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iPhone 4 Home Button not working properly

Hi all,


My iPhone home button (round button at the bottom) has started "not responding correctly." Sometimes when I press the button it works as it should, but other times it takes at least 10 clicks before anything happens. I can hear the clicking sound that the button physically makes so I can't imagine that it's hardware related - but it sometimes doesn't want to do anything.

After searching Google and the forums it seems to be pointing towards a software issue? I upgraded the phone to the latest software 4.3 around 3 weeks ago.


Modern Firmware - 01.10.01


Any advice is much appreciated,

mrdanang

iPhone 4, iOS 4.3

Posted on Apr 27, 2011 1:34 AM

Reply
542 replies

Oct 6, 2011 12:20 PM in response to mrdanang

Had the exact same problem with Home button not working. Luckily I was able to resolve it very quickly after I found this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjY2kptRUDo&feature=related. I just connected the iPhone to my computer and pressed down home button for a few seconds. Voice control got activated and the home button started working again. Hopefully it helps some of you.

Oct 12, 2011 9:54 AM in response to mrdanang

An update for me - I tried various solutions for this problem and each one worked for a while, but then the problem came back, and I've only had my iPhone4 for 3 months! So I booked a Genius appointment at the Apple store and they replaced my phone! Gave me a brand new one just like that, they just looked at it and said they would replace it. Nice one Apple 🙂 So my advice is that if the problem keeps coming back, and you've had it less than a year, ask Apple and they might just replace it for you. Fingers crossed my new one will be problem-free!

Oct 12, 2011 7:56 PM in response to mrdanang

GUARANTEED TO WORK! (if not, blame "Killer Woo" on www.tipb.com, credit goes to him/her)


Follow these steps if your home button is not working:


1) plug in your iphone cord into the phone (no need to plug into computer or power outlet)


2) grip the top and bottom part of the cord nearest to the phone, as if your about to pull the cord out (not the sides)


3) GENTLY tilt the cord upwards


4) test your home button out!

Oct 20, 2011 11:58 AM in response to mrdanang

I've had the same problem for months also. The genius thought it was software, so I updated to the latest iOS 4 version in August, problem still there (intermittent).


Recently updated to iOS 5, problem still there.


I've tried with open apps, closing all, etc.


Things that work (sometimes).

* Hold button until voice control comes on and then it often works again

* shut off phone and turn on again


these work sometimes, but not 100%. And then it'll go for a few days just fine. Frustrating but nice to see others have the same problem.

Oct 21, 2011 11:46 PM in response to mrdanang

Hello.

I wrote this letter to apple in the states, on which they replied, "Sorry, we do not supply any phone or email support to Africa."


Does anyone else have any suggestion on what I could do?


Thanks.




My name is Christiaan. I am a South African living currently in South Africa. I upgraded from a Nokia to an iPhone 4 White 16GB, about 5 months ago, because I believe they are just the most amazing phones on this planet, and I know I'm right.


Yet I realized a significantly frustrating thing, the home button started acting up about a month ago. It will work now, and just now, it won't respond. I tried to ignore it, but it seemed to get worse. I started googl'ing, looking for answers, but can't find any. Some suggest to restore the phone, I did that about 12 times (no exaggeration), and last week I

upgraded to iOS5. Still have the same problem. I have restored my phone 3 times with iOS5 since the upgrade.


Now in South Africa, we don't have "Apple Stores" we only have authorized re-sellers of Apple products, and they're called "iStores". Yesterday I went to one of the iStores close to my house, hoping for a swop-out, but they referred me to my service provider, claiming that the iStores are just resellers, and not part of Apple, so they can't just swop it out.


I went to my Service provider, MTN, and they said that the phone needs to be booked in and sent off to a repair center where the phone will be inspected. This process will take anything from 2 - 4 weeks. In this time I will be without a phone as they don't supply any phones for their customers while the handsets are in for service.


I do find this highly frustrating, and I hope there is some way that Apple US will be able to assist me in the repair or swop-out of my iPhone without me having to wait 2-4 weeks.


Yesterday I called the iPhone support in the US on +1800 6341466. I spoke to a very friendly lady, and she said that I had to go back to the iStore and demand a replacement of my handset, which I did, on which they refused.


Apple, Please help. I really like my iPhone, and I keep promoting it among friends and family, yet, when I want to show of a cool feature, the Home Button does not work. As well, I use the phone for work, and need the phone to work.


Hope you can help.

Kind regards,


Christiaan

Oct 22, 2011 12:36 AM in response to rtw4j

If the other hardware fixes haven't worked for you, I highly recommend what was mentioned way back in this thread--putting two or three drops isopropyl/rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the home button and pressing/holding it down several times over a couple minutes to get a tiny bit of the liquid down the edge of the button and underneath. Just this little lubrication/cleaning made a huge difference for me.

Oct 23, 2011 3:37 AM in response to mrdanang

I too was experiencing a same problem but now found a solution in a bizarre way.


Most of the time the problem occurred when the weather is chill or wet or due to the leather cover. Now finally when the problem occurred and after all software reinstall fails in a horrible way I took my phone to my restaurant pizza oven put to heat by showing it direct to the oven for less than a minute to my surprise it is working fine now. I am using iOS 5 .


The problem vanished. So check whether any moistzer is blocking your function.


I tried and working fine but may not recommend others let apple first try it in their lab and solve the moistzer issue or find a solution for all iPhone4 users.


Since we are frequenting with the phone there are many possibilities of formation in the gap.


Apple take a note and work for us ... I find no reply from their end for the very same.

iPhone 4 Home Button not working properly

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