Power Button Stuck on Brand New iMac

This is going to seem ridiculous but it worked for me. Unplug your desktop and turn it upside down (so the base is in the air). Try the power button now. When I took mine to Apple, they turned it over to get the serial number and then it worked fine. Brought it home, wouldn't work again so I turned it upside down and found that the power button would click again. Had to be gentle flipping it rightside up again. I'm guessing something slightly out of line in there.

Hope it helps.

ahh, had this the other day on one of my users iMacs,

basically, push the button in and twist it, it should pop out. if not put some sticky non-permanent tack (like blu tack) on your thumb and try it again.

looks like a minor issue with these newer ones.

if that fails, you'll have to lug it to Apple 😟

Just to add, if after you rotate the button a little and find a position where it consistently works, put a small piece of tape over the button and surround to stop it rotating again.

Jerry

Contact Apple Service, iMac Service or Apple's Express Lane. Do note that if you have AppleCare's protection plan and you're within 50 miles (80 KM) of an Apple repair station, you're eligible for onsite repair since yours is a desktop machine. Should also apply to new machines.

So in taking this discussion to a new level, don't turn your system off!! Let it sleep. One of the worst condidions for electronic equipment occurs during the power up phase. This draws more current because things are all "charging up" and the components are cold, the rapid temprature increase can fracture IC components. Sleep is much preferred

I would agree - the problem comes during power failures, etc. That's where I kept running into problems.

I've had the same problem on a mid 2011 27" iMac. I never use the power switch, I just use "sleep" from the apple menu. However, the hard drive failed (6 months old) and the iMac was burning itself up trying to boot. Power switch was unresponsive. I had to unplug the machine. Apple replaced the hard drive (7 days!) and I get it home and the power switch does nothing. Dead machine. Back to Apple. To replace the power switch, they have to replace the rear casing, which means everything has to come out the front. 10 days for repair!

Had this problem this morning with my 6 month old iMac. I also never use the power button, but we had a power failure over night at work.

Button was stuck and unresponsive, but turning the computer upside down actually did the trick. It now depresses and works.

Thank you DesignerCow!

I can't take credit for that fix! Mine did not work no matter what I did. It really is very complex to repair. I had to take it back once again since the Bluetooth function did not work after reassembly.

Sorry! Credit goes to Cheeseboy42.

This post saved my day! Thanks Cheeseboy42!

That saved my friend's day too!!!!!!! He had a meeting at 9 and all his stuff was on his machine and not on the server. It seemed the spring behind the power button was somewhat off or crooked. We try to press and twist. after some (frustrating) twisting, the heard the lovely boot chime! Thank you Alsloginid. also thank you ALL for those wonderful tips.

Designercow,

it seems that the "standard" fix for Apple is to replace the hard drive (at much $$$). They did it for me and I still had the grey screen of death! So it wasn't the hard drive after all. B•%&*#@s. I lost $270 for nothing

I have this same problem with a 2012 27" imac - given that this is a result of shoddy workmanship and/or quality assurance, apple could at least offer to fix for free, given what the price on these models are.

Quite a pita to have to overcome crappy design/engineering implementation every time I want to power on the machine. Superior computer, my a** 😀

27" iMac 2011 User

All credit goes to Cheeseboy42!!! Thanks a Million!!! Save me time & money...Do I have to do this everytime though? SMH. Disappointing after all the money I spent. Again Thx.

I have the Apple Care Protection Plan. They would only pick up my 27"iMac, told me they did not offer on site repairs (even though it does state in the handbook that this should be available). The power button on my Mac is stuck in/ permanently depressed, and they're trying to tell me that this won't be covered on the plan because it's deemed as 'cosmetic damage'. The computer won't turn on. It is unusable. It's 2 years old. I was also told that 'seeing as it's quite old, too, it could be deemed as wear and tear'. A 2 year old computer?! It seems this is a fairly common issue/ fault. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks