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Home button not working or unresponsive, fix

By 19 comments Last updated April 24, 2017

Several users have reported that the iPad/iPod/iPhone home button is not working. If your iPad (or iPhone) button is not responding and you’re out of warranty, here is what you can do to fix it.



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Home Button Not Working: Fix 1 Open a Native App

  • Open a (default) app that came preinstalled on your device (Notes, Calendar etc).
  • Press and hold down the Power button until the “Slide to Power Off” appears, then release (DON’T slide to power off).
  • Now, hold the home button (about 5-10 seconds) until it exits to the home screen.

If this did not solve your problem,  continue to the second method.

Fix 2 Rotate Your Screen

  • With your iOS device in portrait view, press and hold the home button (ignore Siri).
  • While continuing to hold the home button, turn the iPad to landscape view, then back to portrait view.  Make sure your screen rotates when you do this.  Then let go of the home button.

Fix 3 Home Cleaning!

  • Clean your Home button. There may be some debris preventing your button from functioning. Use only a soft, lint-free cloth and clean your home button. Further, try to blow on the port (docking port) to remove any debris. Or use a hair dryer or suck (hard) on the docking port.

Fix 4 Nudge a Little

  • There is a possibility that your device’s docking port got misaligned. To fix this, plug your USB cable into your iPad. Then, gently push down on the 30-pin connector or lightning (lifting it up towards the glass), so that it pushes up behind the home button. While doing this, click the home button to see if that fixed the problem.

Home Button Not Working: Fix 5 Add a Virtual Home Button

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If nothing above fixes your problem and if you think you have a completely defunct home button; then you may try your iPad’s accessibility features

  • Tap Settings > General > Accessibility > Assistive Touch and toggle on AssistiveTouch and now you’ll see a small circle appear on your screen. Tap that circle, and you will see four options: Favorites, Siri, Device, and Home.  You may want to use this Home button, instead of the hardware one.



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Show 19 Comments

  1. Libby Corbett says

    Fix 5.. is a good help.. but it doesn’t resolve the problem though… the button is very hard to push in and I cant get it to respond.. so sad..

    Reply

  2. iPadlover says

    Even putting the assistive touch didn’t work. Also, my bottom screen isn’t showing up, and my iPad screen is locked on landscape! Help me!

    Reply

  7. Chum says

    The troubleshooter sl.no.5-‘accessibility’ feature helped to solve. -home button problem not responding. Now want to know if the circle can be hidden or removed? These relates to my iPad mini stopped from responding to the Home button.thanks

    Reply

  8. Chum says

    The troubleshooter sl.no.5-‘accessibility’ feature helped to solve. -home button problem not responding. Now want to know if the circle can be hidden or remove??

    Reply

  10. Debby Overbey says

    i am so grateful for you help. I know you have helped so many, but I have to stop and say thank you. #4 is the option that helped me.

    Reply

  13. Kelly says

    Unbelievable. Lived with this for a year and decided to Google before taking to get the hardware fixed. Fix 1 worked perfectly.

    Reply

  14. guyp1 says

    Thanks , believe it or not I was just about to send to apple to fix when blowing and sucking the dock port worked!!! (tip 3) Must have had something stuck there!

    Thank you very much

    Reply

  17. Steve Davies says

    My ipad 2 home button has not worked for months – Fix number 2 sorted it out – happy days !

    Reply