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Thanks for sharing!

Locking iPhone during a call!

NOTE: I posted this on official Apple site forums - thought I'd paste here too.

OK - I bought my iPhone 4 the day it came out - the first iPhone I've ever bought! Great phone - except for this issue as titled in this topic! I've seen this issue discussed in various places and but I hope this topic/solution gets pulled to the top of the list in some way or set to a Sticky:!

Just like you, the number of times I kept having the problem of pressing the mute/hold, keypad, speaker, add call, FaceTime or contacts button during a call with my cheek or hand (sometimes), ultimately cutting the call or making funny beepy noises!:mad:

Argh annoying! I just wanted the iPhone 4 to lock during a call!

Nevertheless, I just so happen to randomly come across the procedure, to prevent this from happening.

Let me clarify the situation:

1. We know the proximity light sensor is crap. Check.

2. We know when you hit the power button during call, you expect it to lock - instead is cuts the call. Check.

3. We know when you press the Home button - it takes you to the Home Screen with all your App icons (a worse nightmare now, as you have more icons to FaceTouch with)! Check.

4. We know you CAN lock the screen IF you have a handsfree plugged in OR if you put it in speaker-phone mode. Check.

But what do we want:

The ability to LOCK the phone, DURING a call, using the handset (the bit you talk to in the bottom of the phone!) WITHOUT switching into speaker mode or using a handsfree and not have to WORRY about the line CUTTING.

Phewf - Hope that makes sense!

Solution

Having recently put iOS 4.2.1 - I thought this solution was lost, when I tried it, it didn't work :mad:. But then luckily I realised a difference about the set-up of my phone I had previously. When I re-set it up like I had it previously - the lock method worked fine again. That difference was the setting up of a passcode to unlock your phone. Phew!

So, here's what you do - there are two scenarios:

Scenario 1 - You're the caller

1. You need to set up a passcode to unlock your iPhone each time you lock it. So:

Settings --> General --> Passcode Lock --> Turn Passcode On --> {set your code}

So this means, every time you unlock your phone, it will ask for the passcode to get the Home screen.

2. Call someone.

3. Now press the following in this sequence:

Speaker --> Power Button --> Slide to Unlock --> Speaker --> Home Button

4. If done correctly, it should still be in the call and your screen is now locked, with the "Slide to Unlock" displaying - Yay!

5. For "double-the-lockingness" - press the Power Button. This turns off the screen completely, also saving on battery power.

6. To End the call either:

a) Other side hangs up

b) Press the Power Button --> Slide to Unlock --> Enter Passcode --> Taking you to the Home screen, tap Green Bar at top --> End Call button.

Scenario 2 - You're the receiver

1. You need to set up a passcode to unlock your iPhone each time you lock it. So:

Settings --> General --> Passcode Lock --> Turn Passcode On --> {set your code}

2. Just press the Home button!

3. To End the call either:

a) Other side hangs up

b) Press the Power Button --> Slide to Unlock --> Enter Passcode --> Taking you to the Home screen, tap Green Bar at top --> End Call button.

Final thoughts

So yeah, that last step might be a little frustrating - but it's much better than having FaceTouch cutting the line!

I hope this helps - I use this all the time and it works fine for me. I really hope it does for other people.

I should have shared this a few months ago - so apologies for not making the time to type this out.

Happy calling! Finally!

Zayd.

Thank you for sharing. I've had this problem and its so frustrating. Thats alot of steps to remember but like you said it will become easier with each use. I hope it works for me. What I don't understand is, this is a Smartphone, why didn't they make it smart enough to make it not do this? There should be a much more simple way, but in the meantime, I will try this. For the one's that haven't experienced this issue, then consider yourself lucky. This problem does exist!
 
I'm not going to bother reading that massive OP

All you have to do when on a call:
1) Press the home button
2) Press the lock button

You now cannot hit the mute/hold/speaker

If you really be safe, you can
3) Press the lock button again to turn off the screen.
 
It is still a problem!!

:mad:

It did back in Dec 2010 when this thread was made..... probably not so much now.

Guess you didn't look at the date before you posted. :rolleyes:

Regardless of the date this was posted, the problem DOES still exist today! I've had problems with it ever since I got the iphone4. Other's that I know had the same problem and took their's back and told them what they could do with it!! Like I said, if you haven't experienced this issue...then consider yourself lucky, because it's a real pain in my a**!:p:p
 
cheek touch

I definitely have the problem that started this thread, with my iPhone 4s. I have it in part because I am hard-of-hearing and when the signal/volume is not loud enough, I naturally press the phone closer to my ear, which results in the call ending, muting, facetiming, and other fun features that I didn't have in mind at that moment.
This is the first real discussion of this real problem.
I have notified the RERC at Gallaudet University and the Hearing Loss Association of America, neither of which was aware of this particular problem, and both of which readily saw that it was a design flaw for the hard-of-hearing. Thanks again.

