Although the future of the sector points to the disappearance of physical buttons as we know them, in practice there are still a few years left for this to happen and the reality is that today our phones have these systems of most reliable classic manipulations for tasks like turning the volume up and down or turning the device off and on again. If one day you discover that the buttons on your Android do not worktry this before going to technical service.
Beware of multifunction
It sounds silly, but it’s quite common that Today the classic stop button has become an all-terrain actuator which has several functions, like activating the voice assistant, turning off the screen, taking screenshots (as well as other key combinations) and of course, turning the device on and off.
If you just changed phones and assumed that side button is only for turning it off, before you think badly and assume it doesn’t work, try to experiment: Give it a swipe, a few swipes in a row, a long press, or press this button and the volume up button at the same time to see what happens.
Our recommendation is to take a look at the instructions, a tutorial or directly, go to the Settings to view and configure side button actions. By the way, remapping the functions of the side buttons can also be done through apps.
restart your phone
If the above does not solve your problem, the following try a simple reboot. This classic error checker is used to restart applications and runs in the background and will update processes with potential errors.
If you don’t like the button that allows you to turn it off, most terminals with Android 12 or later as the operating system have an option to do it via software. To do this, from the main screen, swipe up and down to access the quick settings panel. Do it twice to have the full menu to find the power button.
Another option to turn it off automatically is easy to use the ‘settings‘ > ‘Accessibility‘ and activate its menu, which will show a new shortcut from which you can restart. In practice, this allows us to use the functions built into the phone with virtual buttons on the screen and can get us out of trouble, but it is not a solution.
However, you can also use the auto-reboot option, something that will work as long as the phone screen is off and the battery is over 30%. To configure it, go to ‘settings‘ > ‘maintenance and battery‘. There look for ‘Automatic Optimization’ (or ‘Automation’, in some cases it’s between the three dots in the upper corner), inside you will find the option ‘Restart if necessary‘ and turn it on, in some cases it lets you choose when.
The most pro mode if all of the above hold up This goes through the use of ADB commands, for which you will have to connect to the mobile via ADB, either by connecting the phone to a PC or wirelessly. Then use the command ‘adb restartwhich restarts the mobile.
Enter Android Safe Mode
If the cause of the failure of your buttons comes from the softwareSo one way to tell is to start your phone in safe mode, a stripped-down version that runs the basic Android operating system with no frills like third-party apps or services. If your buttons are working well, you know for sure that someone else’s software is to blame.
To enter safe mode on most Android devices, just press and hold the power button, which you obviously won’t be able to do in this situation. We therefore return to the previous point for Get a button to turn off the screen (for example, with the accessibility menu) and you just have to follow the instructions for a restart in safe mode.
If we are facing a software error, it’s best to uninstall any apps you’ve recently installed (just before you spot the failure), as well as remove apps you don’t trust or use. As a final measure, there is always the option of restoring to the factory.
Run a diagnostic application
If all of the above still doesn’t bring your pimples back to life, the following will test the hardware behind the buttons, something you can do with apps like TestM (available for free on the Google Play Store). Download it, install it and look for the option ‘Material‘ > ‘Hardware buttons‘ and follow the instructions. If the app detects button inputs, the problem is in the software, not the hardware. If not, the problem is probably with the parts.
Clean around pimples
Sometimes we can put it down to the worst when it might just be dirt. It is important to take into account that the telephone, its slots and its buttons are daily exposed to falls, shocks or scratches which can damage them, but also to dust, dirt and all kinds of dirt, therefore small particles could have embedded themselves in the interstices
This is unlikely to happen on modern devices that are IP68 rated against water and dust, but it will happen on more basic or older phones. There’s not much to do here except try to clean very carefully with compressed air or with a small object that fits into the cavity. Also, if you use it with a cover, take it off first and clean it well. Then see if it worked.
Well dried before exposure to water
We mentioned in the previous point that it’s relatively common for phones to have some degree of water and dust resistance, but it’s important to keep in mind that it does not mean that they are waterproof. Also keep in mind that even if your phone is IP certified, it does not mean that water accidents are covered under warranty.
If your phone’s buttons have stopped working after being exposed to water, the first thing you should do before trying anything is to make sure that internal components are completely dry. So first off, turn off your phone, let it dry and then go through this battery of tests.
To do this, use a towel and absorbent paper to wipe all the edges of the mobile, using smooth movements and turns of the device to minimize water movement. Placing it surrounded by drying materials such as silica gel for 48 hours is a good idea before trying to turn it back on to see if it has resolved itself.
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