How to Fix Power Button Error on Your Android Phone

Recently, I encountered a frustrating issue with my Samsung phone where pressing the power button would only take me back to the lock screen. Unfortunately, manual restarts were proving to be challenging. However, I managed to resolve the issue by setting an advanced feature, which allowed me to customize the action when holding the power button.

Resolving the Issue with Advanced Features

Under the 'Advanced features' section, there's an option for 'Side Key'. I switched this setting to 'Power off menu', which gave me the ability to choose from different options when I hold the power button. Now, when I press and hold the power button, I am presented with an option to power off, restart, turn on/off mobile data, activate emergency calls, and more. This customization worked like a charm and resolved the issue.

Troubleshooting Steps

Try Rebooting First

As a first step, it's often a good idea to try a simple reboot. You can do this by either using Google Assistant to restart the phone or by tapping and holding the power button for a few seconds until the menu appears. From there, choose the restart option.

Factory Reset as a Last Resort

If the problem persists, a factory reset might be necessary. Before proceeding, ensure you back up all your data. A factory reset will erase everything from the phone and return it to its original factory settings.

Additional Troubleshooting Tips

I had experienced similar issues with my Samsung Note 3, and none of the online solutions seemed to work. However, I eventually found a solution by booting into recovery mode and wiping the cache. Here are the steps to do so:

Turn off the phone. Press and hold the volume up button, home button, and power button simultaneously. Release the power button as soon as you see the Samsung logo. From there, the phone will display recovery options. Use the volume buttons to navigate and the power button to make your selection. To wipe cache, choose the ' wipe cache partition' option and proceed according to the on-screen instructions.

Unfortunately, even after following these steps, the exact cause of the issue remains unknown, but at least the problem has been resolved.

Other Solutions

If your phone has a removable battery, remove it. If not, you can press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds. This should force a restart on most devices. If this doesn't work, you might need to search online for the specific key combinations that will force a reboot your device.