One of the key features embedded into the latest iOS devices like iPhone 7 and later iPhone series is Haptic Feedback or System Haptics. It works by letting you know that your device has responded to your actions through a vibratory feedback. For example, when you toggle any switch on or off in stock apps like Settings and Safari, you will hear your iPhone provide a slight click. The same thing when you press the Home button on your iPhone 7. When the Home button detects the presence and pressure of your finger, you will feel a slight click. That denotes that your iPhone responds.
For this feature to work as intended, it has to be enabled on the iPhone beforehand. But just recently, some users have found that haptic feedback stopped working on their iOS device, including those with iPhone 7. What could have possibly hindered the system haptics feature from working on the iPhone and what options do affected users have as possible solution? Read on to find out the answers to these questions.
Before going any further though, if you have other concerns with your new iPhone, make sure you drop by our iPhone 7 troubleshooting page for we have already started supporting the device. Moreover, if you need further assistance, you can always contact us by completing our iPhone issues questionnaire and providing us with sufficient information about the problem.
What causes audio and haptic feedback to stop working on your iPhone 7?
Unlike any other iPhone issues, the problem with audio and haptic feedback is most likely within the software. It may not work as intended for some apps because of a software glitch occurring on the apps. In this case, the problem is isolated to the application. Some third-party apps don’t support audio and haptic feedback thus the feature won’t work on these apps even when enabled on the iPhone. Incorrect or misconfigured settings on your iPhone can also be the main reason as to why system haptics feature is not working. If you don’t notice your iPhone doing it ever since, then most likely it isn’t enabled yet so you better check.
Meanwhile, if the audio and haptic feedback suddenly stopped working after installing an update, then most likely the update is at fault. It probably overrides your current settings and automatically disables audio and haptic feedback on your device. To rule this out, verify and ensure that it is turned on, restart your iPhone 7 then test to see if haptic feedback is working properly again afterwards.
The use of protective case or films can likewise prevent your iPhone from responding to touch inputs thus may not be able to carry out audio and haptic feedback functions as intended. The same thing can happen when your fingers are wet or dirty.
Recommended workarounds and potential solutions
Before you do anything, make sure that your iPhone 7 is turned and that your hands are clean and dry. If you are using any protective case or films, try to remove them first and see if that will make a difference. If audio and haptic feedback still doesn’t work, then go on and try any of the following suggested workarounds and possible solutions.
Toggle System Haptics off and then back on
To rule out the possibility of random glitches causing the feature to become temporarily inactive, toggling it off and then back on can help. The same effect you’ll get from turning Wi-Fi off and then back on when your Internet connection suddenly becomes unavailable for no apparent reasons. Here’s how:
- Head over to your iPhone 7 Settings-> Sounds & Haptics menu, and then toggle the System Haptics switch to off. You may try to drag the Ringer and Alerts slider up and down a few times then see if that will make any difference on the iPhone’s audio and system haptics output.
After turning system haptics off, restart your iPhone 7 (soft reset). This will eliminate random glitches that might have caused minor issues to occur on the device. After the device restarts, go back to your iPhone Settings then turn System Haptics on again.
Now see if haptic feedback is already working properly on your device by toggling any switch like Lock Sound or Keyboard Clicks.
If that doesn’t work, then continue to the next applicable solution.
Update iOS
If you haven’t already, then you better check for any firmware update available for your iPhone 7. Apple has released an update the addressed an issue on audio and haptic feedback that doesn’t work on some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices. You might be among those who have been plagued with this bug that halts the system haptics. The update containing the said fix patch is iOS 11.0.3. Aside from audio and haptic feedback issues, this update also contains a fix for unresponsive displays on some iOS devices. It is available via over-the-air update.
- To check, head over to Settings-> General-> Software Update. You will see a notification if an update is available. Just follow the onscreen instructions to proceed with the update download and installation whenever you’re all set.
Or you can also update your iPhone 7 through iTunes on your Mac or Windows computer. If you opt to go for the latter method, just make sure you are using the latest version of iTunes software to avoid system conflicts and errors. You may refer to our step-by-step guide on how to update iOS using iTunes on your iPhone 7. Just visit our iPhone 7 Tutorials section for more details, if necessary.
Reset All Settings (Factory reset)
If none of the prior methods is able to fix the problem and that your iPhone 7’s haptic systems feature is still not working as intended, then at this point you may consider doing a full reset to eliminate any possible glitch from your iPhone system that might have inflicted a problem. But you have to note though that all your personal information and critical data stored on your iPhone’s internal memory will likewise be erased in the process. That being said, creating a backup of your iPhone data is necessary before you begin.
Should you wish to proceed with a factory reset, you can head over to your iPhone’s settings menu or use iTunes on your computer.
Before you begin, turn off Find My iPhone by going to Settings-> [your name]-> iCloud, and then toggle the switch to turn off Find My iPhone
- Tap Settings.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to and tap Reset.
- Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode to continue.
- Confirm action by tapping on Erase iPhone.
After the reset, your iPhone will be restored to its factory defaults. Try to see if audio and haptic feedback is already working afterwards then proceed with the initial setup.
Alternatively, you can use iTunes to reset and restore your iPhone 7 system to factory defaults or previous iOS backup file
Again a factory restore will erase the information and settings on your iPhone and installs the latest version of iOS software for your device. You may also opt to restore from a previous iOS backup if needed. The latter can be considered an option if you think a new update has caused your iPhone’s haptic systems to stop working. Here’s how it’s done:
- Open iTunes on your computer. You can use either Windows or Mac (preferably with later OS versions).
- Connect your iPhone to your computer with the supplied USB connector.
- If prompted, tap the option to Trust this computer and follow the onscreen prompts.
- Select your iPhone 7 when it appears in iTunes.
- Navigate to the Summary panel then click Restore [device].
- Click Restore again to confirm action. Doing so will let iTunes erase your iPhone and installs the latest iOS software.
Wait until the reset is complete and then continue with the device setup. If you want to restore from an iCloud backup, follow the onscreen setup instructions until you reach the Apps & Data screen then tap the option to Restore from iCloud Backup.
Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to sign in to your iCloud account and select a backup file to use. Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi.
If you want to restore from an iOS backup in iTunes, select your iPhone 7 when it appears in iTunes then click the option to Restore Backup in iTunes. Locate the backup file you want to use then click Restore and wait for the restore to finish.
Keep your iPhone connected after it restarts and wait for it to sync with your computer. When the sync finishes, you can disconnect your iPhone from the computer. Then test to see if audio and haptic feedback is already working as intended.
Contact your device carrier or Apple Support for further assistance and other options if none of the aforementioned methods is able to fix the problem and that audio and haptic feedback is still not working on your iPhone 7. Apparently, you don’t have much option to try on your end and therefore you need more inputs from the right people. Problem escalation is also recommended especially if the problem occurs after installing a new update. In this case, it can be an update bug that needs follow-up update containing an official fix.
Connect with us
If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the new Apple iPhone 7 smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone 7. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.