----------

By the way, pressing the home and then the lock button on the 4s ends the call. And retracting the screen by just pressing the home button can and does backfire; when I least expect it, the screen has been refreshed (by my cheek again?) and I am back at square one (call ended, muted, facetimed, etc.).

----------

Well, I just tried what the guys at the Verizon store couldn't do yesterday and it worked for me. Go figure. You CAN hit the home button and then the lock button (very quickly) and stay on the phone with the home screen up (so no cheek-sensitive areas exposed). When you're done, you just slide the unlock slider and then end the call.
Now, why couldn't the Verizon guys do it? Maybe they hit the lock button for too long.
Now, all I need is a little more dependable volume.
Anybody know what the heck the TTY setting is/does?
 
Cheek puts me on mute!

I too have that problem...I am constantly muting people with my cheek... bugs me! Don't listen to the people who say it's not a problem...it's just not THEIR problem.
 
App - Screen Guard

Hi all,

I have had the issue with iPhone 4 AND Now with my 4S - where the proximity sensor is not effective to prevent cheek pressing etc..

I have just been in the habit of having "Call Guard" app on home screen - push that when call starts and it prevents all unwanted touches.

At the end of your call it even tells you how many unwanted presses it stopped from activating items on your phone.

I don't use it for quick calls or for earphone conversations - just long chats when I need to hold my handset.

Hope this helps some people - this is a problem that people do really have - so I hope those people posting that it does not exist can just accept that for some ofmusnthis has been a very real problem.
 
Hi all,

I have had the issue with iPhone 4 AND Now with my 4S - where the proximity sensor is not effective to prevent cheek pressing etc..

I have just been in the habit of having "Call Guard" app on home screen - push that when call starts and it prevents all unwanted touches.

At the end of your call it even tells you how many unwanted presses it stopped from activating items on your phone.

I don't use it for quick calls or for earphone conversations - just long chats when I need to hold my handset.

Hope this helps some people - this is a problem that people do really have - so I hope those people posting that it does not exist can just accept that for some ofmusnthis has been a very real problem.
Well.... I didn't know you wanted to get involved with the discussion Mr. helper.....
 

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The problem is, I as many others, find the proximity light sensor does not always do a great job at turning off the screen during a call - especially when holding the phone near to your face.

Ultimately, you end up pressing some of the touch screen buttons on the screen causing the call to drop.

The sequence is one you would remember if you tried it more than once ;). Sorry to hear it doesn't work for you. I'm glad it does for me :).


Or, you're me and your proximity light sensor just stopped working completely. This little trick is a little bit of a pain in the butt when you're used to just holding a phone and talking on it however, it is greatly appreciated and MUCH less annoying then hitting the end button with my cheek every 5 seconds. So thank you very much for posting that! :)
 
Last edited:
That's actually not a bad question. The proximity sensor uses an infrared transmitter and receiver to bounce off the skin. It might be interesting to test the difference. :cool:
 
Lock iPhone during call! Does your face keep hitting mute/hold/speaker during a call?

Thank you. Your post was not only well written, but your solution also worked.;) If few people "out there" are having this problem, why are there so many forums where the problem is discussed? Also, I've tried earphones and the problem has continued. Holding the phone to one's ear, as one user suggested, would be the last thing one would do to solve the problem, as the user is much more likely to touch the phone. Finally, I've made calls in the dark--definitely no light on the sensor--and still had the call cut off.

Congrats to all of you who have had no problems with the iPhone. Just wait! :(
 
the problem with the proximity sensor is a well-documented problem with the 4.

Apple just replaced mine under Applecare after I documented the problem.

Hasn't happened since with the replacement (refurbished) 4
 
I've had this problem with my iPhone 4 since day one. EVERY single time I've tried to hold the phone with my shoulder - like when I need to use both hands, it will either mute, put the person on hold, try to active Facetime or go to speaker.

No OS update fixed it. After 2 years I've pretty much considered it just a schitty aspect to an otherwise good phone and hope the next generation doesn't have the problem.
 
If you're willing to jailbreak, then an extension called "PhoneCloser" will give you the option to reassign the lock button's function during a call. So you can change the setting to have it lock the screen. Much simpler than the solution in the OP if you are okay with a jailbreak.
 
Oops!

Forgot to add that I'm definitely not jittery.

I've taken my phone into an Apple store twice. Each time I was told that the sensor was dirty. Not.

After reading the posts on this thread yesterday, I downloaded the .99 Call Guard app. Problem solved.

One problem with forums is that if they aren't monitored, it's time consuming to troll through them to find a good answer to a technical question (perhaps not so time consuming as holding for an AT&T rep). I was attracted to this forum because of the very first post in this thread. The user obviously knows his subject.

Thank you.:)

Tip: If you haven't used the website GetHuman.com, you may want to check it out the next time you find yourself on eternal hold with AT&T or any other company. The site lists ways to cut through menus and actually reach a (gasp) human being without a long wait.
 
