Q: iPhone 4 Home Button not working properly

I was having the same problem with my home button not working correctly. I called Apple support and they had me restore my phone to original settings. This did not help, so I took my phone to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store and they switched my phone out in about 5 minutes. The guy said that the home button cannot be repaired because of how the phone was built.

My home button started acting up recently, pretty much right after the warranty ran out. (bought iP4 day 1) I did have this same issue before and Apple swap the phone, and now it seems that it returned. If I`m not under warranty what can I do ?

Genius bar. They replaced my iPod touch as the home button was not working properly.

I can't take mine to genius bar, out of warranty (fml) but there's a temporary solution ,blow into the charging port port keeping some distance (like the nintendo cassettes :D) it might start working if it's just dirt. Or just press too hard for a long time and voila!

i just bought my iphone 4 last 2 week. i also faced this kind of problem.

I too am having trouble with the home button on my iPhone 4 as I anticipated I would.

I am certain it is the same problem that I eventually experienced with the 3's that I've

owned. The contacts with the home button begin to lightly corrode over time from the

moisture that does slowly work itself in. I have disassembled and cleaned the contacts

on the 3's but I have resisted cracking the case on my 4. I also find that once you begin

cleaning the contacts, you disrupt whatever finish was originally on the surface and the

corrosion can return much quicker. My last fix, I applied a very light coat of PreservIT P5

which lasted the remaining life of the phone.

Both my wife and I have been experiencing this issue for some time too in our iPhone 4's, possibly since the last firmware release, but I think prior to that too. I would say it is definately software related as it is very intermitent and closing all the apps and a proper restart seems to clear it for a few hours. Apple is this a known issue?

Hi

I am having the same problems as everyone else !! Intermittent problem very very frustrating

same problem, firmware is 4.3.3, purchased in mid-June, would agree that kind of annoying if you're in need to unlock urgently for making a call or something. switch on upper button might somehow help to get phone unblocked. thing is living in Ukraine and the variant with phone replacement seems not possible. let's keep fingers crossed new firmware release will fix this bug. Kostya.

Hi mrdanang and anybody else here in this threat who has the exact same problem,

This dutch fellow here can add himself to the list with his iPhone 3GS, because it is exactly like most of you already found out: an intermittent most likely software problem.

It simple cannot be a hardware problem because when I have this state, where the only option is to turn the thing off or to forever stay in the current app, what does work with the home button is the voice commander! So when a single click of double click is not among the options any more once in a while, try holding the home button to find out that it will work after all to allow voice calling. Now that cancels out a hardware related cause! Well pretty much, because we still do not know how everything works exactly in this thing, hardware and software combined. Because sometimes, when I keep 'hammering' the home button, the problem kinda 'pops through'. In other cases I have to turn it on and off many, many times, leaving me with no working phone for like 15 minutes.

Apple must be ware of this problem, when I called AppleCare today I heard the guy on the other side of the phone line make a certain swallow sound... And even if he just had to get rid of his last bit of lunch, if I count up all the people here in this threat, there is most likely a 100% chance that Apple knows. For heavens sake, they are not stupid. And not crazy either, if they would admit this very intermittent problem and not have a solution available they would not benefit of the resulting situation for sure - there must be thousands of people out there with the exact some problem.

I hope they are working on it as we speak!

I will reply to this thread one more time and explain.

IT IS NOT A SOFTWARE PROBLEM.

Example for Mr. Dutch Fellow. You say that the single and double clicks are not functioning but when you continue to hold the button, the Voice Command function will display. Very simple explaination.

For me, the problem became more severe. People, you can test this by giving your home button the "light click' that we so much miss. Nothing? Ok, try a slightly more firm click. Eventually, through the corrosion that is developing due to moisture, it will make contact. It applies to holding the button as well. The current may eventually jump the gap. I found myself mashing the button too hard so that it would function that I finally replaced the home button today.Working good as new!!!!  NO SOFTWARE ISSUE with 4.3.3, AND I'm jailbroken, so....

If your knowledgeable enough to crack open your phone and replace it. That's your fix. If you're going to sit around and wait for a software fix from Apple, you're are going to be waiting a long time. Then, like the iphone 3 and 4, everyone will be waiting for the same thing. Software fix for the home button.

HEY APPLE!!  We need a home button redesign please!!

If anyone would like any more info on home button replacement, give me a shout.

I too am experiencing this on my iPhone 4 after upgrading to 4.3.3. I am fairly convinced that it is a software issue. The last update seems jumpy. There appear to be more pauses and stuttering with screen changes too.  Sometime the button operates perfectely (even with repeated light touches). Other times, it doesn't matter how hard I press; it takes several presses. I notice it more when i am using a battery case or connected to an AT&T MicroCell. I am having a hard time pinpointing problematic apps, although i suspect that mail with my work Exchange account may be a culprit. I suggest posting your issues on Apple's iPhone feedback page, www.apple.com/feedback/iPhone.html, to ensure that they are looking into this problem. If it is a hardware issue, I'll be pretty upset as I received my iPhone 4 on day 1 of availability and it is out of warranty. It seems unlikely to be a hardware issue when people with 2 week old iPhone 4s and couples with two iPhone 4s are having the same problems. Hoping for a fix with an update. Please post on the feedback page.

Dear Chris,

I certainly believe that you to solved your problem with the home button by simply replacing it. But if that would be the case, then we are probably dealing with two different issues.

If my iPhone becomes wonky and it stops responding to the home button, it simply stops responding on pressing the home button, even if I would take it to the zoo and let an elephant stand on it. Resetting it many times in a row and (indeed) connecting it to a charger gets it out of this state. That is software related to me.

Besides, I do not think that Apple would not be able to make a button that would not last a couple of weeks, regarding some folks who experience this problem with almost brand new iPhones. Even my iPhone 3GS is just used very occasionally, and I never had used it in the rain. I am an electronic engineer myself, and just do not get it that the build quality this button has, well actually the whole thing has, would not last years of usage.

I've got the same issue, hard presses seem to make it work, though I've opened almost all my previous cellphones this is my first iphone, I wanted to know if the home button for 3gs and 4 is same or if you know a good quality online retailer?

I am just going to add myself, as well as about 2 or 3 other people I know experiencing the same problem. It seems like an extremely common problem, and a very frustrating one at that considering there are only 2/3 buttons on the phone, and the Home button being so integral to the function of it in general.

I am a very lazy man, so perhaps some day I will make it to the apple store...some day...