iPad home button not working

Last march I bought and iPad 2 and a few months later started having this problem... Home button just wont work. But since theres this tricks w the fingers ....multitasking gestures, I relied on that and on the days the button worked properly. Until I really got tired, started writing to apple... Applying for service. While I was writting my friend entered this chat and told me the Ram4kid solution to this problem.... And guess what??? Has been working ever since every single time. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I've had the same problem - just started a week ago. I've read all of the threads - the recalibration you mentioned (rotating the screen while holding the home button) seems to work. Also they mention some sort of a reset - push the power button on the side, when the "slide to power off" icon appears, hold down the home button and wait until the "slide" icon fades. They both work, problem is, it comes back. I'm pretty certain it is not a hardware issue. I have never dropped my iPad, I keep it in its case, I don't let anyone else touch it, nor do I pound on it that much.

It's not like it happened gradually, and the reset fixes seem to work for a short period of time. I'm trying to figure out if there is some sort of app conflict - maybe when one of them updated, but I can't seem track it down.

Well, let me update you on this one.

I already posted 'bout my iPad having the same problem.

Tried the "reset" fix. Worked for a while, then the problem came back.

Repeated more than ten times. Also tried installing from scratch - didnt change a thing.

Then I got a new iPad from work. Same model, same size.

Decided I didnt need both, so I backed up the first one through iCloud, sold it, and installed the backup on my second one. Never had the problem since.

My personal conclusion: Hardware error!

After trying all of the remedies on this message board, I finally made an appt at the Genius Bar to have them take a look. After a quick review and observation of the issue, I was given a new replacement iPad under warrantee (I purchased mine in May 2012).

No questions asked. It was a quick and painless process. Definitely a hardware issue.

Good luck!

That's one way to approach it, though if it is a software issue that arises from a conflict of your apps, then it will only come back if you reload the same things. I've read a few people who have mentioned that they had gotten a new iPad, only to have the problem return. I've fixed this problem several times through recalibration and hard resets, and it seems to work for a while, but the problem returns. If the software fixes work instantly, then how could it be a hardware issue?

I guess there's nothing wrong with getting a brand new iPad, and I suspect apple is smart enough to know there is an issue, so maybe they wouldn't do a simple replace if it wasn't a hardware issue because of the costs. They havent issued a software fix, so perhaps thats an indication that they do have a hardware problem, but they dont want to broadcast it. But it is still a hassle getting to the store, dealing with the madness and reloading everything if the problem is just a simple conflict that will return.

Here's one other wildcard which probably has nothing to do with software, but it doesn't seem that far fetched - are you using a Smart Cover? I am.

One other thought that might make sense. I lifted this from one of the other forums:

"EASY FIX.. My home button was not working either. I pressed the home button twice after playing with it so that the recently opened apps at the bottom of the screen showed up. I pressed one of these apps and held it down until a negative sign showed up. Press press all the negative signs in red to close those apps. Problem fixed. it will not erase the Apps but it will close them from recent memory."

I always wondered how you completely close an app. I don't have the energy to narrow down the issue. If it happens again, I'm just going to return it. I'm out.

I wonder whether pressing the home button firmly, then turning your finger would have the same effect. If a doorbell pushbutton was sticking, you might press the button firmly then turn your finger clockwise and anticlockwise.

ie. it still instinctively seems like a hardware - faulty home button - problem.

It's possible. But when I just tried Ram4Kid's trick, I rotated my hand/thumb with the iPad. And the trick amazingly worked for me too. My home button went from wildly unresponsive/flaky to working perfect again.

I've done everything, and they all work for a time, but I am absolutely convinced it is an issue with the smart cover. Take it off, do the callibration/rotate and if necessary do the hard reset, but it will still come back until you change your cover. I'd love to hear if there is someone who can refute that (i.e. they've had the same issues when they weren't using the smart cover).

Being convinced it is the Smart Cover, have you tried to just turn off the auto on/off setting in settings....this is associated with the Smart Cover.... And leaving the cover in place?

FYI, I do have to admit that I never had this problem untill a few months after I bought my 3rd party Smart Cover so it is an interesting theory....

Good idea about turning of Smart Cover, just to narrow it down. I didn't try it. I always assumed it was the magnet itself that did something physically. Thing is my problems are intermittent, so I don't have the patience to test. It comes and goes I work through it with hand gestures, do the fixes suggested above, and it disappears for a few days.

I just got a new non-apple Smart Cover, so I'm curious to see if that changes anything.

I seem to be one of many that have the home button not working issue. After much research, few months ago, I invested in an iPhone and an iPad 2. It was a toss up between Samsung and Apple. It amazes me that people can be posting issues such as this on the Apple forum and Apple do NOTHING about it! Arrogance? Incompetence? Whichever it is, it is annoying and now I wish I had listened to my geeky friends and gone for Samsung. Hey-ho, next year.

Well Jonno 133, my iPad2 was working just fine for the last few weeks bit since the one year warranty was a bout to expire, went to the service store and ordered a new one no questions asked. In the store I was told about this trick on activating this screen button (general settings, accecibility. Assistive touch-on) if Ur one yr warranty expired u will still have that option. Try it if u haven't. I prefer android in many ways also.

Hi everybody.

I have the same issue in both, my iPhone 4 and iPad 3.

I'm really amazed that the Ram4Kid trick really works. Why? Here is why:

First of all, I'm a Hardware/Software developer, so I know what I'm talking about 😉

The "home" button is just that, a button, it uses a microswitch wich is only a very thin metal sheet bent , when you press the button it makes contact with a metal plate so it makes a short circuit (not exactly true but this way is easy to understand).

So, if this is the way a button works, the only way to "break" it is a broken or dirty sheet.

But the trick of Ram4Kids worked... Amazing!! a software which repairs hardware!! LOL (just sarcasm 😀 )

What is what i think? It's a badly programmed obsolescency method.

On both casses, on iPad and iPhone it broke nearly when the warrantee was about to expired (because that I said "badly programmed" XD), so, when it stops working AFTER the warrantee has expired, you probably will buy a new one, and in the case of a "early fail" they change it without questions because they give you a "repaired" one (just reprogrammed so it thinks it's new).

So, theses are my two cents to "unveil" the problem. If someone REALLY knows what's happening inside, please, tell us, I'm really amazed with this issue, I want to know if Apple is just making money with us or it really is a "rocket science" design problem.

Cheers!

I don't know. I'm pretty certain it's a software/hardware issue. I never had one bit of problem until I upgraded the OS. My son has an iPhone and he intentionally did not upgrade because he likes Google Maps, and he's never had a problem.

It's an intermittent issue and mostly pertains to the Apple apps. Try the solutions in this thread. I'm pretty certain that one or more of the techniques mentioned will work, but the problem will come back. If it does, use the 5 finger close, and the problem might also go away for a short period of time. I'm convinced it's an issue with the smart cover, and I'm curious to see if anyone has this problem who doesn't have a smart cover. If this is the case, it would make sense since Apple makes money from the complementary hardware and peripherals, and they might be mum on this because they make money on both.

I'm not an expert, nor do I understand how hardware and software can interplay, but I'm pretty sure this is the issue..