You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

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

Feb 1, 2012 9:07 AM in response to Caesar113

Hi All ..would hate for ppl to start 'servicing' their iphones hardware when usually in my experience this is a software issue.


One fix that seems to usually work is to power down your phone whilst holding the home key, as you power down the phone quickly press the home key, but release it before the phone actally fully powers down.Then reboot. 9 times out of 10 and if there is no hardware issue you will fix the problem, works on JB'd and Stock iphones...

Feb 2, 2012 5:50 AM in response to CASWINSON

CASWINSON,


Good information, I'll say that I had the same home button issue, and after seeing the X-ray I started pressing the home button on the lower part. Will have to say that I haven't had the issue ever since.

Feb 2, 2012 6:54 AM in response to mrdanang

I took my iPhone 4 to an Apple Geniuses yesterday at the Mall of Georgia. They told me this is a common problem and the only fix is to replace the phone. Of course, they wanted $150 to replace my iPhone 4 but since it will soon be 2 generations old (when iPhone 5 comes out this summer/fall), I deicded it wasn't worth it. I'll just keep using it until the home button completely dies, then I'll just get a cheap phone and downgrade my AT&T plan until iPhone 5 comes out.


Apple, if you are reading this, you've got a lot of unhappy customers regarding their home buttons. You really should find a fix. Remember, you're not the only smart phone on the market any longer.

Feb 2, 2012 8:07 AM in response to Mac4MyBiz

If you (or anyone) gets ambitious today (and by ambitious, I mean: want to spend 5 minutes trying to fix the problem with little to no risk at all), then try the electrical tape method I mentioned above. I'm curious if this works for anyone else. Every single button press since I did this has been successful. This solution builds upon txturbo's post here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2541121?start=44


Use this guide to remove the rear panel: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-iPhone-4-Rear-Panel/3140/1


Then layer two small strips of electrical tape in the area outlined in red below. This should line up with the center of the speaker enclosure and should be directly behind the home button. Replace the rear panel. The fit should be snug, but should not require any significant force to slide closed (if it does, perhaps your electrical tape is thicker than mine, in which case try just using one piece instead of layering two).

User uploaded file


Let me know if this works for you. I'm hoping this helps resolve most people's home button problems!

Feb 5, 2012 1:27 AM in response to mrdanang

I had the same problem on my iPhone 4, with ios 5.0.1. So I googled home button not working iPhone, and I found this forum..


None of your post were really helping me so I got so annoyed so I hold down the button and started to blow air on it... Around the whole button..just simply exhaling on it very hard..


And it works perfectly again...


So maybe it was only dirt..

Feb 5, 2012 11:11 AM in response to mrdanang

i hav same problem, my home button doesnot work and my phone is under warrenty, its been 5 months only. when i tried to contact my nearest service provider they say reset it retore it n ur problm is solved but it hasnt n they dont litsen to me. what shall i do nw...i think they r just waitin for 1 yr warrenty to pass n charge me for it ***......can anybody help me.......

Feb 8, 2012 2:14 AM in response to mrdanang

This also happened to me and it's very annoying. First, I restored my iphone to it's factory settings but it happened again. Then I used the home button callibration method, also it did not work. Next, I did the USB port pushing upward but again no luck. But the last process I made work like a charm. This is just cleaning the surroundings of the home button and the USB port with some force.


These are the steps:


1. Prepare an alcolhol 70% and cotton buds. Turn off your phone.

2. In my case I removed the protective screen.

3. I dip the cotton bud with alcohol or soak it.

4. Then clean the home button with the soaked alcohol cotton bud, pushing it downward and pushing in circular motion and vice versa. (do this step twice) then let it dry.

5. Then put some alcohol again on the home button the face down your phone then push the home button several times, must be fast and hard within 10 seconds. Then let it dry.

6. Now it is time for the USB port. Again soak another cotton bud, then clean the inside of the port using some force upward. (do this step twice, with two different cotton buds) you will see that dirts are in the cotton buds.

7. Let it dry. Put the new protective screen. Remember the protective screen must be properly aligned so the balance of the home button mechanism will be achieved.

8. Turn on your phone. Then you will see you it's like new again!


It's been 3 months and it's working like new! I make sure that my thumb is always clean when using the home button. Hope this method work with you guys. Goodluck!

iPhone 4 Home Button not working properly

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.