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iPhone vibrate not working

If the vibrate mode on your iPhone stops working and you are sure that you have vibrate turned on, one thing to try is giving your iPhone a couple of slaps with your hand. You don't want to bashing the thing as it is an expensive piece of electronics, but apparently the vibrate mechanism can become stuck. And if yours isn't working because it's stuck, jarring it a bit can unstick the mechanism and get the vibrate working on your iPhone again.
Rating: 94% positive, 160 total Votes
Categories: iPhone repair
Added: on Nov 14, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Added By: an anonymous user
Searches: iphone vibrate working repair stuck

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OMG
this worked on my phone just now

FTW!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 07, 2009 at 11:18 am
me too!
– Added by an anonymous user on May 02, 2009 at 3:54 am
This does work - mine stopped working, and a couple of medium-hard knocks on my leg and it's vibrating again no troubles. This really does work.
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 08, 2009 at 5:12 am
Genius!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 14, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Worked for me too! Phwew!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 29, 2009 at 1:41 pm
You saved my life! I love you man!
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 07, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Ha Ha...
It worked.
Just got my iPhone 3GS yesterday and it was vibrating, today I realized it doesn't any more.
I just slapped it a couple of times now and it works...
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 09, 2009 at 9:20 pm
wow i just got my 3gs two days ago and my vibrate stopped working.. slapped it on my hand a few times and it really worked!! got scared for a moment but anyways.. good tip!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 13, 2009 at 2:04 pm
wow that really worked hah...few slaps...kinda knocked the sim out of place but turned it off and slapped it a few more times to get the sim back into place and turned it back on and the vibration is working again and everythings good
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 13, 2009 at 6:18 pm
genius u are.... brilliant. it worked!
does this rectify the pro for long though?
– Added by an anonymous user on Sep 04, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Smacking it around and tapping it firmly with palms and on a counter top at various angles didn't do the trick for me. But dropping it flat on its back from about a foot high on a door-mat like surface (while in a rubber sleeve), did jar it loose.

FYI, to test if it's working again quickly, open Settings > Sounds and simply change vibrate from Off to On and it should give a short buzz to confirm it's working again.
– Added by an anonymous user on Sep 07, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Mine still not working. Maybe is a problem is with some cable inside? I have problem with display, some guy changed display, but maybe he crashed some cable for vibration...is there on net some video or tutorial to fix that? tnx a lot, steve
– Added by an anonymous user on Sep 10, 2009 at 3:47 pm
confirmed ABSOLUTELY WORKING WOW! read a lot of posts - bought a used iphone - REALLY upset that it stopped vibrating. I COULD HEAR CLICKS IN THE PHONE when it was supposed to vibrate.

I knocked it a few times on my knee vibrating PERFECT. THANKS!!!!!!!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Sep 21, 2009 at 7:19 am
I am so depressed to find out my newly bought iphone did not virate, until i saw this. I really want to thank you so much. It vibrates after i slap the bottom of my iphone several times. I love you, man.
– Added by an anonymous user on Sep 26, 2009 at 9:10 am
haha I jus tried and and it definitely does work! I amazed by how fixing an iphone error, you gotta hit it a couple of times
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 01, 2009 at 3:51 pm
LOL .... i can't belive this ... its true ... i slapped my iphone 3g 2 times ... and is working ... lol ... thx :D
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 06, 2009 at 5:10 am
Thank you! Great tip, believe it or not!
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 08, 2009 at 5:09 pm
NICE!!!!!!
NICE!!!!!!
NICE!!!!!!
NICE!!!!!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 15, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Literally JUST tried it and it worked! Very happy!
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 21, 2009 at 2:24 pm
whoever made this is a god!!! thank u!!!!!!!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 23, 2009 at 9:50 pm
This advice saved my day:)Thank u 10 milion times!I just hit it a couple of times on my knee and it started to work again.
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 25, 2009 at 10:46 am
Amazing..........It worked for me too.
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 03, 2009 at 2:39 pm
If anyone has a problem with vibrate and slapping doesn't help (like me), just open the iphone with screwdriver, screw out the vibrating motor and screw it up again and check out the contact with the base :-) It help me
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 05, 2009 at 4:15 am
Unfortunately, this didn't work on mine :(
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 09, 2009 at 12:54 pm
This worked for me too!!! Thanks a million!
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 15, 2009 at 11:00 am
It worked once, then gone... :(
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 20, 2009 at 10:58 am
i noticed that when and if i apply pressure to it from the bottom it works for a bit then it doesn't work anymore does anyone know or have an idea about it???
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 22, 2009 at 1:12 am
Yes It worked ! 30 slaps on the back cover did nothing but one soft slap on the front did the job. Thanks!
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 24, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Youst bought my iPhone 3GS yesterday and it was not vibrating. Searched the web like crazy, didn't sleep!! I was about to return it for warranty and.. found this site. Slapped on the back didn't worked, but let it drop on a carpet back side up, did worked! I AM SO HAPPY :) Thanks a lot!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Nov 29, 2009 at 8:57 am
i love you so so much!
– Added by an anonymous user on Dec 07, 2009 at 5:58 am
Honestly didn't think that it was going to work for me, but it did after two taps-- thanks!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Dec 12, 2009 at 1:37 pm
You are the best....you saved me 40 bucks...thanks a heap man
– Added by an anonymous user on Dec 14, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I almost restored my phone which would have made all of my jailbreak data go away, but this worked! Thank you so much!
– Added by an anonymous user on Dec 16, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Tried and tested =)
– Added by an anonymous user on Dec 27, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Just worked for me as well. Thanks a bunch!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jan 02, 2010 at 6:14 pm
cool :) it works...
– Added by an anonymous user on Jan 09, 2010 at 12:54 pm
WTF!!!!! it works! iloveyouuuuuuu waaaahhhh i cant believe it! hahahhaahaha!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jan 22, 2010 at 8:14 pm
WOW I DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD WORK LOL.

