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iPhone 5 Volume Down Button Not Working

R

Resist

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
3,003
93
The volume down button on my iPhone 5 is not working all of a sudden. I tried toggling between the volume up and down buttons, as some have suggested but it's not working. Sometimes I can get it to work by bending the phone a bit, which I really hate doing. When I had an iPhone 4 it had the home button issue, now my iPhone 5 has the volume down issue. Searching online it seems I'm not alone.

My iPhone is outside the warranty period so Apple won't help me and replacing the volume buttons looks complicated, I could do it but hate messing with tiny parts.

Does anyone have a real fix for this issue and know what causes it?
 
Last edited:
John T

John T

macrumors 68020
Mar 18, 2006
2,114
6
UK.
As you've had trouble with buttons with other phones, it sounds as if you my be a bit "heavy" with your phone usage.

Have you tried adjusting the volume with the Control Centre?
 
R

Resist

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
3,003
93
John T said:
As you've had trouble with buttons with other phones, it sounds as if you my be a bit "heavy" with your phone usage.
Click to expand...

I'm not heavy with my phones! The iPhone 4 home button was a known issue. And so is the iPhone 5 volume button down issue.

But yes I can adjust the volume via Accessibility, but I shouldn't have to do it this way. From what I'm reading the volume button flex cable is fragile and since the iPhone 5 frame is aluminum it bends much easier than the iPhone 4. I could replace the flex cable, but it involves removing a lot of the internals. That may be my only choice since my phone is outside of its warranty.
 
Last edited:
cinematicme

cinematicme

macrumors member
Aug 2, 2011
93
0
Resist said:
The volume down button on my iPhone 5 is not working all of a sudden. I tried toggling between the volume up and down buttons, as some have suggested but it's not working. Sometimes I can get it to work by bending the phone a bit, which I really hate doing. When I had an iPhone 4 it had the home button issue, now my iPhone 5 has the volume down issue. Searching online it seems I'm not alone.

My iPhone is outside the warranty period so Apple won't help me and replacing the volume buttons looks complicated, I could do it but hate messing with tiny parts.

Does anyone have a real fix for this issue and know what causes it?
Click to expand...


Get a repair done @ http://www.digiexpress.us if you are local, sounds like part of the vol flex went bad, don't worry it happens all the time
 
cinematicme

cinematicme

macrumors member
Aug 2, 2011
93
0
Resist said:
Ummmm, I think I already said that. But thanks for the link.
Click to expand...


Yup, it is a difficult repair and I would not advocate doing it yourself unless your willing to possible toast your phone. The company I work for does these types of repairs all the time, I'm surprised your power button works, we see a ton of those with failed buttons
 
R

Resist

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
3,003
93
Every two years I upgrade after my contract expires, so I think I have another 6 month or so to go on this iPhone 5. But I never had a button issue on my other iPhones (iPhone 3G and iPhone 4).

I know I have the ability to do the repair myself. It's just whether I want to spent my time doing it or not.
 
B

bsage

macrumors newbie
Nov 30, 2013
4
0
Denver, CO
Similar issue with iPhone 5S

My wife's iphone 5S is also having volume button issues... They stop working and the phone needs to be reset to get them working again.
 
D

dextr3k

macrumors 6502
Nov 26, 2012
357
1
Yeah go check craigslist for local repair guys. They would probably be your cheapest bet.
 
C

cc46808

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2014
3
0
Solution that worked for me

I found out that torquing the phone worked for me but was always a hassle.

Ends up, the solution is simple. All I did was lift up the screen and place a 1/2" by 1/2" (ish) piece of plastic on top of the battery, like an old credit card or equivalent thickness. Placement of plastic piece is in the upper corner nearest the volume button.

The problem is that it needed more pressure and torquing it helped. So, just by adding a layer of plastic, and closing it shut, it added enough force to solve the issue. May need multiple layers. This was worked for over 24 hours now and not a long term fix but is working for me since I am out of warranty.
 
J

Jason B

macrumors 6502
May 21, 2010
362
32
How's that repair holding up?? Any pics of it? You are just laying the paper onto of the battery in the top corner??

I already replaced that flex cable once, a year ago for the lower volume button and now it's doing it again. I don't feel like doing it again and looking for maybe a tweak like yours to hold me over.
 
C

cc46808

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2014
3
0
Yes still holding up. I used plastic and not paper. I recently upgraded to the 6 so I no longer use the 5 but still working.

Yes I just put the piece of credit card type plastic in the upper corner nearest the volume buttons. Easy peasy!
 
B

bellyfrog

macrumors newbie
Dec 21, 2011
4
0
Just wanted to post and say I tried the above fix with the tag off a loaf of bread and it actually worked! Tried multiple fixes including the pressure on top right, using assistive touch, trying to spin round the volume button etc etc any solution I could find on google. This was the only one that worked and it worked immediately so thank you!
 
J

Jason B

macrumors 6502
May 21, 2010
362
32
cc46808 said:
Yes still holding up. I used plastic and not paper. I recently upgraded to the 6 so I no longer use the 5 but still working.

Yes I just put the piece of credit card type plastic in the upper corner nearest the volume buttons. Easy peasy!
Click to expand...

I also found this to work! I folded over a post-it note multiple times, to about the thickness of a credit card, and it's FIXED and working now for over a month.

As I mentioned earlier, I bought the replacement volume/vibrate/power buttons (they all come as one unit) and installed them before to fix this issue. It's a pain to do, as the whole phone comes apart. That repair lasted about a year, and glad for this fix!
 
M

marysunshinesd

macrumors newbie
Feb 10, 2015
1
0
Did you ever find a solution to down volume button?

My phone has just recently started having the same problem and was wondering if anyone has found a solution?
 
N

Nalag

macrumors newbie
May 31, 2017
1
0
cc46808 said:
Solution that worked for me

I found out that torquing the phone worked for me but was always a hassle.

Ends up, the solution is simple. All I did was lift up the screen and place a 1/2" by 1/2" (ish) piece of plastic on top of the battery, like an old credit card or equivalent thickness. Placement of plastic piece is in the upper corner nearest the volume button.

The problem is that it needed more pressure and torquing it helped. So, just by adding a layer of plastic, and closing it shut, it added enough force to solve the issue. May need multiple layers. This was worked for over 24 hours now and not a long term fix but is working for me since I am out of warranty.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1496270297][/doublepost]Many thanks for sharing your experience. Lifted the screen off mine with home screen on and applied pressure over the battery in various areas to find pressure adjacent to the volume button restored volume down function. Couple of narrow strips of plastic over that area cured the issue. Pressure with finger or bits of plastic underneath battery in same area had no effect strangely. Must be something to do with the ribbon. Thanks again!
 
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