If your Fairphone 5 has stopped vibrating for calls or notifications, it's a surprisingly common hiccup. The good news is that with its modular design and clean Android software, you can usually sort it out yourself without much fuss.
Start With a Simple Reboot
Before you dive into settings, give your phone a fresh start. Press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds until you see the Fairphone logo appear and the device restarts. This clears out any temporary software glitches that might be telling the vibration motor to stay quiet.
If that doesn't do it, you can use the Fairphone's unique advantage. Power the phone down completely, pop off the back cover, and remove the battery for 30 seconds. Reinsert it, put the cover back on, and power up. This is a more thorough hardware-level reset.
Check Your Sound and Vibration Profile
Android has different sound modes, and yours might be set to mute everything, including vibrations. Swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open the Quick Settings panel. Look for the sound mode tile, it might say "Silent," "Vibrate," or "Sound."
Tap it until it's set to "Sound" or "Vibrate." If it was on "Silent," that's likely your culprit. You can also check this in Settings > Sound & vibration. Make sure the "Vibrate for calls" and "Also vibrate for calls" (when phone is in silent mode) options are toggled on.
Verify App-Specific Notification Settings
Sometimes the problem isn't with the phone, but with how a specific app is configured. If your messages app vibrates but your email doesn't, you need to check the notifications for each app individually.
Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps. Find the app that's not vibrating, tap on it, and then select "Notifications." Here, you'll see categories like "Messages" or "General." Tap into each relevant category and ensure the "Vibrate" toggle is enabled.
Adjust the Vibration Strength
The Fairphone 5 lets you control how strong the vibration motor feels. If it's set too low, you might not notice it. Head to Settings > Sound & vibration > Vibration & haptics.
On this menu, you'll find sliders for "Call vibration" and "Notification vibration." Slide them to the right to increase the intensity. I'd suggest testing it after each adjustment to find a level that works for you.
Look for a Software Update
Fairphone is committed to long-term updates, and sometimes a bug affecting hardware like the vibration motor is fixed in a patch. It's always worth checking. Go to Settings > System > System update and tap "Check for update."
If an update is available, install it. Your phone will restart. After it boots up, test the vibration again. These updates often contain important stability fixes.
Test in Safe Mode
If the vibration works in Safe Mode, you know a third-party app you installed is causing a conflict. To boot into Safe Mode, press and hold the Power button until the power menu appears. Then, long-press the "Power off" option on your screen.
A prompt will appear asking if you want to reboot to Safe Mode. Tap "OK." Once booted, you'll see "Safe mode" in the bottom corner. Test your vibration. To exit, just restart your phone normally.
Reset App Preferences or Settings
This is a useful step that resets notification settings and app permissions without deleting any of your personal data. Go to Settings > System > Reset options. Tap on "Reset app preferences" and confirm.
This will revert all your apps' notification settings, so you'll need to re-enable vibrations for your key apps afterward. If you're still having issues, you can try "Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth" from the same menu, which sometimes clears deeper system conflicts.
Consider a Hardware Check
Given the Fairphone's modular nature, it's worth a quick physical check. While rare, the vibration motor connector could have come slightly loose. If you're comfortable, you can power down, remove the back cover and battery, and gently press on all the internal connectors to ensure they're seated properly.
You can also use a secret dialer code to run a hardware test. Open your Phone app and dial *#*#2486#*#* to access the CIT (Component Integrity Test) menu. Navigate through the options to find the vibration test. If it fails here, the issue is likely with the motor itself.
Since the Fairphone 5 is designed for repair, a replacement vibration motor module is something you can order directly and install yourself if needed. It's a more straightforward fix than on most modern phones.