Let me begin by saying I have a simple Lumia 520 smart phone (WP 8.1 Cyan). Till 2 hours ago I was very happy with the device. It does what it needs to do and does that well. Until 2 hours ago, that is.
After finally giving in on updating some apps and system software I noticed an an option called: Narrator.
Curiosity got hold of me and I activated it. Then I forgot about it and the phone went into energy saving mode.
Now I must add that some of the hardware buttons on the phone hardly work. Not a big deal, as their functionality is covered by on-screen buttons. To get my phone out of sleeping mode I just need to double-tap the screen on my phone and it activates, then I need to scroll up to access the functionality of the phone...a measure to prevent 'butt-dialing' and similar tricks smart phones put you through.
However, with Narrator activated, scrolling is disabled. Frustration levels start to rise very quickly. Actually I don't know of any other device that can instill so much rage in anyone in such a short amount of time.
After 45 minutes of trying to get this functionality go away by trying to be fast enough, using many(!) very(!!!) explicit terms I finally arrived at this tip: use the 'Start' button and volume up button to deactivate Narrator.
Great!...that is one of the broken buttons on my phone!
Then the tip: use Cortana to gain access to the Narrator settings and turn it off.
Even better!!...My hatred for Cortana has just been surpassed by my hatred for this phone at this point in time. So that functionality was disabled from the get-go!
So here I am, looking for a way to find the creator of Narrator and shove my phone through his/her throat with all the force I can muster. To make it more of a sport, I would shove it sideways!
Cooler heads prevail, so venting pressure resulted in quite some physical distance between my phone and me. Now I start looking for a solution to fix the buttons on my phone.
Guess what, I was not the only one with broken buttons and this Narrator problem. Fixing the buttons was actually very easy and cheap.
Although the 520 isn't the only phone with this problem, it appears to be the model that is affected most by a design flaw with the hardware buttons, which can cause micro-fractures that break the contact between the hardware board and the button(s).
You can fix this by removing all the covers from your Lumia phone. Cut a piece of plastic from any kind of thin package material (slightly curved) about 5 millimeters wide and 25 millimeters long. Cut as many as you need and slide one piece of plastic over the broken button. Do this firmly, but gently. Once you are in 5 millimeter to a centimeter in, the plastic hardly goes any further.
Start pressing the previously broken button and you'll notice it works again. The piece of plastic should push the button back down on the phone's main board, recreating the connection and its function.
Cut whatever piece of plastic still sticks out (without moving it, of course)and put back your cover(s). That's it.
I didn't believe it would work myself, but this Narrator mishap made me desperate for any solution. After fixing my buttons this way, the problem was solved quickly and painlessly.
Sure hope this will help anyone else faced with the vile piece of crap that is Narrator.
