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The volume on my iPhone decreases randomly.

I'm afraid it is a hardware issue. Sometimes I listen to music and it decreases for no reason, then I push up volume button, and it increases a bit, but if I leave the button it decreases again (like if I'm pressing the down button as well).

Is it a bad news ?

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What generation iPhone is it? – Matt Love Apr 4 '12 at 11:38
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It does sound like it's time to schedule a Genius appointment. – bassplayer7 Apr 4 '12 at 12:31
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does it happen with and without headphones in? it could just be faulty headphones if it doesn't. – Stu Wilson Apr 4 '12 at 15:00
@Matt Love iPhone 4S – Patrick Apr 5 '12 at 7:20
@Stu Wilson Good point... I will check... – Patrick Apr 5 '12 at 7:20
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3 Answers

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Sounds like your down button is stuck, or sticking, or has a bad contact. Do the buttons feel, or sound different to each other? I would be trying the following highly non-scientific technical procedures:

  • Give it a damn good clean
  • Seriously, a really good one, get the finest vacuum nozzle you can and really give it a going over. Get a pin down the side of the buttons (carefully, and not deep) and try to see if you can clear out any crud
  • Pretend you are playing Daley Thompsons Decatlon on the volume buttons (For US readers, just think of any other button mashing game from the 80's). Press them often, press them fast, press them hard, so it at all angles
  • Clean it again, use some alcohol on the end of a cotton bud
  • Do the drop test. Bunch up your duvet, and fling your phone into it at high speed

Basically, you're just trying to either loosen off the mechanism, remove any crap trapped underneath, and prevent any sticking or unwanted contact etc.

I can't see it as being a software issues at all, personally.

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With the more information supplied:

  • the volume issue occurs with and without headphones
  • the volume issue occurs with and without a case

The only conclusions I can come to are that the iPhone 4S is either faulty, or there is a software glitch causing the issue.

Addressing the second issue, Apple will recommend you perform a DFU restore to factory settings to rule out software. If the issue persists, then in all likelihood there is a hardware issue present.

I did find this link to a discussion for other iPhone 4S users with the same/similar issue (or with the Volume Up), at least one of which was resolved by the Genius taking the iPhone apart to find a piece of material in the switch assembly causing the issue.

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I used to have an iphone 3G and now I own an iphone 4. It has happened both times to me and still happens. But now I am pretty sure that it is a software issue. I am saying this, because, even though I have this problem in the last two months on my iphone 4, two days ago, after I ended a conversation through Viber app, momentarily the volume returned to its normal levels as I tried to type something, but it decreased again in moments. And that happened again about an hour ago, same situation.

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