iPhone 7 plus exterior buttons not working

Question

Level 1

30 points

iPhone 7 plus exterior buttons not working

I have had my iPhone 7+ for about 2 weeks now. Every once in a while all the exterior buttons stop working, volume up/down, power, home. The home button will still register and push and give the taptic feel and the touchID works. The phone itself still works and I can reply to texts and what not using notifications.

The past couple times it has done it, it has came out of it in ~4-5 minutes, however it has been about a half an hour and still nothing. I would restart my phone but the power button isn't working.

Has anyone seen this issue or know how to remedy it?

Thanks in advance.

iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 10.0.1

Posted on Oct 7, 2016 11:20 AM

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Answer 1

gdgmacguy

Level 7

21,891 points

Oct 10, 2016 7:00 PM in response to Mcguire6799

If the Apple-recommended steps of restart, reset, restore from backup, restore as new don't solve the issue, you'll need to bring the phone to Apple for evaluation.

Best,

GDG

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Answer 2

mgeorge4

Level 1

4 points

Apr 7, 2017 3:21 PM in response to Mcguire6799

I keep having this issue as well as another person in my family - I believe its a software problem. I have figured out that you can reboot the phone without buttons. If stuck in an app - pull down from the top bar and use search to type settings - once in settings go to general, accessibility and turn on a setting that requires restart (ie Bold). confirm restart and this fixes it for me.

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Answer 3

Slasph

Level 1

4 points

Apr 22, 2017 3:31 PM in response to Mcguire6799

Unfortunately, I have the same problem. I am using iphone 7, model 14A346,version MN9F2LL/A.

It happens time to time, I couldn't figure out the reason of this issue. 5 exterior buttons stop working all of a sudden.

After 5 or 10 minutes (this number can go up to 1 hour) all the buttons that I pressed, suddenly come into process, and it's like 20 times the screen gets all black, volume go up and down, the ringer gets silent and loud again and again. Then it bcomes normal.

Waiting for solution.

Thanks.

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Answer 4

Oct 26, 2017 9:10 AM in response to Mcguire6799

Our iPhone 7 plus was fine until we did the iOS11 update. After that, the side power button doesn't work correctly anymore. We tried all the solutions and nothing fixes the problem. Phone worked wonderful before iOS11. We even updated up to the current version, tried the troubleshooting techniques again and still having issues. This is VERY annoying especially since this phone is used for work (so it's used all the time).

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Answer 5

Jonathan UK

Level 10

164,015 points

Apr 23, 2017 10:20 AM in response to mailsmc

Follow the instructions here, including contacting Apple Support or making a Genius Bar reservation if necessary:

Get help with buttons and switches on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

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Answer 6

Jasos

Level 1

9 points

Oct 10, 2016 6:57 PM in response to Mcguire6799

I just experienced the same issue on my iPhone 7, I think it's an iOS bug but I am using iOS 10.0.2. Power + Volume down button allowed me to turn it off then back on.. Apple please fix this bug!

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Answer 7

Oct 17, 2016 6:32 AM in response to Mcguire6799

All my buttons stop working too but i fix it quickly by pressing both the home button and power button simulataneously

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Answer 8

Oct 17, 2016 4:11 PM in response to Jasos

The same problem just happened to me. Power + Volume down worked for me too.

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Answer 9

Mcguire6799 Author

Level 1

30 points

Oct 18, 2016 6:47 AM in response to KimYeontae

The only issue is that my buttons aren't responding thus this does not work. I've tried holding both down to reset the phone and it doesn't do anything. Finally came out of it about an hour later, but has happened again recently.

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Answer 10

Mcguire6799 Author

Level 1

30 points

Oct 18, 2016 6:50 AM in response to gdgmacguy

I have called my local Apple authorized repair facility and they said if it isn't doing experiencing the issue when I bring it in then they cannot do anything about it. Which it won't be doing it because it comes out of it eventually.

Side note, when it does finally come out of the issue everything I have hit registers one after the other. So my phone will sit there and open/lock/return to home screen/change volume and what not depending on what buttons I have hit. So seems to be a software issue that is delaying the buttons.

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Answer 11

Oct 18, 2016 2:36 PM in response to Mcguire6799

Even i faced the same issue on my iphone 7plus.

There was a black screen with loading display (activity indicator or Throbber) and no button was working. i solved this problem by turning off my phone by holding the (Power button + Volume down ) button.

@Apple can you please look into this issue.

Thanks.

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Answer 12

SmAaMyA

Level 1

8 points

Oct 20, 2016 12:39 AM in response to Jasos

Same here! I got 128GB and 256GB models of iPhone 7, and both of them have this issue. My 128GB model is running on 10.0.1 and my 256GB has been upgraded to 10.0.1, 10.0.2 and 10.0.3, which all models and iOS that I have tested still randomly freeze their mechanical buttons.

My solution is the same as yours "hold power button + volume down".

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Answer 13

Nov 4, 2016 9:13 AM in response to Mcguire6799

I just had this issue happen to me know. I was in the Mail app and wanted to go to the home screen. The home button and power button were not working, however the Mail app itself was working just fine.

After about a minute or so, it registered all my home button and power button clicks at once, sending my phone into a frenzied state (screen turned on and off multiple times, locked itself, started Apple Pay). 8"I'm on iOS 10.1.1 which I believe is the latest of this message posting. Hope Apple resolves this. I have an iPhone 7 Plus Jer Black 256GB and this is my first iPhone ever since coming from Android.

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