symbol once. To lower the volume, press the icon twice. Isn’t that convenient?
You can also pick Single Tap and then select Open Menu. If your iPhone’s volume buttons have ceased functioning, next press the AssistiveTouch icon, select Device, and then tap the Volume Up/Down button to change the audio output.
7. Use Control Center to Adjust Volume
The volume slider included in the Control centre is another trustworthy option you should give a shot if you want to easily change the volume on your iPhone. You can adjust the sound output with the volume slider, which is quite cool.
- On iPhone without home button: Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to bring up the Control center.
- On iPhone with home button: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to access the Control center. After that, use the volume slider to tweak the volume.
8. Adjust Volume Right From Specific Apps
The majority of iPhone audio and streaming apps provide a separate volume slider so you can change the level conveniently. So, instead of using the physical buttons to change the level when using apps like Spotify or the Apple Podcasts app, go for the dedicated volume slider.
9. Update Software
Unpredictable problems on the iPhone are frequently caused by out-of-date software. Try updating the programme if the problem hasn’t been resolved already (andlearn how long it takes to download the iOS 15 updateright here). As was already noted, a rare software bug could be the cause of the volume buttons not functioning. So take the following actions to upgrade the software:
- Ensure your device has at least 50% battery and is connected to a stable internet connection. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and navigate to General -> Software Update.
- Once your device has checked for available updates, it will offer you the option to download and install the latest iOS update.
10. Erase Your iPhone and Restore From Backup
Try this nuclear remedy Erase and Restore if you’re dealing with a chronic problem that you can’t cure with simple solutions. You can either set up your iPhone as new or restore it from an earlier backup once it has been erased. But be sure to completely backup your iPhone before you even consider using this unconventional technique.
You can back up your device to the cloud and restore it later with free temporary unlimited iCloud storage if you have iOS 15 or later. Follow the above instructions to receive free iCloud storage if your smartphone is running the most recent version of iOS.
- If you have enough iCloud storage, go to Settings -> Apple ID banner -> iCloud -> iCloud backup -> Back Up Now to quickly back up your iPhone. After that, head to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings.
- Once your device has been erased, follow the setup assistant to set up your iOS device. During the setup process, your iPhone will offer you the option to restore your device from the iCloud backup.
- As always, you can use Finder/ iTunes to securely back up your device and restore it. Simply connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable, open Finder/ iTunes, and back up the device. After it has been backed up, click Restore Backup and select the most recent backup.
11. Contact Apple Support
Any of the aforementioned fixes failed to make your iPhone’s volume buttons functional? If your iOS device’s volume keys are still non-responsive, a hardware problem may be to blame. To solve the problem, it would be good to contact Apple Support right away. A fast hardware repair would help you solve the issue because some hardware components might be damaged or broken.
[Fixed] iPhone Volume Buttons Not Working? Best Solutions!
Your iOS device’s volume buttons should now function properly, allowing you to easily change the volume. Basic advice, such as a hard reset, can frequently assist you in resolving issues. Additionally, you should always check to see if your case’s buttons are responsive and if any grime has accumulated in the volume buttons, since this could impair their functionality. By the way, tell us the technique you used to fix the broken volume buttons. Additionally, please let us know in the comments area below if this guide is lacking any reliable answers.