How to disable side volume buttons?

[datum9]

Great phone, but the side volume buttons are a major annoyance as they get pressed accidentally all the time, they get in the way when you hold it.
I have it rooted.

 

[friedtators]

you will get along after a while. no way to disable the buttons

 

[badMojo69]

Use your other hand...you're holding it wrong.

 

[cleankutazn]

Put on a case, makes the buttons harder to press.

 

[natehoy]

I have the same problem with my Thunderbolt, I used an app called "Volume Control +" that basically runs a service that resets the ringtone volume to what I set it at every few seconds. So when I change the volume up or down, I hear the confirmation tone, then a second or two later I hear the tone again and the volume is reset.

Not ideal, but it works.

 

[tzfardaya]

It can be done, but it's a semi-permanent solution... To enable or disabled the buttons you'd need to reboot.
Since you're already rooted, it's not overly difficult (if you don't mind fiddling with system files)..

Using an app like root explorer Browse to /system/usr/keylayout check the various .kl files until you find the files that have Lines similar to these

key 114 VOLUME_DOWN WAKE
key 115 VOLUME_UP WAKE

These lines are from my nexus 4, the key number may be different, you're looking for the VOLUME_UP and VOLUME_DOWN tags, these are the hardware volume buttons. If you Put a # in the very first character position on the line, that will comment out that line... Save the file, reboot the phone, voila, disabled volume buttons... ( but you'll need an alternate way to modify volumes)

Oh! One more thing, if you want to be able to still get it a updates, make sure you make a backup of the original file(s) so you can revert the changes when there's an available update. (saving any changes to the files breaks the ota updates... Even undoing your edits won't make ota work, you need the original files, checksums, etc to allow ota...)

Make sure you do an nandroid backup before you do this, in case something goes wrong, that way you can restore it and still have a working phone.

I've used this technique to repurpose hardware buttons before.

 

[datum9]

The correct file to edit is:

/system/usr/keylayout/gk-keypad-8064.kl

qwerty.kl also looks like the right file but commenting out these lines in it does not do anything.

 

[painterface]

I tried on my s4 and it didn't work.

I put a # in front of both lines and rebooted

 

[manpowerisme]

Dear Datum,

Great work, that's exactly I was looking for.
Actually my volume up key appears as if constantly pressed.
Thks

 

[David Underwood1]

Looks like I am going to have to use an old fashioned screw driver for this one and tear off the volume buttons to prevent a factory reset from safe mode. I'm sure I can make some sort of plastic piece that will fit in that little button hole to keep the dirt out. If this practice catches on I could be a phone doctor and spay peoples phones for them.

 

[Monte Chan]

I do have some problems with the side volume buttons but not the volume itself though. Actually, I never had a problem with the volume. My problem is that, when the phone is locked and in "sleep mode??" (i.e. the screen is black but the phone is still on), by holding down the side volume buttons, the phone would go to the camera mode even when the phone is locked (I locked it by using pattern). When I have the phone in my pants' pocket, the side volume button would be pressed and held by accident fairly often. Because of that, the phone would go to the camera mode and take pictures practically every few mili-seconds inside my pocket. I would end up with hundreds of pictures within couple minutes. And of course, this ends up wasting the battery life and causes the phone to heat up really quickly.

I have never rooted my phone. So, how can I disable the side volume button only when the phone is locked?

 

[hellosailor]

Try a local WalMart or craft store and look for the ounce bottles of "Puffy Paint". About a buck apiece. This "paint" is like a water-based vinyl(?) that dries in a couple of hours. It sticks pretty well to anything but can be peeled off cleanly. It can be used to cover buttons or put a collar around them, making them harder to press, or making a water-resistant plug if you've made a hole in the case.

For a buck? It is worth experimenting with the stuff. Thicker than "liquid vinyl" and no harsh solvents, meant to be kid-safe.

Also good for color-coding power adapters or reinforcing worn low voltage power cables with a new layer of insulation.

 

[James Carunchia]

Elmer's glue works. After all, with the up volume button working, you can tap the screen to reduce the volume.

 

[Peter Steier]

Obviously, it is possible; why did several people give wrong answers? Please don't clutter the web with wrong information.​

 

[Tik Tak1]

hey guys,tnx for guidance,it works for me
in my "xperia active" volume button was really a pain in the *** , accidentally or every time I wanted to unlock my phone it was hit & made sound,really annoying especially in nights ,
I test this guidance in my "sony ericson xperia active st17i" which have an ice cream sandwich(4.04) android ,first I root my phone with a Windows software called "iRoot", It's very simple just go to your "phone setting -->developer option-->usb debugging" then check usb debugging & connect your phone to pc then automatically "iroot" identify your phone & just press root button,after rooting phone will be restarted (note:without rooting your phone you can't modify file system with explorer app like "root manager")
then I install "root manager" app & change option on this app to "mount r/w" for modifying system file then I navigate to
"/system/usr/keylayout/ pm8058-keypad.kl" and open it with text editor & in this .kl file I modify the following two lines
key 114 VOLUME_DOWN WAKE
key 115 VOLUME_UP WAKE
to
#key 114 VOLUME_DOWN WAKE
#key 115 VOLUME_UP WAKE
then I saved it ,and "root manager" automatically create a backup file "pm8058-keypad.kl.bak" in directory of original .kl file,then I restart & then YES! miracle happened & there was no f..ing volume button!
tnx guys

 

[Bret Burnett]

There is no way to get used to handling the Nexus 6 with out constantly silencing the phone. I love my Nexus 6 but I hate the volume buttons.
There should be an option to disable the volume control on the side buttons until I enable them...or at the very least...the volume down button. No getting used to an engineering mistake like the crappy placement of the buttons without setup features to fix the poor engineering of the placement/control of the buttons. Okay Google?!

 

[moksh8114]

is generic.kl fine?

 

[anon(865993)]

same problem, nexus 5x. great phone but this is REALLY annoying

 

[ETG Warehouse]

For the Samsung Galaxy S4 (Verizon, SCH-I545 ) the path/file is:

/system/usr/keylayout/gpio-keys.kl

Comment-out the two lines:
key 115 VOLUME_UP
key 116 VOLUME_DOWN

...so they look like this:
#key 115 VOLUME_UP
#key 116 VOLUME_DOWN

...and the volume button is disabled. Sheesh. The things we do to workaround stupid designs like buttons that need to be squeezed (esp. w/a protector-shell on the phone) ...being located directly opposite each other on opposite sides of the phone...! Maybe this design was forced by patent-law? My Moto-G (Falcon) has buttons located on same side of phone. Duh, yeah!

 

[Aidan Bittner]

Thanks you so much for all the help! It worked perfectly! My up volume button kept going up for no reason and kept during my volume up all the way. It was so annoying and sounded like a ticking time bomb. I'm so glad it's over.