Volume Button not Working on iPhone (Fix)

iPhone has revolutionized the smartphone world since its launch in 2007. Over the years it has gone through multiple updates, redesigns, and hardware changes. Losing its iconic Home button and adding the infamous notch designs are not of the more notable changes the Apple device has gone through over the years. But one piece of hardware has never changed since its introduction and that is the two-volume buttons. And it’s really hard to utilize your device if the volume button is not working on your iPhone.

Nevertheless, there are solutions if the worst comes to light and we may have them just for you. If your volume buttons are not working as intended, make sure to check the steps we listed below.

Table of Contents:

1. Reboot the Device
2. Update to the latest iOS version
3. Hard Reset
4. Check Ringer Settings
5. Make use of AssistiveTouch

1. Reboot the Device

iOS may be the best mobile operating system out there, but it’s still not perfect. A small bug may just be the cause of volume buttons not responding and an old yet quick simple fix may be what it requires.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to multitasking by double-tapping the home button (iPhone 8 and earlier)/Swiping up the bottom of the screen (iPhone X and later).
2. Clear Ram by swiping up on all currently open applications.
3. Then push the left side button until a pop-up displays Slide to power off. Swipe across the screen.
4. Wait at least 30 to Reboot.
5. Power it back on using the left side button.

2. Update to the latest iOS version

In some cases, a new iPhone may not update automatically. This may cause a bug to come up, which can inherently cause problems when using your volume buttons. To fix this go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi beforehand. If an update is available, it will ask you to have more than 50% charge or to plug in your charger. Fulfill any of these two conditions and your update will begin. You should note that you won’t be able to use your phone while installing the update.

3. Hard Reset

Sometimes the whole iOS software may crash rendering several functions including your volume keys to be unserviceable. Doing a Hard Reset will enable not only the phone to reboot but the whole iOS software to reboot as well. This may also work when you are unable to access the screen due to it being frozen. There are different ways to Hard Reset your iPhone depending on your model. We will list all possible ways for your convenience.

1. iPhone 6+ or earlier: Press and hold the power button and Home button simultaneously until the Apple logo appears.
2. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7+: Simultaneously press and hold the power button and the volume button until the Apple logo appears.
3. iPhone 8 or later: Press and release the volume up button, press and release the volume up button, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Your iPhone will now take longer than usual to boot back up so don’t worry.

4. Check Ringer Settings

If volume buttons are working for your applications such as YouTube but if you are trying and unable to change the volume of your ringer then this will be a quick fix for that issue. When you see a Slider on the left side of the screen it is usually for multimedia applications but if you see a slider on the top-middle of your screen then it indicates changes to your ringer volume.

To remedy this you need to:

1. Go to Setting > Sound & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts.
2. You can either adjust volume once using the Slider to set your desired volume.
3. Or you can toggle on ” Change with Buttons ” to set ringer volume using your volume buttons.

5. Make use of AssistiveTouch

If you do not have time to troubleshoot or any of our above solutions do not seem to work for you then you would probably have a hardware issue. However, there is an on-screen alternative of the volume buttons you can use thanks to the iPhone’s assistive touch mechanism. AssistiveTouch is a virtual home button on your screen that enables users to do a variety of operations with volume control being one of them.

To enable AssistiveTouch:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility.
2. Scroll down and go to Touch > AssistiveTouch.
3. Toggle on the AssistiveTouch button.

Once AssistiveTouch is enabled on your iPhone it can easily replicate the functions of the volume buttons.

To access these:

1. Click the AssistiveTouch Icon.
2. Go to the Device Icon.
3. Adjust the volume with the Volume Up and Down Icons.

If the above solutions do not solve your concern then you may contact Apple Support or visit your nearest Apple Store as it may be a Hardware issue. In case you have any comments, questions, or new suggestions that may help others, make sure to write them down in the comments below.