Since updating to iOS 6, the iPad 3's home button has been acting quite flaky. It often stops responding all together, forcing me to use gestures to quit apps or to access the multitasking panel. I've tried rebooting the device and re-calibrating the home button but the improvements are short-lived.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Thanks,
Kenroy
This Apple disease needs a name so I'm calling it "buttonitis".
I have a Logiix case. It has a cutout round the home button so it's protected and still has the buttonitis issue. The Logiix case has a magnetic closure on it similar to Apple's, which shuts off the iPad. I initially wondered if it's the magnetics: but my sister in law has a different Logiix case (similar to Apple's) with no home button problems.
Two factors to isolate here: (1) the magnetic closure system; (2) cases that rest more or less directly on the home button. Does anyone have: (a) a buttonitis problem and no case (or no magnetic case)? (b) Can someone with "rampant buttonitis" and a magnetic case remove the iPad from the case for a day or so and see if that cures it?
Update on my "cure". Last night buttonitis returned. I had added some features: (a) turned on simple password; (b) installed some apps to try and access my NAS photos. Turned off passwords and uninstalled apps and presto, no problem this morning. Apps removed:
FileExplorer (Free)
Frequency
Remote File Viewer
I'm wondering if some apps may be interfering with iOS6. NB I forgot to mention in my last post that Siri is diabled on full reinstall. Since my tests showed it's 100% inaccurate (never got anything right) there's no benefit.
By this stage I am pretty much convinced this is software. Hardware is brand new out of the box and loading/unloading apps seems to cure buttonitis.
Hi Paulo,
I had my problem straight out of the box, with no case whatsoever. And my version of the problem was pretty severe. The vast majority of the time the home button never worked, although sometimes it would. The various software fixes out there, like force-quitting standard Apple apps, only solved the problem for me for 30-45 seconds, and then the problem would return.
FWIW, I offered my zany theory on this problem above. I still think it's a hardware problem that is triggered in the presence of iOS 6. It only shows up in the presence of iOS 6 (thus it's triggered by software), but only on some but not all units (because the button isn't being manufactured to spec at some factories). iOS 6 makes demands on these defective units (for sensitivity and responsiveness) that they cannot bear.
Athelas,
Your situation seems to confirm my hypothesis. Upgrading to iOS 6 causes intermittent issues with your home button. However, not all iPads upgraded to iOS 6 have this problem. So upgrading to iOS 6 (or just having iOS 6 from the factory) is a necessary but insufficient condition for buttonitis (thanks for this latter term, wwwheaten!). In addition to the presence of iOS 6, one needs a unit that is not up to par in the construction of its home button.
This is an extremely frustrating problem for anyone who has it, because its intermittent nature precludes being able to reproduce it on demand at an Apple Store. But being able to reproduce it is a condition of having it fixed under warranty! An additional source of frustration are the various 'home remedies' for this problem that are out there on the internet. These are ultimately temporary or inconvenient, and therefore unsatisfactory.
I can only hope that Apple is slowly becoming aware of the widespread nature of this problem, so that they will give the benefit of the doubt to affected users.
Keep in mind that with gestures turned on in settings, you can reproduce the entire functionality of the home button without the home button:
There is only one other function for the home button: double-clicking it while in locked mode gets you iPod audio controls while leaving the device in locked mode. Unfortunately, to accomplish this corner case there are no substitutes for a functioning home button. Thankfully it's a rare need, I suppose.
Still, it's galling to have an expensive device that forces you to do any of 1-3 above. But if you do have buttonitis and you cannot get it fixed (because you can't reproduce the problem in a store, or you're not under warranty), then doing 1-3 above gets you just about the entire functionality of the home button for the vast majority of users.
Hi wwwheaten,
I always got buttonitis even with no apps running at all.
Let us know if your fix lasts for more than a week. I would be extremely interested in this outcome.
Hoping for the best,
--GW
I have butontitis on a New Ipad3 with no Case at all. I also have the Feeling that this is a Software issue. Some Apps seam to bring up the Problem. Seams for instand if I Run Madden or Littlest Petshop the Problem is more likely to happen. Just Spekulation. I guess I am Gong to try to get it replaced.
I would like to add to this list one major use for the home button.
Turning on and off accessibility features.
There is no subsitute and it can render a device completely inaccessible! I train rehab and teaching professionals on iOS devices and had this happen on 2 off my devices I updated to iOS6 yesterday. I was amazingly fortunate that I gave the initial device to the ONLY blind participant. Then substituted it with my spare device to discover that one was effected as well.... hitting 20% here.... Thanks for the many suggestions folks gonna see what I can do.
twisted bunny,
I believe that in Settings: General: Accessibility, one can slide the on/off button to turn an individual tool on or off. But that's pretty cumbersome compared to the home button triple-click. So you make an excellent point.
Having experienced this problem for some time now, here's what I've found:
1. Pressing the home button lots of times in frustration = No difference
2. Screen rotation = No difference
3. Holding down the home button = No difference
4. Holding down the home button + screen rotation = Back to normal for a few days (Old fix, which still works)
5. Pressing firmly just below the home button = Back to normal for a few days (New fix, which I prefer)
1, 2, 3 & 4 always made me think it was a software issue.
Now that I've discovered #5, Apple Support are happy with the outcome and have agreed to replace it in-store without having to reproduce the problem or explain it all again to a "Genius" (I made sure of that!).
I still think it's very odd that #4 & #5 both work, but at least I'll get another iPad. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen on that one too!
!Braggy!,
This is great news. Hopefully if your point 5 applies to others, they can use that to convince Apple Support as well.
Yes,i have that problem to mr !braggy! Be4 this i thing my home button was broken to..now arrrggg...
Ubelievable! Braggy's recipe worked!!
Alas, on my ipad2 only for up to 10 pressings.
Im using virtual home button till this is fixed.
How do i reprt this?
I have that same problem on an iPad 2. In iOS 5, the home button worked perfectly, but in iOS 6.0.1, it doesn't work all the time. I can't do a factory reset (it's my mom's and she won't let me). Lets hope apple fixes this soon.
Me too, on iPad 2. I don't know how to fix it, though.
Hello Apple Friends,
Well I am sure we are not only the people having this issue of home button buggy and not responding, I am one of you can count as I have rebooted 100 times today my IPAD3 to work on each and every App and my office mails. I believe the whole world of apple users having this issue. I am going to Check with apple store service about this and keep you posted. May be apple should develop another app to fix this kind of problems on own by customers rather their support team.
Let me know incase anyone have fix without reaching to Apple care support.
BR
Rushi
This kind of non-response out of Apple is sadly very common for them. It reminds me quite well of the same type of silence and non-response to the MacBook Pro CPU whining issue.
iPad 3 and iOS 6 - Home button not working
