Why doesn't the vibration test work on my iPhone?

iOS gives websites no access to the Taptic Engine. The vibrate command that Android browsers support simply does not exist in Safari or any iOS browser, so a web test can't buzz an iPhone. You need an Android device.

I pressed a button but felt nothing. Is the motor dead?

Maybe not. Silent and Do Not Disturb mode mute web vibration on a lot of phones. Switch the phone off silent and try again. If it stays dead after that, the motor or its driver has failed.

Can I fix a phone that won't vibrate?

If a setting is the cause, yes. Flip vibration on in Sound settings and take the phone off silent. If it still doesn't buzz, the motor itself has failed and needs a physical repair.

Does web vibration feel weaker than app vibration?

Often, yes. The Vibration API only controls duration, not intensity, so the browser can't drive the motor as hard as a native app. If you feel even a faint buzz, the motor is fine.

Phone Vibration Test

Test your phone's vibration motor in the browser. Tap any pattern on Android and find out whether the motor has failed or silent mode is in the way.

You notice the vibration motor exactly once: when it stops. Missed calls, a silent alarm, no tap feedback on the keyboard. Run this test and the motor either buzzes or it doesn’t.

Run the test on your phone

Open this page on an Android phone and tap any pattern. The motor gets five signals: short, long, double tap, heartbeat, SOS. Hold the phone to feel the difference. If you felt it, you’re done. If nothing happened, check silent mode first.

Felt nothing? Start with the settings

Open Sound settings and make sure vibration is on for calls and touch. Then check silent mode and Do Not Disturb. Both mute the buzz a browser fires, even if the motor is fine. Restart the phone and run the test again.

If the phone stays silent through every pattern with vibration and sound both on, that’s a hardware fault. The motor is a small part wired to the board. A hard drop can shear its connector or crack a solder joint.

Why an iPhone can’t run this test

This test only works on Android. That’s a web limit, not a phone limit. Apple gives websites no access to the Taptic Engine, so the vibrate command Android browsers support simply doesn’t exist in Safari or any iOS browser.

An iPhone will show an unsupported message here even though its haptics work perfectly in apps. To check the motor, open a messaging app and send yourself a buzz.

What a dead motor costs you

A motor that’s actually failed is a hardware repair. The part itself is cheap, often a few dollars, but reaching it means opening the phone and working past the battery. Most repair shops treat it as a standard job.

On a phone you’re about to buy, a dead motor is a red flag. The motor sits near the board a drop tends to hit, so if the connector sheared, other parts may have too.

Why it matters on a used phone

A silent motor is invisible at a glance. A seller showing the phone on mute has no reason to check, and neither do you until it’s too late. Run this alongside the other checks in our guide to testing a used phone. The gyroscope test is worth running too. A drop that snaps a motor connector often reaches other parts of the same board.

FAQ

Why doesn't the vibration test work on my iPhone?: iOS gives websites no access to the Taptic Engine. The vibrate command that Android browsers support simply does not exist in Safari or any iOS browser, so a web test can't buzz an iPhone. You need an Android device.
I pressed a button but felt nothing. Is the motor dead?: Maybe not. Silent and Do Not Disturb mode mute web vibration on a lot of phones. Switch the phone off silent and try again. If it stays dead after that, the motor or its driver has failed.
Can I fix a phone that won't vibrate?: If a setting is the cause, yes. Flip vibration on in Sound settings and take the phone off silent. If it still doesn't buzz, the motor itself has failed and needs a physical repair.
Does web vibration feel weaker than app vibration?: Often, yes. The Vibration API only controls duration, not intensity, so the browser can't drive the motor as hard as a native app. If you feel even a faint buzz, the motor is fine.

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