Iphone muting

This problem happens to me all the time and I have an Iphone 4 my sister gave me the phone when she got the Iphone s unfortunatley I gave my Samsung to my partner and she pleaded with me to give her the Iphone and now seeing the muting problem wont give me the Samsung back
 
What cases are you guys using? I only have the problem when holding the phone with my shoulder. Even then it didn't start until I put a lifeproof case on it. I think it has something to do with the built in screen protector.....
 
Thank you so much!!! This happens to me EVERY time I'm on a call and it was driving me and my friends crazy!! Doesn't happen to anyone else I know with an iPhone 4 and I have the latest software update iOS 6! Thanks for the advice again! :) will help till I ask for a replacement!!
 
Locking iPhone during a call!

NOTE: I posted this on official Apple site forums - thought I'd paste here too.

OK - I bought my iPhone 4 the day it came out - the first iPhone I've ever bought! Great phone - except for this issue as titled in this topic! I've seen this issue discussed in various places and but I hope this topic/solution gets pulled to the top of the list in some way or set to a Sticky:!

Just like you, the number of times I kept having the problem of pressing the mute/hold, keypad, speaker, add call, FaceTime or contacts button during a call with my cheek or hand (sometimes), ultimately cutting the call or making funny beepy noises!:mad:

Argh annoying! I just wanted the iPhone 4 to lock during a call!

Nevertheless, I just so happen to randomly come across the procedure, to prevent this from happening.

Let me clarify the situation:

1. We know the proximity light sensor is crap. Check.

2. We know when you hit the power button during call, you expect it to lock - instead is cuts the call. Check.

3. We know when you press the Home button - it takes you to the Home Screen with all your App icons (a worse nightmare now, as you have more icons to FaceTouch with)! Check.

4. We know you CAN lock the screen IF you have a handsfree plugged in OR if you put it in speaker-phone mode. Check.

But what do we want:

The ability to LOCK the phone, DURING a call, using the handset (the bit you talk to in the bottom of the phone!) WITHOUT switching into speaker mode or using a handsfree and not have to WORRY about the line CUTTING.

Phewf - Hope that makes sense!

Solution

Having recently put iOS 4.2.1 - I thought this solution was lost, when I tried it, it didn't work :mad:. But then luckily I realised a difference about the set-up of my phone I had previously. When I re-set it up like I had it previously - the lock method worked fine again. That difference was the setting up of a passcode to unlock your phone. Phew!

So, here's what you do - there are two scenarios:

Scenario 1 - You're the caller

1. You need to set up a passcode to unlock your iPhone each time you lock it. So:

Settings --> General --> Passcode Lock --> Turn Passcode On --> {set your code}

So this means, every time you unlock your phone, it will ask for the passcode to get the Home screen.

2. Call someone.

3. Now press the following in this sequence:

Speaker --> Power Button --> Slide to Unlock --> Speaker --> Home Button

4. If done correctly, it should still be in the call and your screen is now locked, with the "Slide to Unlock" displaying - Yay!

5. For "double-the-lockingness" - press the Power Button. This turns off the screen completely, also saving on battery power.

6. To End the call either:

a) Other side hangs up

b) Press the Power Button --> Slide to Unlock --> Enter Passcode --> Taking you to the Home screen, tap Green Bar at top --> End Call button.

Scenario 2 - You're the receiver

1. You need to set up a passcode to unlock your iPhone each time you lock it. So:

Settings --> General --> Passcode Lock --> Turn Passcode On --> {set your code}

2. Just press the Home button!

3. To End the call either:

a) Other side hangs up

b) Press the Power Button --> Slide to Unlock --> Enter Passcode --> Taking you to the Home screen, tap Green Bar at top --> End Call button.

Final thoughts

So yeah, that last step might be a little frustrating - but it's much better than having FaceTouch cutting the line!

I hope this helps - I use this all the time and it works fine for me. I really hope it does for other people.

I should have shared this a few months ago - so apologies for not making the time to type this out.

Happy calling! Finally!

Zayd.

Thank you!!! Finally I can lock my phone with any case I want on it, the only other solution I found was to take your case off & then the sensor worked fine! I can now say I am completely happy with my device & my toddler can call his nana without hanging up on her every 30 seconds :)

----------

If you're willing to jailbreak, then an extension called "PhoneCloser" will give you the option to reassign the lock button's function during a call. So you can change the setting to have it lock the screen. Much simpler than the solution in the OP if you are okay with a jailbreak.

How do you "jail break" ? Can you give step by step?
 
Thank you!!! Finally I can lock my phone with any case I want on it, the only other solution I found was to take your case off & then the sensor worked fine! I can now say I am completely happy with my device & my toddler can call his nana without hanging up on her every 30 seconds :)

----------



How do you "jail break" ? Can you give step by step?

What device do you have and what firmware are you on? If you have an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 running iOS 6.1.3, forget about jailbreaking because you can't do it and there's no way around it at the moment

However, if you are on iOS 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.1, 6.1.1, or 6.1.2, download evasi0n from evasi0n.com to jailbreak your iPhone
 
Actually same thing is happening to me ever since updating to 6.1.2 or whatever with jailbreak

bugs me out but yes i have the same problem as well
 
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