Phone vibration not working? What to test

Your phone stays silent when a notification arrives, or you cannot feel vibration when you tap the screen. The cause could be a setting, the app or browser, or the vibration hardware itself.

Test the phone’s vibration separately from notifications first. The Sensors Test can check vibration along with the phone’s other sensors. Run it on the phone you are checking, since a browser test cannot test a different device.

Test your phone’s vibration

1. Open the Sensors Test on your phone and find its vibration test.
2. Follow the on-screen instruction to start the test. If the browser asks you to tap or interact with the page first, do that, then start the test again.
3. Hold the phone normally and notice whether you feel one or more vibration pulses. If you are unsure, place it on a firm table and rest your hand lightly on it.
4. Repeat the test once. If the browser does not respond, reload the page and try again using a different browser if one is available.
5. Compare the result with a built-in phone function, such as keyboard haptics while typing or vibration from a test notification. This helps separate a browser limitation from a phone setting or hardware problem.

Do not rely on a vibration you can only hear. A phone on a hard table can buzz audibly even when the vibration feels weak in your hand. Check both how it feels and whether it can be heard.

What the result means

The phone vibrates in the test

The vibration hardware can respond, so a problem with one app, alert type, or setting is more likely. Check the vibration options for the app that is not alerting, then check the phone’s sound and haptics settings.

The test does nothing, but other phone functions vibrate

The phone’s vibration hardware is probably working. The browser may not support vibration, or it may require a direct tap before it can trigger it. Try the test in another browser and compare it with a built-in phone function. Some mobile browsers do not expose vibration to web pages at all.

Nothing on the phone vibrates

Check whether system vibration is disabled or set very low before assuming the motor is broken. If you enable vibration and built-in functions still produce no response, hardware damage becomes more likely.

The vibration is weak, uneven, or rattles

First remove a thick case and test again while holding the phone. If the vibration remains unusually weak, stops and starts, or makes a new rattling sound, the motor or its mounting may be damaged. A browser test cannot identify the exact part.

How to fix it

1. Turn on vibration and haptics. On Android, look under Settings › Sound & vibration for vibration and haptics options. Names differ between phone makers. On iPhone, check Settings › Sounds & Haptics, then review the haptics options. Also check Settings › Accessibility › Touch › Vibration and make sure vibration is enabled.
2. Check the specific alert. A phone can vibrate for calls but not for an individual app. On Android, open Settings › Notifications › App notifications, choose the app, and review its notification categories and vibration options. On iPhone, open Settings › Notifications, choose the app, and check whether its alerts are allowed. Some apps also have their own notification controls.
3. Check silent and focus modes. Silent mode, Do Not Disturb, or a Focus mode can change which alerts arrive and whether they make a sound or vibrate. Review the active mode and its allowed notifications. On iPhone, check Settings › Focus. On Android, look under Settings › Notifications › Do Not Disturb or the similar setting on your phone.
4. Raise the vibration strength. Some Android phones have separate sliders for calls, notifications, and touch feedback under Settings › Sound & vibration. Increase the relevant level and test again. iPhone settings offer choices for when haptics play, but do not provide a general vibration-strength slider on every model.
5. Restart the phone and test again. A restart can clear a temporary system problem. After it starts, test a built-in vibration function before returning to the browser test.
6. Update the browser and phone software. Install available updates, then repeat the browser test. If built-in vibration works but the browser test still does not, use a browser that supports the feature or rely on the phone’s own settings and alerts.

When it may be a hardware fault

If no built-in function vibrates after you have checked the settings and restarted, test again without the case. If the phone was dropped, exposed to liquid, or recently repaired, mention that when you contact the manufacturer or a repair shop. A technician can inspect the vibration motor or haptic assembly; a web page cannot confirm that a component has failed.

If vibration works in system menus but not for one app, the motor is not the main suspect. Check that app’s notification permissions, alert categories, and in-app vibration controls instead.

Why a browser test may not vibrate

Phones limit what websites can do. A browser may block vibration entirely, or only allow it after a direct user action such as tapping a control. A successful test is useful evidence that vibration works, but a failed web test alone does not prove the phone is broken. Read why phone vibration is blocked in some browsers for more about these limits.

If the phone vibrates in its own settings but not in the test, use the built-in behavior as your reference rather than treating the browser result as a hardware diagnosis.