Galaxy S7 Edge: Power Button Broken? Turn It On/Off

If your Galaxy S7 Edge’s power button has stopped working, you might think the phone is unusable. Fortunately, the device includes several built-in alternatives for turning the screen on and off, restarting, and even powering down completely. This guide walks you through each method, from simple screen wake-ups to full shutdowns, so you can keep using your phone while you arrange a repair.

What You’ll Need

• Your Galaxy S7 Edge with a charged battery
• Access to the Settings app (for some methods)
• Optional: A USB cable and a computer or charger (for the ADB method)
• Optional: A paperclip or SIM ejector tool (if you need to force restart)

Step-by-Step

Turning the Screen On (Waking the Phone)

1. Use the Home button: Press the physical Home button at the bottom of the screen. This will wake the display without needing the power button.
2. Enable “Double Tap to Wake”: If the Home button doesn’t work or you prefer not to use it, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures and toggle on Double tap to wake. Now you can double-tap the screen to turn it on.
3. Use the Always On Display: If you have this feature enabled (Settings > Display > Always On Display), the screen will show a clock and notifications even when off. Tapping the notification area can wake the phone.
4. Plug in the charger: Connecting the phone to a power source will automatically wake the screen.

Turning the Screen Off (Locking the Phone)

1. Use the Home button (with a trick): Press and hold the Home button. If you have Google Assistant or Bixby set up, you can say “Lock screen” or “Turn off screen” to lock the device. If not, you can set a routine: Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures and enable Press Home button to unlock (this only affects unlocking, not locking). For locking, you’ll need a third-party app.
2. Use a quick settings tile: Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification panel. Swipe down again to see the quick settings toggles. Look for a “Lock” icon (a padlock). If it’s not there, tap the three-dot menu (or pencil icon) to edit tiles and drag the Lock tile into your quick settings. Tap it to lock the screen instantly.
3. Set a screen timeout: The simplest method: let the screen turn off automatically. Go to Settings > Display > Screen timeout and set it to a short duration like 15 or 30 seconds.

Restarting the Phone (Soft Reset)

1. If the screen is responsive: Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Home button simultaneously for about 10-15 seconds. This should trigger a restart, bypassing the power button.
2. If the screen is frozen or unresponsive: Press and hold Volume Down and Home for 10-15 seconds anyway. This forces a hardware-level reboot, similar to a battery pull.
3. Alternative method: If the above doesn’t work, press and hold Volume Down and Power (even though the power button is broken, sometimes it still registers a long press) for 10 seconds. If that fails, try Volume Down + Home + Power all together for 10 seconds.

Turning the Phone Off Completely

1. Use the power menu (if accessible): Sometimes a broken power button still works intermittently. Try pressing it briefly. If the power menu appears, tap “Power off”.
2. Use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) from a computer:
   1. Enable Developer Options on your phone: Go to Settings > About phone > tap Build number 7 times.
   2. Go to Settings > Developer options and enable USB debugging.
   3. Connect your phone to a computer with a USB cable.
   4. On the computer, install ADB tools (if not already installed). Open a command prompt/terminal in the folder where ADB is located.
   5. Type adb devices and confirm your phone is listed (authorize the connection on the phone if prompted).
   6. Type adb shell reboot -p and press Enter. This will shut down the phone gracefully.

Turning the Phone Back On

1. Plug in the charger: Connect the phone to a power source. The phone will automatically boot up when it detects a charge.
2. Use ADB (if the phone is off but still connected to a computer): If you shut down via ADB and the USB cable is still connected, type adb reboot to turn it back on.
3. Force restart: If the phone is completely off and you don’t have a charger, press and hold Volume Down + Home for 10-15 seconds. This may boot the phone even without the power button.

Common Mistakes

• Holding the wrong buttons: For a restart, you must hold Volume Down and Home, not Volume Up. Volume Up + Home + Power is the recovery mode combination, which can be confusing.
• Not enabling USB debugging: ADB commands won’t work unless USB debugging is turned on in Developer Options.
• Missing the lock screen tile: The quick settings lock tile is not always visible by default; you must add it manually via the edit (pencil) icon.
• Letting the battery die: If the battery runs out, you’ll have to charge it before you can turn it on, and if the power button is broken, you’ll need to rely on the charger to auto-boot.

Tips

• Set up “Double Tap to Wake” immediately: This is the most convenient way to wake the screen without the power button.
• Use a smart lock: Set up Smart Lock (Settings > Lock screen > Smart Lock) to keep the phone unlocked when you’re at home or when it’s on your person. This reduces the need to wake/unlock frequently.
• Consider a case with a button: Some cases have a built-in button that presses the power button for you, but this only works if the original button is still physically intact.
• Use the Edge panel: Swipe the edge handle to access apps and tools without unlocking the screen, if you have it enabled.
• Schedule power on/off: If you want the phone to turn off and on automatically, you can use the “Scheduled power on/off” feature (Settings > Device maintenance > Battery > Scheduled power on/off). This works even with a broken power button.

Troubleshooting

• Screen won’t wake with Home button: Make sure the Home button is not stuck. Try pressing it firmly. If it still doesn’t work, try the double-tap method or plug in the charger.
• Double tap to wake not working: Ensure the feature is enabled in Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures. Also, check if your screen protector is too thick; it can interfere with the touch sensitivity.
• ADB not recognizing the phone: Install the correct USB drivers for Samsung on your computer. Try a different USB port or cable. Ensure you’ve authorized the computer on the phone when the prompt appears.
• Force restart not working: If the phone is completely frozen, hold Volume Down + Home for at least 15 seconds. If that fails, try Volume Down + Power for 15 seconds. If still nothing, the battery may be completely drained; plug it into a charger and wait a few minutes before trying again.
• Phone turns off but won’t turn back on: Connect the charger. If the phone doesn’t auto-boot, try the force restart combo (Volume Down + Home) while plugged in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace the power button myself?

Yes, but it’s a delicate repair. The S7 Edge’s power button is attached to a flexible ribbon cable that connects to the motherboard. You’ll need to open the phone, which requires heating the adhesive and using suction cups and plastic picks. If you’re not experienced, it’s safer to take it to a professional.

Will the phone still auto-boot when I charge it if the power button is broken?

Yes, in most cases. When you plug in a completely dead phone, it will automatically power on once it has enough charge. This is a standard behavior on many Android devices.

Is there an app that can replace the power button?

Yes, there are apps like “Power Button to Volume Button” or “Button Mapper” that let you remap the volume keys to act as the power button (e.g., long-press volume up to lock the screen). However, these require accessibility permissions and may not work system-wide for all functions like booting the phone.

Why does my phone keep restarting when I try to turn it off?

This could be due to a stuck power button. If the button is physically stuck in the pressed position, the phone might interpret it as a constant power press, causing it to restart. Try cleaning around the button with a soft brush or alcohol. If it’s stuck, you may need to have it repaired.

Can I use the Always On Display to unlock the phone?

Yes, you can. With Always On Display enabled, you can double-tap the notification icon or the clock to wake the phone. Then you can swipe up to unlock, or use your fingerprint scanner if you have it set up.

What if I need to get into Recovery Mode?

To enter Recovery Mode, you normally press and hold Volume Up + Home + Power. Since your power button is broken, you can still try this combo, but it may not work. Alternatively, you can use ADB from a computer: type adb reboot recovery to boot into recovery mode.

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