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What to do with Samsung Galaxy S8 that won’t turn OFF or has an unresponsive Power key [Troubleshooting Guide]

ByHarold Hisona

We’ve already addressed an issue involving a Samsung Galaxy S8 that won’t turn on, now we have to tackle a similar problem but this time we’ll be troubleshooting a device that won’t turn OFF. It is clear to see that this problem may revolve around a damaged power key but then there’s a possibility that it’s a firmware issue. That’s the reason why we need to troubleshoot to know what the problem really is so that we can try to formulate a solution that might fix it for good.

If you own a phone like this and are currently bugged by a similar problem, then continue reading as this post may be able to help you. But before we proceed, if you have other issues with your phone, make it a point to drop by our S8 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this device. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. In case you still need our help, fill up our questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

Troubleshooting Galaxy S8 that won’t turn off

This troubleshooting guide will help you determine what the problem with your phone is by ruling out every possibility. It would be easier to fix a problem if we know what it is and what caused it. We don’t suggest procedures that can potentially damage your phone or compromise your data so rest assured that everything in this page is safe. But at the end of the day if the problem continues to bug you even after exhausting all methods, then you still have the choice to bring your phone to a shop so that a tech can take a look at it.

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Now, here’s what I suggest you do about this problem…

Perform the Forced Restart procedure

If this problem occurred without apparent reason or cause, then we can say or assume that it’s just a glitch in the system or the hardware especially if your phone became unresponsive. It’s a clear indication that the system crashed for some reason. Doing the forced restart procedure will bring your phone back to life and it might be the only thing you have to do.

To force reboot your phone, press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power key simultaneously for 10 seconds. If the power key is working properly, your device should boot up normally and you may be able to continue using your phone without disruption.

However, if the forced reboot won’t go through, then move on to the next step to continue your troubleshooting.

Try charging the battery (for unresponsive phone)

You do this if the forced restart failed and your phone is totally unresponsive. I understand your phone may still not respond to the charger but it’s worth a try. What we’re trying to accomplish here is to know how the phone responds or reacts when it detects electric current is flowing through it circuits. Normally, the S8 will display the charging icon and the LED indicator will light up and the absence of those signs is an indication that the phone is totally unresponsive. At this point, it’s worth trying to force restart the phone but this time while it’s plugged in. If it still won’t respond, then disconnect it from the charger and let it drain the battery.

You may have to wait for several hours and if you can’t stand that, I recommend bringing the phone to the shop so that the tech can do something about it. But assuming you let the battery drain and the phone turned off, try charging it to see if the charging signs show. If they do, try turning the phone on and if there’s no response, it’s confirmed the problem is with the Power key.

Make use of the Auto Restart feature (for responsive phone)

At this point we don’t know if the problem is really with the Power key or if it’s damaged but it’s not working so we can’t use it to turn the phone off or reboot it. There are apps that will allow you to turn your phone off without using the Power key but they require root and may not be applicable to you. But even if you successfully turned your phone off, you won’t still be able to use your phone nor troubleshoot the problem because it’s powered down. The best thing to do right now is to restart your phone and see if it makes a difference.

Your Galaxy S8 has an Auto Restart feature so make use of that to refresh your phone’s memory.

  1. Go to the Home screen
  2. Tap on the Apps menu
  3. Select Settings
  4. Select Backup & Reset
  5. Tap on the Device Management tab
  6. Select Auto Restart
  7. Edit the scheduled date and hour
  8. Turn the feature on

After your phone successfully rebooted and the power key is still not functioning, make a backup of your important files and data because it’s clear now that the problem is with the power key. You need to bring it to the shop so the tech can check the button. You have to backup your files to make sure they won’t be deleted as the tech may resort to a reset if the problem persists.

Before you take the trip to the tech, if you put a new case on your phone, try to remove it as it might be disrupting the power key. Do the same for other third-party accessories.

I hope this short troubleshooting guide can help you with the problem with your device. Feel free to contact us if you need our help.

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