I recently got a new iPhone after my old one had been stolen. It just stopped vibrating out of nowhere, and i tried everything to see what was wrong with it and I found this!

I asked my cousin to "smack it up" a bit, she did so
several times, and it worked!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jan 31, 2010 at 2:26 pm
One medium smack on my knee and iPhone vibrate is working again - Cheers mate!
– Added by an anonymous user on Feb 07, 2010 at 1:36 am
f*** it worked
– Added by an anonymous user on Feb 19, 2010 at 7:09 am
f** yeah... worked for me too.. i thought I was gonna have to buy a new phone...
– Added by an anonymous user on Feb 20, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Just worked for me too.. Thanks
– Added by an anonymous user on Feb 21, 2010 at 3:07 pm
wowwwwwwwwww - worked !
– Added by an anonymous user on Feb 23, 2010 at 6:54 am
Amazing! had to bang it kinda harda than i would have like to but it worked!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Feb 24, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Hey dude your totally awesome! That really worked for me..tnx!
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 02, 2010 at 8:19 am
WTF!!!! GOOD LOOKIN OUT SON!! this fixed my SH*T!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 02, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Just worked for me too. Talk about a low-tech fix!
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 07, 2010 at 11:42 pm
BAHAHAHA!!! didnt think it was working and went skits with my iphone.. then i realised vibrate was switched off.. when switched on it vibrated HAHA!! YAAY it works :) Thanks
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 17, 2010 at 7:49 am
i really didn't think this was going to work, and no lie, it really did. a few good slaps to the back of the phone worked!
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 18, 2010 at 3:35 pm
It didn't work on mine :(
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 20, 2010 at 8:32 pm
wow this actually works haha thanks man.
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 21, 2010 at 1:32 am
me too!!! thnx
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 21, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Haha, it really worked! Tapped the back like 20 times, but that didn't do anything. But one tap with my flat hand on the front and it was working again! Thanks, just hope it'll stay working now!
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 26, 2010 at 3:25 am
it didnt work for me by hitting it many times but i was able to hear the some clicks coming from the inside. so i decided to open it after figuring out how to open it safetly. i found the vibrator at the middle right side and called my phone through another one. only touching the vibrater with a screw driver was enough to let it work again. many many thanks to all...
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 28, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Did it , it worked, thanks
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 29, 2010 at 6:00 am
o ma days that is amazing i cant believe it actually worked!! =] thank yuu!
– Added by an anonymous user on Mar 31, 2010 at 10:09 am
You're the best!!! How can we repay you? :D Thank you!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 01, 2010 at 9:46 am
hey itried with my one but it didnt work can u help me what selse should i do
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 02, 2010 at 10:57 pm
it actualy worked :D lol... how can that get stuck though.. i payed enough for stupid errors like that NOT to happen
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 09, 2010 at 4:40 am
THAT IS AWESOME!!!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 10, 2010 at 2:13 pm
PERFECT! It totally worked. Thank you so much for the tip!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 12, 2010 at 9:29 pm
thanks, dropped my iphone glass cracked to pieces, but phone still worked except vibrate, slapped about 5 times and it works now!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 13, 2010 at 9:23 pm
slapped it three times and it worked right after that, frickin brilliant
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 18, 2010 at 12:54 pm
dropped it twice couple feet off the floor on it's back and it works great now!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 23, 2010 at 1:10 pm
OH MY GOSH...IT DID WORK...GUD ONE TNX
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 26, 2010 at 12:23 am
Worked for me on a Samsung SGH-D600. Salp the phone and the vibrator starts to work again - Great!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 27, 2010 at 7:13 am
