Q: iPhone 4 Home button issue...

A solution that seems to work with me is removing Apps from the Task switcher.  So I'm thinking the button can become unresponsive when memory is low.

I recently did a backup then reset my phone to factory settings and then put all my data back. That seemed to fix my issue

@XRave1:  I wonder if that is kind of the same solution as mine, doing a factory reset and restore I assume would also empty the Task Switcher.

Hi....yes!! The alcohol worked. I could see a the dirt coming out from the home button. Thanks!!

Just a suggestion but before you try the alcohol try doing a backup, reset to factory settings then a restore. I tried the alcohol and it didn't work for me, I also tried cleanering all my apps from the backend that didn't work but when I did the BFR it worked great after.

Did that first. Tried all the software suggestions. Noticed results immediately. Thx...

I have had this problem for a month now, my iphone almost becamse unusable but last night while searching on youtube I found a fix. Very simple:

1. Connect your iphone to your computer with the USB cable.

2. Hold down the home button until the voice command appears.

3. Tap Cancel.

That apparently resets the home button. I hope it works for you...

In my previous post on this topic, I believed the alcohol method worked but it didn't last long. I tried it again and again but it just wouldn't fix the issue; rather, it started getting worse!

I now believe it was a software issue for me. After installing the iOS 5 GM version on my factory unlocked iPhone 4, the issue is completely gone now!

I tried all the reset options mentioned throughout the web and in this topic but none of the workarounds seemed to work on previous iOS versions installed on my iPhone 4.

In case you were wondering, iOS 5 GM can now be installed without requiring UDID Registration (which means anyone can install it now). I can't provide further details as to where the GM and other installation instructions (these are very important to read before you proceed) can be found but they are very very easy to locate on the internet.

Cheers

I had my iphone 4 for over a year by a few months when the home button stopped working.  (Note: I had about five different iphone 4 when they first came out before I got one that didn't give me a sensor proximity problem!!!).

The Apple store swapped the phone for me at no cost because of the home button problem, even though it was technically out of warranty.  Try that, depending on how old your phone is.  (Note: now, after ths swap to one with a working home button, I once again have big problems with the sensor proximity on the swapped phone! If it weren't for that, I'd be waiting for the next gen phone. I now have no choice but to upgrade to the 4S, hoping that THAT problem is solved in the new hardware!)

Hi all,

I noticed that now when I installed iOS 5 GM, I have some problems with Home button.

In 95% it works as it should be but in 5% (5x/day) it works like I pressed it twice. From standby it shows me iPod functions+camera now in 5.0.

Where is the problem?

Previously I had 4.3.3 never Jailbroken. Then I just pressed alt+restore and installed iOS 5GM.

Do I have to make clean restore to 4.3.5 and then alt restore to 5.0???

Thanks

SimL

Or wait a week and get the release version that is supported.

Another +1 for the alcohol solution.  Had an iPhone 4 with a nearly dead home button.  What I did:

- Turned off iPhone

- Poured some ethyl alcohol on my index finger (dripping wet finger)

- Rubbed it around the home button's edges in a fast circular motion for maybe 10 seconds

- Rapidly pressed the home button on the left, top, right, and bottom sections for another 20 seconds

- Kept rubbing the home button in a circular motion again

- Placed the phone on the table with the screen facing down

- One minute later, took a look at the home button and noticed crud / lint forming.  Yanked all of this out and cleaned it

- Turned iPhone back on, and the button works great again

I had this problem pop up about 3 months ago. I bought my 4 at launch. I thought it was a iOS update issue and delt with. The problem now is that it's gotten worse. I have to mash the button to close programs and forget and double clicks (that was a problem from day one but it was my 1st iPhone so I was clueless about double and triple clicking). I don't have an Apple store within 200 miles of me. I took my phone into AT&T store and they just laughed at me and said "contact apple to see how much they would charge to fix it". Frustrating that you go on a two year commitment but the warranty is half that.

I am going to try the alcohol method right now. Hope it works because it's getting to be a real pain to always have to use two hands to close a program. Future buttons should be capacitive like on my wife's Samsung Infuse 4G. Guess you can't double click that type of "button" tho. Thanks for all the great alcohol fix methods!

Had exactly the same problem with my iphone 4 unresponsive only working sometime tried everything eventually fixed the problem by replacing the home button now its like new again.

What I wonder is if this ridiculous problem (which my Ipod 4 also suffers from) still exists on the Iphone 4S. I mean Apple should know that this problem exists it's nothing new. But well, at least they added a new feature in Ios 5 which allows you to to use the homebutton via touchscreen.