I was using a new hard shell case on my iPhone (one which is really great I must add and I’ll be posting photos of it very soon), but taking the case off, the case caught the edge of the volume button which I hadn’t realised, as I continued to pull and remove the case, the volume button on the iPhone completely pulled off. Taking a look at the images from the volume button and the socket where it goes, you can see there’s a black membrane (3m style glue pad) that holds it in place. Now that it was removed, it had lost most of it’s tackyness and although the volume button fitted back into it’s hole, it kept coming away.
So I decided to get a bit of Super Glue, after countless tries of sticking it back on, and glueing my finger and thumb together (in the 20+ years I’ve used Super Glue, that’s never happened to me!), I managed to get it back in place (and eventually unstick my finger and thumb in the process!). The button stays on fine now and doesn’t come off, it’s really glued tight. However, the volume button presses are now much harder. Not quite sure how/why, maybe the Super Glue is having an adverse affect on making the button too rigid.
Lesson learned, be very careful when removing any kind of case you have that encases the buttons on your iPhone. I would presume the power button is also similarly glued in place but the vibrate button is probably screwed in place due to the action required to flip the switch.
Hi, exactly the same problem. I have a 8Gb 3G and noticed a silver strip lying on floor. Picked it up and couldn’t believe it was volume button. iPhone always feels so well made and could not believe these buttons were simply glued on by Apple, very poor show.
My tip is dip a pin into superglue and spread along the narrow area where button will fix, be careful when aligning button, you should feel it fit into place and hold for a few seconds, no need for excessive amount of glue. Mine seems fine now and by using a pin to apply superglue it ensures volume button is working as easily as it did before. Big thumbs down to Apple on such poor manufacturing of a key button, I have emailed to them with my unhappiness.
By: Derek Stevenson on February 12, 2010
at 12:48 am
Where exactly did you apply the superglue
By: Joe on September 19, 2010
at 10:25 pm
I applied it onto the back of the metal volume bars. Be careful you only want a couple of dabs otherwise it will pull the buttons close to the device and you won’t be able to press them.
By: Dave Burrows on September 23, 2010
at 10:18 am
Does your work perfectly
By: Joe on October 26, 2010
at 10:28 pm
I too had this same problem with my iPhone 3g. I was really hesitant to use Super Glue or Crazy Glue because of their viscosity and the risk of the glue bleeding into other interior parts. Not to mention the whole gluing my fingers together issue. I went to my local Ace Hardware store because they always tend to have a wide variety of glues. I found a brand called Pliobond which forms a permanent and flexible bond. I feel brilliant. When fully set, the glue is much like the original tacky and flexible glue that once held the volume button on. The volume button now feels solidly set in place and the action is great.
By: Jay on August 26, 2010
at 8:54 pm
Where did you apply the Pliobond
By: Joe on September 24, 2010
at 3:26 pm
I, too, would like an answer to this question. The pictures of the pliobond product (which looks a lot like the rubber cement containers I used when I was a kid—ahhh…the good ole days) indicate a larger brush than is necessary for the amount of glue I need to glue by power button back on. I’m concerned about applying too much and having the button stuck down. Please advise! Thank you!
By: Kaleb on December 12, 2010
at 5:28 pm
I had the same problem but with my power button for by iPhone 3gs.
Jay thanks for the inof the pliobond worked great!
By: Steven Jobs on October 15, 2010
at 10:20 pm
My button was laying next to my phone this morning. Luckiest place to find such a small part! I’m guessing we need to use a smaller applicator than what’s supplied with the Pliobond? Should we apply the glue only along the ridge of the button, the trough of the bed, or on the whole surface area of the button or bed?
By: chris on January 6, 2011
at 9:10 pm
So in all of your opinions what is the best way to tackle this issue by supper glue or by buying a new one off ebay and taking the iphone apart and then fitting into place?
By: Raul on January 20, 2011
at 1:46 am
Guys how did you get the residue out of the volume button channel?
By: Rdm on May 24, 2011
at 4:24 pm
I lost the metal volume button cover, but I just snipped a piece of paper clip to the size of the hole and glued it down with Gorilla Glue. So far, so good!
By: James on June 2, 2011
at 8:54 pm
You guys are lucky to have found the volume button, I lost mine without me knowing it and even using a new headhead for iPhone with a volume control doesn’t work anymore.
I just noticed that the silver bottom was not there anymore.
Well I havent went to a repair shop, and I saw the other guys comments that you can buy the button at eBay?
By: Rachel on June 4, 2011
at 8:34 am