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
- 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.
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
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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..
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!
Fix # 4 worked for me on stuck home button. Thanks!
My screen froze whilst using Skype. Fix 4 worked for me. THANKS!
Did all the fixes and # 4 worked! Thanks
my ipad home button is stuck inside my ipad and isnt coming out and #4 isnt doing anything. Please help
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
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??
Thank you sorted
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.
I pad is frooze n
Hardware button is dead.
All the fixes failed, but #5 works well.
Thanks for pointing it out.
Unbelievable. Lived with this for a year and decided to Google before taking to get the hardware fixed. Fix 1 worked perfectly.
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
Great tip. 2nd step fixed for me after weeks of frustration. Thanks v much.
My screen is frozen and my home button or my off button isn’t working. Help!
My ipad 2 home button has not worked for months – Fix number 2 sorted it out – happy days !
This info helped so much! Thank you!
Gently wiggling the docking pin/charging cable in the iPad helped me!