iPhone 4s - Cannot Change Volume

Question

Level 1

20 points

iPhone 4s - Cannot Change Volume

Hello,

I've been an iPhone owner for a couple of years now and haven't run into this issue before. I hope it's an easy fix. The problem is that I cannot change the volume to hear things like the keyboard clicks, or videos that I've shot with the camera. Under settings -> sounds, I don't see anything usual. We have 2 iPhone 4s' in the house and they have the same identical settings.

The volume buttons don't do anything, as pressing the up or down buttons show the ringer pop-up, but the bar on the bottom that shows the volume does not display. I try to press both buttons at different times to no avail.

I tried turning it off and on by holding down the button on top. Didn't fix it. I also tried holding the top and home buttons. That didn't fix it either. So before I connect it to iTunes, do a backup, and a restore, am I missing something?

I can hold down home and Siri makes the usual sounds and she speaks back to me, but the rest of the OS isn't making any sounds. Please advise...

Thanks in advance!!

Posted on Dec 27, 2011 10:54 PM

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Answer 1

Ingo2711

Level 9

70,095 points

Dec 28, 2011 4:49 AM in response to Jayplus

Did you try to set up the phone as new device, without using the latest backup to restore from afterwards? How to back up your data and set up as a new device

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Answer 2

Jayplus Author

Level 1

20 points

Dec 28, 2011 5:52 AM in response to Ingo2711

Yeah, that was what I was going to do. Do an iTunes backup first and then restore. I notices there was a reset all settings option under the settings app, so I might try that first.

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Answer 3

Jayplus Author

Level 1

20 points

Dec 28, 2011 8:43 PM in response to Jayplus

I tried doing the restore from iTunes and that hasn't worked. I also have done the reset all settings option under settings (not the erase all content and settings option), and that hasn't worked also.

I think I'm going to bring it into the Apple store to have them take a look, but please let me know if you have any other ideas. Thanks!

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Answer 4

Ingo2711

Level 9

70,095 points

Dec 29, 2011 2:55 AM in response to Jayplus

Restoring the firmware and setting it up as new device is all you can do for now, only the people at Apple can go further. Good luck.

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Answer 5

May 9, 2012 8:27 PM in response to Ingo2711

I had this problem. The fix was simple. Here is what is going on: The phone is acting as if it is plugged into a docking station or an external speaker.

If you plug in the headphones, you will probably see the volume slider come back. The cause is probably a speck of dust or something inside the dock connector of the phone. I fixed mine by simply inserting and removing the charger cord in and out of the dock connector a couple of times. Others have had success by powering off the phone and carefully using a pipe cleaner or toothbrush to clean the dock connector.

Good Luck!

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Answer 6

Sep 21, 2012 2:55 AM in response to Jayplus

I'm having a similar problem and, as mentioned in a previous post, it is acting like it is docked and not playing any music or sounds through the external speaker. When I blow into the dock connector of the phone, the volume slider shows up again. It will play for awhile, and then quit again, acting as if I have docked it again. If I blow in the dock connector on the phone again, the volume slider will again appear. So, I think there must be some major dust up there, or a problem with the dock connector itself. Does anyone know of a cleaning product it would be OK to use on the dock connector on the phone? I have a 4S.

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Answer 7

tumster

Level 1

9 points

Jan 10, 2013 7:24 AM in response to BMKA Group

Thanks! blowing air into the connector did it for me

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