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iPad 2 home button fail

The home button on my iPad 2 is very unresponsive many times.

Sometimes I have to press it 10+ times to get it to respond.

Is this definitely a hardware problem or could it be software related - It happens in any app.

MacPro/iMac/MacBook Air/iPhone/iPad, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 9:34 AM

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113 replies

Mar 30, 2011 9:48 AM in response to Pagemakers2

Try this and see if it helps ... however, it sounds like it could be a hardware problem.

Try a hard reset by pressing and holding down on the sleep button at the top of the iPad while holding down on the home button at the bottom, until the Apple logo appears and the iPad restarts.

If this doesn't do the trick, take it back to wherever you bought it - an Apple Store - whatever - and have them look at it.

Mar 31, 2011 12:25 PM in response to Pagemakers2

Im also experiencing this issue.. it just started today.

Haven't had time to fully troubleshoot it yet, but I'm thinking its hardware.

*The Quick Workaround:*
If you need to use your iPad and are having this issue, you can enable multi touch gesture support. The gesture for 'home' is labelled 'pinch' in the description, but its actaully a 4 finger pinch, so you need to do a Star Trek-esque finger movement to get it to work.


Multitouch gesture support is an experimental feature in iOS 4.3 for the iPad. It needs to be enable on the iPad using a program called Xcode before you can use it.

*Enabling Gesture Support:* (only works on computers running OSX)
First: You need to get Xcode (a developer tool made by Apple)
You can either install xcode from the Mac App store for $5
OR
You can install xcode 3.2 for free here:
http://developer.apple.com/xcode/ Click the link at the bottom of the page that says "looking for Xcode3?"

NEXT:
- Once Xcode is installed:
- Plug in Ipad, and open Xcode
- Xcode will pop up with a general iPad device management screen that looks a lot like the one in iTunes.
- Click the button that says "Use for Development"
- Xcode will ask you for your apple credentials. Apparently you can just click cancel and ignore the error messages, I just logged into my account and followed the instructions. Either way it should work.
- After you log in or exit out of the error messages, Xcode will unlock the settings in your iPad (takes about 10-30 seconds).

Once Xcode is finished, the setting will appear in general settings app..


I'll let you guys know if I actually find a fix to this problem, until then just remember: "Live long and Prosper"

Apr 1, 2011 1:48 AM in response to Pagemakers2

Looks like this is a fault with many Ipad2's.....have had mine 6 days and failed last night. Have to send to apple for repair. No stock at place of purchase. I have also had faults playing some games. Image is small and then when it starts constant flicker. I guess mine was built on a Friday! So now I have to post to apple and wait who knows how long. Then there is the 3G issue. If they have for a couple of weeks, I loose that on my plan. Spoke to apple and said "sorry about that"..... Mmmmm.....spend $948.00 for a device and then 3G sim. All I get is " sorry for that". An expensive 6 days !!!!!User uploaded file

Apr 1, 2011 4:43 AM in response to Pagemakers2

I have the same problem on iPad 1!
Sometimes Home button works perfectly - slight push responds immediately.
But sometimes it does not respond and I tried to push it harder (supposing hardware problem) - and it works as twice pushing, revealing Taskswitching bar.

But this is not a hardware problem! Obviously this is a software problem, since almost all the time Home button works as intended, very responsively.

*Hope Apple will fix it soon!*

Apr 1, 2011 7:46 AM in response to JM1988

Same problem here! Sometimes when I open the smart cover and start any app an then want go back to the home screen, or switch app, I get no response at all!!

After a while (and few home button pressing - with normal pressure not too hard nor too soft) I get back the response and goes back normal.

I noticed this first after 3 or 4 days using my new iPad 2. Can't tell what could be the problem here... very frustrating actually! seemed to be a hardware issue at first, but I find it too 'moody' to be bad hardware behavior.

Message was edited by: fcore

Apr 1, 2011 8:03 AM in response to brockorr

I really don't know if I have a problem with my Home button. The first thing I did when I got my iPad 2 was to enable Multitouch gesture support so I never use the Home button. I am working on a few iPad apps so I already had Xcode installed. It was just a matter of plugging in my iPad and the enable them.

I recommend everyone do this. It's awesome.

Apr 2, 2011 8:41 PM in response to fcore

Hi, more updates here... acctually, some bad news (at least for me)

The home button responsiveness seems to be degrading each day. Today it responds only to very hard pressure to it (and I really do not prefer using this method User uploaded file). So I was and pushed, as a last option, to the 4 Gb download of Xcode.

I did the "use device for development" thing and activated the gesture support. Excellent functionality by the way.... BUT the dead home button still haunts my thoughts...

I will take this baby to the geniusbar once they start selling the unit here in Brazil...

Apr 5, 2011 11:58 PM in response to Albino Gorila

Albino gorila,

Por aqui meu home button já era, conforme relatei acima. Recomendo ativar a funçáo de gestos, como o pessoal indicou. Funciona muito bem.

Mas sobre o problema:
Liguei para a Apple store do Brasil e eles informaram que não dão suporte para o iPad 2 na rede nacional 😟

Na seqüência liguei para o suporte nos EUA (atendente muito profissional e atencioso), anotaram o serial do produto, a queixa e pediram que levasse o equipamento para uma Apple retail para reparo ou substituição, caso necessário. Comentei que vivo no brasil... me orientou então que a reclamação ficou registrada e tenho um ano de garantia, bastando chegar em uma retail e apresentar o equipamento para providencias.

Recomendo fazer o mesmo: ligar para a Apple nos EUA e registrar o teu problema. Na primeira oportunidade de um pulo por lá, leve seu iPad e apresente a Apple.

iPad 2 home button fail

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