# Malfunction of iPod "pause" and "hold" functions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malfunction-of-ipod-pause-and-hold-functions/369853>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 23, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malfunction-of-ipod-pause-and-hold-functions/369853 "2006-08-23T04:22:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malfunction-of-ipod-pause-and-hold-functions/369853/1 "2006-08-23T04:22:11Z")

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My 20GB iPod has worked like a charm for almost a year now. However, recently, it keeps pausing the music when I put it in my back pocket, no matter how gently I lower it in (I wear kinda baggy shorts in the summer; these aren’t skin-tight shorts). I’m sure I’m not accidentally bumping the pause button (\>II) at the bottom of the control wheel. Using the tiny “hold” sliding switch at the top does no good; it still stops and the pause indicator (II) appears in the upper left corner of the display.

Very frustrating. What gives, O iPod-savvy Dopers?

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**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malfunction-of-ipod-pause-and-hold-functions/369853/2 "2006-08-23T05:35:01Z")

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Sounds like it’s Going Home. Try a reset, and failing that reinstall the iPod software on it (note this will wipe it). If they don’t help I’d say it was a hardware problem, get quotes to see if it’s worth fixing.

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**Author:** ![Foldup\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malfunction-of-ipod-pause-and-hold-functions/369853/3 "2006-08-23T06:44:10Z")

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Perhaps check the earphone port-thing? I know that mine pauses automatically regardless of whether I have the hold switch flipped if my earphones come out. Maybe yours are loose?