My iPhone 7 Plus Doesn't Vibrate! Here's How To Fix The Problem.

David Lynch

MAY 31, 2017

Your iPhone 7 Plus doesn't ring and you're starting to miss important calls or texts. This could be a simple software issue, or a problem with your iPhone's vibration motor. In this article, I'll help you diagnose the real reason why your iPhone 7 Plus is not vibrating and show you how to fix it for good.

First, Test Your iPhone's Vibration Motor

If your iPhone 7 Plus doesn't vibrate, you can test the vibration motor (which makes your iPhone vibrate) by flipping the Ring / Silent off and on. If "Vibrate on Ring" or "Vibrate on Silent" are turned on in the Settings app, your iPhone 7 Plus will vibrate when you flip the Ring / Silent switch back on forth.

close up of ring silent switch

Here's how it works:

  • Your iPhone 7 Plus will vibrate when the Ring / Silent switch is pulled towards the display if "Vibrate on Ring" is turned on.
  • Your iPhone 7 Plus will vibrate when the Ring / Silent switch is pulled away from the display if "Vibrate on Silent" is on.
  • Your iPhone 7 won't vibrate at all if both are turned off in the Settings app.

How Do I Turn On "Vibrate on Ring" or "Vibrate on Silent" On My iPhone 7 Plus?

  1. Open up the Settings app.
  2. Tap Sounds & Haptics.
  3. Turn on the switches next to Vibrate on Ring and Vibrate on Silent. You'll know both settings are on when the switches are green and positioned to the right.

turn on vibrate on ring and silent

If you've adjusted these settings, but your iPhone 7 Plus still doesn't vibrate, there may be a hardware issue with the vibration motor. However, there are still two software troubleshooting steps we can try first.

Complete the first two steps in the guide below before exploring your repair options for an iPhone 7 Plus that is not vibrating!

How To Fix An iPhone 7 Plus That Doesn't Vibrate

3 Steps Total
1.

Reset All Settings

Many iPhone problems are caused when Settings isn't set up correctly or by corruption within individual Settings app files. Restoring the Settings app back to factory defaults doesn't fix every iPhone software problem, but it is a go-to fix for Apple technicians because it does solve a lot of problems that would be very difficult to to track down by hand.

How Do I Reset All Settings?

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Transfer Or Reset iPhone.
  4. Tap Reset.
  5. Tap Reset All Settings.
  6. Enter your passcode, if prompted.
  7. Tap Reset All Settings again to confirm your decision.
  8. Your iPhone will shut down, complete the reset, and turn itself on again will automatically turn back on when the reset finishes.
View More
2.

DFU Restore Your iPhone

A DFU restore has the potential to fix software problems by completely erasing the code which may be causing your problem. The code is rewritten as if your iPhone is brand new, so the software problem may get solved.

Think of it like a house that has cracks in the foundation. Rather than try and fix the cracks, we are building an entirely new foundation.

If you can, back up your iPhone before completing a DFU restore. Any time you do a restore, it erases everything from your iPhone. However, after the restore is completed, you restore all your backed up data back onto your iPhone.

How Do I DFU Restore My iPhone?

How To DFU Restore An iPhone SE, 6s, Or Older

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the Home button and the power button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the Home button.
  5. Let go of the power button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. Your iPhone’s display will be completely black if you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. If it’s not, try again from the beginning.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 7 Or 7 Plus

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the power and volume down button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume down button.
  5. Release the volume down button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. You'll know your iPhone is in DFU mode if the display is completely black.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 8 Or Newer

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a charging cable.
  2. Open iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older) or Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer).
  3. Quickly press and release the volume up button.
  4. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
  5. Press and hold the side button until the screen goes black.
  6. When the screen goes black, press and hold the volume down button while continuing to press and hold the side button.
  7. Hold both buttons for five seconds.
  8. After five seconds, release the side button while continuing to hold the volume down button.
  9. Keep holding the volume down button until your iPhone appears in Finder or iTunes.
  10. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.
View More
3.

Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you're looking to save some money you're not covered by Apple's warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple?

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple's Mail-In Service

  1. Visit Apple's support website to begin the online mail-in repair process.
  2. Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

  1. Visit Apple's website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don't have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor's note: I'm a former Apple tech and we're not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)
  2. When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.
  3. Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you're under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you're not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.
View More

Bzzzt, bzzzt. Your iPhone 7 Plus Is Vibrating!

Your iPhone 7 Plus is vibrating again and you're no longer missing those important notifications. Now that you know why an iPhone 7 Plus doesn't vibrate, I hope you'll share this article on social media so your friends can learn too. Feel free to ask any other questions in the comments section below and, as always, thanks for reading!

  1. Reset All Settings
  2. DFU Restore Your iPhone
  3. Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Applies To: iPhone 7 Plus

AUTHOR

David Lynch

David Lynch is an expert on cell phones, cell phone plans, and other tech. After using a flip phone into his early 20s, he learned the ropes about iPhones and Androids from a former Apple employee. Today, his articles and videos are read and viewed by millions, and he has been cited by major publications including Reader's Digest, Wired, CMSWire, Consumers Advocate, and more.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bob
Bob
3 years ago

Nice story, very similar to this tho!; https://www.payetteforward.com/my-iphone-doesnt-vibrate-fix/

0
Reply
Liam Shotwell
Liam Shotwell
3 years ago
Reply to  Bob

We run both websites ? We try to cater some pages to people searching for issues with their specific devices.

0
Reply