How do I get my volume button off safe mode if its stuck?

What is Safe Mode?

Safe mode is a diagnostic mode on Android devices that disables all third-party apps and services. According to Avast, safe mode allows you to identify potential sources of problems on your device.

When in safe mode, the volume controls are locked to prevent accidental changes. You can activate safe mode by pressing and holding the Volume Up and Power buttons together. The device will then reboot into safe mode.

Safe mode is intended to prevent the volume from being turned up too high accidentally. By locking the volume controls, it prevents hearing damage or disturbances in public places.

Check if Safe Mode is Enabled

To check if safe mode is enabled for your Android device’s volume buttons, go to Settings > Sound > Volume. Look for a message indicating that safe mode is turned on.

For example, on Samsung devices, you may see a notification that says “Safe volume is on” [1]. On Pixel phones, the message may read “Safe volume warning: You can damage your hearing if you raise the volume too high” [2].

If you see a message like this, it means the safe mode is currently enabled and limiting the maximum volume output of your device. This prevents damage to hearing from overly loud sound levels.

Disable Safe Mode Through Settings

One way to disable safe mode is by going into your phone’s settings. Here are the steps:

Go to Settings > Sound > Volume. Look for an option called Safe Mode or Volume Safe Mode and toggle it off or disable it. According to Tom’s Guide forums, this should disable safe mode.

In some cases, you may need to restart your phone after disabling safe mode in settings for the changes to take effect. Simply power your phone off completely and then turn it back on.

Disabling safe mode through the settings is often the easiest way to get your volume buttons working normally again. Just be patient during any required restarts.

Use Hardware Keys to Disable

One way to disable safe mode is by holding down certain hardware keys on your Android device. Specifically, you’ll need to hold down the power button and both the volume up and volume down keys at the same time for 10-20 seconds until safe mode is disabled.

To do this, press and hold the power button and the volume up and down keys simultaneously. Keep holding all three buttons for around 10-20 seconds. You’ll know safe mode is disabled when your phone boots up normally and you see your regular home screen background and apps.

Holding these three hardware buttons together essentially performs a forced reboot on your Android device, powering it off and then back on again without safe mode enabled. The duration required can vary based on your specific phone model. Some devices may take only 10 seconds, while others need you to hold for the full 20 seconds for a successful reboot.

Just be patient and continue holding the buttons until you feel your phone vibrate and see the screen turn on, indicating safe mode has been successfully disabled. This method works for disabling safe mode on many popular Android brands like Samsung, Motorola, LG and more.

Reset All Settings

A simple method to disable Safe Mode for your volume buttons is to reset all the settings on your Android device to their factory defaults. This can be done without deleting any of your personal data or apps. According to Avast, you can reset your settings by:

Going to Settings > System > Reset options [1]

From Reset options, choose Reset all settings. This will reset all settings on your device, including any volume restrictions, and disable Safe Mode.

The main downside is that you will have to reconfigure any customized settings you had previously changed. However, you won’t lose any downloaded apps, media, documents, etc. Just the device settings will return to their original defaults.

Therefore, resetting all settings can be a quick and simple fix if you just want to regain full control of your volume buttons and exit Safe Mode.

Boot Into Safe Mode

You can temporarily boot your Android device into Safe Mode to disable it. Follow these steps:

1. Power off your phone completely by holding the power button.
2. Once the phone is off, press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button at the same time.
3. Keep holding both buttons until you see the Android logo, then release.
4. Your phone will now boot up in Safe Mode.
5. While in Safe Mode, restart your phone as normal by pressing the Power button and tapping Restart.
6. This will reboot your device and disable Safe Mode.

Booting into Safe Mode loads Android with only the original software and apps. This disables any apps or settings that may be causing volume issues. Once you restart normally, those problem apps/settings will remain disabled ^[1].

Clear App Defaults

Another option is to clear the defaults for the app that is overriding the volume controls. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
2. Open the app that is overriding the volume controls (for example, a media player app).
3. Tap Clear defaults. This will reset the app and clear any preferences that are causing it to override system settings.

Clearing the defaults will reset the app’s preferences so it no longer overrides the volume controls. You should then be able to use the volume buttons normally again.¹

Check for Software Bugs

Sometimes Safe Mode can be triggered by a buggy app or issue with the Android operating system. Check to see if any apps have been acting up lately or caused crashes. Try uninstalling any problematic apps to see if it resolves the issue.

You’ll also want to check for any pending software updates for your phone. Navigate to Settings > System > System Update to see if there are any Android OS updates available to install. Keeping your phone’s software up-to-date can fix bugs and patch issues that may be causing Safe Mode to become stuck.

If an update is available, download and install it, then restart your phone. This may resolve any software bugs triggering Safe Mode. You can also try rebooting your phone even without an update to clear any temporary glitches.

Factory Reset the Phone

If Safe Mode persists even after trying all other troubleshooting options, the last resort may be to do a factory reset of your Android device. This will completely erase all data and settings on the phone and restore it to its original manufacturer settings. Before proceeding with a factory reset, be sure to backup any important data, photos, videos, etc. that you want to keep.

To factory reset your Android device:

1. Go to Settings > System > Reset options
2. Tap Factory data reset. You may need to scroll down to see this option.
3. Confirm that you want to erase all data and reset the phone.

The device will power down and reboot, which may take several minutes. Once it powers back on, it will be restored to its original out-of-the-box state without any of your apps, settings or data.

Resetting your phone to factory default settings often resolves many issues, including being stuck in Safe Mode. Just be absolutely certain to backup your data first, as there is no way to recover it after a factory reset.

Contact Your Manufacturer

If none of the above steps successfully resolve the issue of volume buttons being stuck in safe mode, then the problem may be a hardware defect or malfunction. In these cases, it is best to contact your phone’s manufacturer for support and troubleshooting assistance.

Most major smartphone brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, LG and others provide customer support options on their websites or through call centers. You can search “[phone brand] support” to find the contact information specific to your device make and model.

When you reach out to the manufacturer’s tech support team, be prepared to answer questions about when the volume button issue started, what troubleshooting you’ve already attempted, and any other details about your device. They may run you through additional diagnostic tests or have specialized tools to identify hardware problems.

In many cases, the support representative can walk you through a solution over the phone or via chat. If the issue appears to be a defective volume button, they may arrange a free repair or replacement under the device’s warranty. For phones that are out of warranty, charges may apply for repair services.

Contacting your phone manufacturer directly is the best way to resolve a stubborn volume button problem. Their technical experts can properly diagnose the issue and take steps to fix your device if standard troubleshooting does not work.