Capacitive Buttons - Lights going off

[jcrites2008]

I got my Lumia 920 last Saturday and have had very little problems with it. But, a few days ago I noticed that the lights for the capacitive buttons were turning off and on randomly. I decided to see if it would go away and it seemed to for a few days. Now the problem is back. As soon as I hit the lock button to bring up the lock screen, the lights come on on the buttons, then turn off instantly. Sometimes when I'm using it, the lights will turn back on for awhile, and then go back off. I haven't seen any reports of this from anyone else on this forum... The buttons still work normally. Should I return it for another phone? I'm worried that the next phone I get will have more/worse problems like a lot of the others who have posted here.

Thanks!

 

[lordofthereef]

That sounds like a faulty phone. But honestly, I would love to have the lights NEVER come on (but the buttons still works). Watching a video is especially annoying with them on.

 

[jcrites2008]

Does yours ever go off? I've noticed some strange behavior recently. If I hold it flat, it hardly ever comes on. Then I got to wondering if it might be something to do with how much light the phone is getting. I put it under my desk where it is dark, and it doesn't go off anymore. Are the lights supposed to go off when it's bright? I could understand that, like if you were outside, there would be no need to have those lights on as it would just waste battery. Any thoughts?

 

[Joe920]

Looks like you're right. Pointing the phone at the bright sky here and activating the lock screen using the power button, I can see that the capacitive button backlight briefly comes on, but it turns off after say a tenth of a second when the light sensor reports that it's bright out. Repeating the same thing in the dark (or blocking the light sensor at the top), the capacitive buttons stay lit. I still hope that apps can be updated to turn these things off, because reading a book on Kindle at night is annoying with these on.

 

[jcrites2008]

Glad it's not just mine. It's kind of annoying though when the ambient light is right on threshold, the lights for the buttons keep going on and off. They really should have a setting where you can turn it on and off.

 

[jsntrenkler]

I agree, sucks watching a YouTube video in the dark with the bright capacitive lights on. Would be nice if they turned off after a couple of seconds, maybe we will see this in windows phone 9. LOL

 

[KatyH]

I felt the same when watching video at night, the buttons stay on - annoying. I noticed that it is also the case in (low to medium) incandescent light setting. In florescent light they seem to behave like in day light, stay on briefly.

Nokia needs to give control to the user to change the on/off lighting for the capacitive buttons.

 

[Jonah P]

The lights react to the amount of light your proximity sensor is registering, just like the brightness of the phone. I really hope there is some fix to enable them to be turned off altogether. My lights are off-white/yellowish instead of the brilliant white (like my first 920).

 

[V J]

I just tested this myself since I was experiencing it too. It is not a bug. It appears that the buttons are ambient-reactive meaning, if you're using your phone in a dark area and you need to see the capacitive buttons you can rest assured that they will be lit up. Meanwhile if the area is bright with sufficient light around you to see the buttons regardless of the backlight, then the lights are shut off to conserve battery power. Test it out for yourself and see if they function as described here before deciding to return/replace your unit. It seems like it is a deliberate power-saving function.

 

[Traderhorn]

Hi just bought 920 a brilliant phone, i had noticed the capacitive buttons go off and on, brightness set to auto, in medium light they
are off, and in low light they stay on, we have three lumias in household 620/820 and my 920, and they are all the same as 920, as VJ said its a power saving feature, i doubt all three are faulty,

 

[Paul Nicholas]

I agree, sucks watching a YouTube video in the dark with the bright capacitive lights on. Would be nice if they turned off after a couple of seconds, maybe we will see this in windows phone 9. LOL

You sure it's only youtube videos you're watching in the dark???

 

[suresh419]

Can anyone make an app to turn off those capacitive buttons please? I sometimes just put tape over them when im reading in the dark. Thanks

 

[ttxzee]

I found out that they will turn off if your phone's battery saver is turned on.

 

[alphonsohall]

I found out that they will turn off if your phone's battery saver is turned on.

But only when the battery saver is turned on and activated .. ie, when the battery is at, or below, 20% power remaining.

 

[HaibaneReki]

But only when the battery saver is turned on and activated .. ie, when the battery is at, or below, 20% power remaining.

there's a "Now until next charge" option

edit: OMG thanks for this tip!

 

[xratola]

I also happens to me but locking and unlocking the phone fixes it

 

[Jay_booney]

That sounds like a faulty phone. But honestly, I would love to have the lights NEVER come on (but the buttons still works). Watching a video is especially annoying with them on.

Sorry for such a late reply but this is now possible, as with the 8.1 developer preview enabling battery saver turns of the capacitive button lights (not while charging though)