Apple Watch Side Button Issue

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Level 1

7 points

Apple Watch Side Button Issue

I have an Apple Watch Series 6. The side button clicks and actuates mechanically properly.

After clearing water from the device after a shower, I noticed it that the device kept showing me the emergency SOS screen and blaring out. I was trying to go to sleep and I didn’t want 911 called while I was fast asleep, so while the menu was up I powered down the device.

After, I was unable to start the device. I pressed the side button, heard and felt the proper click, and the apple logo appears and then disappears and reappears, as though I’m holding down the button.

i tired pressing down both buttons and that worked once, but again while at the airport it again started to threaten to call 911 at random and so for the sake of my own sanity I turned it off again.

Now I’ve been trying to power it on, and I tried pressing down the crown and side button, but the device is in a boot loop again. If I plug it in, it acts like I’m squeezing down the side button.

I suspect that there’s something shorting the button out, but given the IPX rating, I thought this device would be able to handle mere showers.

INB4 you suggest I reboot the device: this is a boot loop. I literally can’t stop rebooting.

INB4 you suggest I unpair and repair to me phone: this is a boot loop.

INB4 you suggest that I reset I’m the device or some other suggestion that requires the Watch to be post-boot to be actionable, once again this is a boot loop, caused by what appears to be a hardware issue, and I would appreciate any input regarding failures of the side button on devices free of physical damage and how to troubleshoot or repair the side button.

I assume that I don’t have a warranty on this device, and that I will have to crack it open and repair the side button hardware, so any guides or documentation on common side button repairs would be amazingly helpful, but I assume that I’ll leave this post and go to ifixit for actual help and when I come back there’ll be boilerplate suggestions to reboot the Apple Watch, but maybe you can surprise me today?

Apple Watch Series 6

Posted on May 26, 2022 10:03 AM

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Answer 1

Patrick91jh Author

Level 1

7 points

May 27, 2022 3:15 PM in response to javaliga

Hello javaliga,

Thank you for your response.

After returning home and then again trying to reset the device with both buttons, the issue with a spurious detection of the side button being held down was gone. It was pretty dramatic, I had figured there was damage to the device in the course of wearing it in the shower or some other event I had not noticed and was surprised to see such a sudden and clean resolution to the issue.

The only things that really changed were humidity and air pressure (MUCH less of both where I live), and I guess the device is fine now?

It has been 24 hours since I last observed the issue. While in the other place it was acting up progressively worse until the Watch acted as if the side button was "always pressed down", and this would lead to either being in the SOS state, or if the device was powered down, it would be reset repeatedly by the apparent side button signal. It would even interfere with the side button and crown reset procedure, because after both hardware buttons are released, the watch often interpreted the side button was still being pressed for some reason.

I think this means my issue is resolved, but I will be on the lookout for further unusual hardware behavior when descending to the depths of sea-level. If I can show this is a pattern or produce a test rig that can demonstrate the issue appearing under a certain delta in barometric pressure, is there someone I can talk to about this issue further?

Thanks

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Answer 2

javaliga

Level 10

120,229 points

May 26, 2022 2:18 PM in response to Patrick91jh

At this point, I think your best option is to make an appointment at the Genius Bar in an Apple Store near you and let them look at it. If that is not possible, use the online Apple Support option . Either way:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

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Answer 3

Jul 2, 2022 8:47 AM in response to Patrick91jh

My watch started doing nearly the same thing around that same timeframe. Apple support had me do a full reset and now my battery is draining very rapidly and the side button is having issues where it clicks but it won’t respond. I can’t even turn the watch off or utilize the side/crown button to try a hard reset. Very frustrating! I’ve had one Genius Bar appointment and then done online phone support. I have a second Genius Bar appointment set up, but every bit of help I get the problems seem to get worse.

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Answer 4

Patrick91jh Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 2, 2022 8:45 PM in response to crwildstar

The issue did return a few times, but it doesn't seem to stick around.

The fact these techs are going on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about software problems makes me increasingly convinced there is a hardware issue endemic to Apple Watch side buttons.

EDIT: Anyway when it acts up, what I currently do is just take it off for a hot minute, and then just hold down the crown and side button. Sometimes I put a drop of water on the side button since I read elsewhere that can help.

I have no idea and frankly nor does Apple.

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Answer 5

Patrick91jh Author

Level 1

7 points

Jul 7, 2022 8:08 AM in response to crwildstar

Ok it came up again! I had the water lock on, and I was swimming. It still goes on the fritz and tries to call the police a dozen times while I'm swimming.

Later on, I do a full reset and instead of the button appearing to be "held", the button now acts like it's being mashed by someone trying to break some kind of click rate record, and this seems to drain the battery profoundly quickly.

The Apple watch is basically always piping hot now. Interesting how that's the result of a reset.

I'm sure Apple will just tell me that it's out of warranty and to buy a new one, so I'm starting to explore opening this device and testing out the switch hardware and investigating further, but I do not know how to restore waterproofness. Off to youtube to hopefully find some info.

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Apple Watch Side Button Issue

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