So simple yet so effective - took a couple more than a couple ha ha but got there in the end!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 28, 2010 at 4:23 am
thanks! im about to go to an apple store for this... but then you guys saved me from the hassle! thanks again!
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 28, 2010 at 5:58 pm
WORKED LIKE A CHARM DIDNT THINK IT WAS GONNA WORK BUT I GOT THE APP IBRATE AND TAPPED IT AS THE VIBRATE WAS ON AND SURE ENUGHT IT WORKED
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 28, 2010 at 9:13 pm
I looked at one other site before I came here totally worried I would have a long and tedious process to get my vibration back but this page worked like a charm! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
– Added by an anonymous user on May 01, 2010 at 9:40 am
Wow. Thought this was bogus. Slapped the front a few times and it's back to vibrating! Great tip - saved me a trip to the Apple Store.
– Added by an anonymous user on May 03, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Hahaha when I first read it I was so skeptical... it actually worked. Thanks A lot!!
– Added by an anonymous user on May 06, 2010 at 7:09 pm
OMG I F-ING LOVE YOU
ITS BEEN STUCK FOR LIKE 5 HOURS
I COULDNT USE HOLD BUTTON OR VIBRATE OR TOGGLE VOLUME
THEN I SLAPPED INTO PALM! BAM!
– Added by an anonymous user on May 07, 2010 at 1:02 am
Fixed! That's so awesome.
– Added by an anonymous user on May 24, 2010 at 10:44 am
Fixed. Thanks
– Added by an anonymous user on May 25, 2010 at 7:20 am
Just worked for me.. I was about to go to the store too! Thank you!!!!
– Added by an anonymous user on May 25, 2010 at 8:34 am
it worked for me!
– Added by an anonymous user on May 27, 2010 at 10:13 am
Took a lot of smacking around... but it indeed worked.
– Added by an anonymous user on Jun 03, 2010 at 3:56 pm
this is awesome...worked for me as well :D
– Added by an anonymous user on Jun 05, 2010 at 6:28 am
Thanks a lot man. Mine was just under 3 weeks old when I started getting a lot of missed calls at work and didnt realize that it was not vibrating. I tried the dropping but maybe didnt do it right, but slapping on the knew (with a hard shell, so slapped a bit hard) and it started working! You are amazing!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jun 11, 2010 at 12:13 pm
im shocked and amazed. it quit bc i dropped it a day ago. then i read to smack it. so i did. and voila!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jun 22, 2010 at 10:11 am
OMG! this is miraculous!! I'm so happy! :*)
– Added by an anonymous user on Jun 22, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Mine wasn't working, I tried this (through my own trial and error) and now it vibrates, but slowly and loudly.
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 14, 2010 at 2:33 pm
this totally works. AMAZING.
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 19, 2010 at 11:04 am
"Hit my iPhone? Gee I don't know HOLY CRAP THAT WORKED PERFECTLY."
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 24, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Seriously worked. 2 regular slaps on my leg and whalah!
– Added by an anonymous user on Jul 28, 2010 at 12:23 pm
works, pretty cool, just saved me $80 repair.
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 06, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Worked for me! I slapped it about a bit and then shock it side to side and it's working fine again now!
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 13, 2010 at 5:34 pm
It worked for me, but only for a few minutes at a time. Then my phone went back to not vibrating. I just took it to the apple store and they gave me a free replacement, no hassles (it was covered under warranty)
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 14, 2010 at 4:08 pm
thanks a lot man i was looking here and there ,,, and was looking to go to the store ,,,and they are always ready to charge money,,,,thanks a ton
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 25, 2010 at 9:32 am
man since 2 years u r the best. worked here
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 27, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Hahaha. I honestly thought this was a joke! But it actually worked!
– Added by an anonymous user 6 days, 17 hours ago
same lol... LEGEND.. btw, dont hit ur elbow :( it hurts :( haha
– Added by an anonymous user 6 days, 16 hours ago
It works! Thought i was gonna have to send it off! Cheers!
– Added by an anonymous user 5 days, 16 hours ago
As everyone else, cheers mate!
– Added by an anonymous user 3 days, 7 hours ago
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