iPhone Home Button Problems?

Had mine exchanged

I had exactly the same problem with my new iPhone 3G in the UK. Initially, the Home button had to be pressed really hard to do anything -- so hard that a double-click was impossible. After 3 days it stopped working altogether. Took it to the Apple Store where they got me to talk to someone at the Genius Bar. She said it was a "known software problem", which could possibly be fixed by a full reset -- not sure I'm convinced, as it certainly seemed like a hardware issue to me. She also said that a fix would be released 'soon'.

Anyway, the full reset was taking forever and I had limited time, so I asked for and got a replacement.

fb

=( !!!!

My iphone´s home button (first generation iphone) is totally dead and i don´t know what to do . I have tried everything! ...you can tap the button for a whole day and it just won´t work. Any suggestions of what can i do to fix this problem =( please ! I can´t go with apple because i jailbreaked it and have no contract with at&t so the warranty is not valid. Can it possibly be a software problem ? I know it´s very unlikely but if it´s a hardware problem i am in big trouble.

Have you tried restoring iphone software?

Try restoring original software, updating to version 2.0 and then jailbreaking again if the "home" button works i.e if it's a software issue?

If its still faulty at least you can go back to apple with it with its iphone software and see if they'll replace it under warranty.

You obviously know how to jailbreak it but I've just successfully jailbreaked a first generation iphone with version 2.0 software for my daughter to use on an alternative network using this link

http://lifehacker.com/398906/jailbreak-iphone-20-with-pwnagetool

@iNassar: Did you get your home button works? I have the same problem here.

The only button on the iphone, and is not working (after a few falls).

ignaciogggg said:

@iNassar: Did you get your home button works? I have the same problem here.

The only button on the iphone, and is not working (after a few falls).

Click to expand...

Yep it was a sort of strange software problem =S it got fixed by updating it to 2.0.1, but in ur case i am almost sure it´s a hardware problem since you say it had a few falls. I will suggest for u to find some one who knows bout repairing iphones. if ur iphone is not jailbroken u can go to an apple store . if it is jailbroken then visit this link http://http://techrestore.com/?LP

Iphone Home Button- Huge Problem

My Home Button Still Stick And Only Works When Pressing On It Very Hard. Anyone Have A Answer To This Issue? My Phone Is 8 Months Old And I Am Having Serious Issues.

Can't Send Picture Messaging Or View Any Flash Video

Does Anyone Have Any Ways Of Abling The Iphone To Allow Me To Use The Flash Video Or Receive Picture Texts Directly Instead Of Logging On To The Imaging Page??

@iNassar: It's on the repair guy right now, I think its a software problem this one too, I did a mess with the software. I will let you know next monday if he found a solution.

@KIDLEEN: For flash video I use http://iphone.livebuster.com/

same problem - and I think I know what's going on

Experiencing the same thing here with a brand-spanking new 3G running 2.1. I noticed that the button does not respond when I press anywhere but the center. I found I was pressing at the bottom with a kind of rocking click, which didn't work. As an engineer, I'm extremely picky about such things, and I'm tempted to take it back. However, I'm trying an experiment: I'll adapt to it! I've a year warranty, so if it becomes more wonky I can always take it in. Good luck fellow buttoneers!

IPhone Home button fix!!

I had a one month old 2nd generation IPhone that I purchased from a friend that was in perfect condition all for that the home button would not work after it was dropped on the floor. I have taken IPhones apart in the past and new the inside layout of all the ribbon cables. I found after taking it apart that you must take the battery out of its home to get to the ribbon cable that supports the home button. After folding the battery back over the radio board I could see the ribbon cable from where it comes from the home button under the battery area to the main radio board. I found that when I turn the phone on and pushed the clock icon, then tryed to push the home button to get out of that nothing would happen. I then tapped the clock icon and put my finger on the home button ribbon cable where it attaches to the main radio board. While putting alittle preasure on the cable and pushing the home button it seemed to work just fine and take me back to the start screen. I tryed this over and over and came up with the same thing. I ended up using a small chunck of foam to keep some preasure on the cable and that was the fix. It looks like either the surface mount conector is bad or the it almost looks like the ribbon cable has to much stress on it from the tape and battery being on top of it to make good contact.
Try this fix at your own risk but I would not try to replace the home button because it was not ment to be taken out just like the glass screen mounted on the digitizer.

Yes!

so im really excited guys..... i have dropped my phone once or twice. recently after att cancelled my service (i never get my bills in the mail) i reactivated my service...anyway once reactivated, my home button would not work as well as my speaker (one speaker wont ever work, then the other started sounding terrible too with the rise of the home button problem). anyways, i dropped my phone on accident, and it fixed my home button and my speaker....






jesus i am lucky. or am i stupid?

toakley said:

jesus i am lucky. or am i stupid?

Click to expand...

Pretty stupid, frankly, if you thought that the phone had two speakers to start with. One is a microphone.

Home Button Update

I wanted to update the forum on my findings when repairing a second home button problem.
I had taken my most current IPhone repair job apart to replace the broken glass screen and update the battery. In replacing the screen I had lifted the ribbon cable that attached the bottom portion of the phone with the main radio board. After replacing the screen and battery I tested the phone to make sure everything was good before putting back together. I found that most everything was good but the home button now did not work. The button worked fine before the fix.
I was lucky to have a trashed IPhone that I could take apart and poke around at. I found that the ribbon cable that I lifted to replace the screen has a large copper pad on the bottom and the adhesive that Apple uses when putting it together helps to keep it from touching the the metal plate area were the battery sits.

When the ribbon cable is lifted the adhesive is broke and the battery ribbon cable will ground out on the battery plate area. This will cause the home button not to work.

I all found that Apple has used a double layered plug on this ribbon cable and most people dont know to push it back in all the. This will require some preasure but dont rip the cable.

Home Button

I had the same problem as everyone. 1 day I was upset and decided to tap with my finger really hard the lower back black plastic cover and the home button worked just fine for a day or so. I decided to open the black cap and removed the rear silver plate. I discovered that the rear silver cover has 2 tiny screws on each side that hold it to the rest of the frame and in the center there is 1 last tiny screw that holds down a grounding strap on to the lower control board / slash home button area. This grounding strap had rust on it and it was bent slightly upwards apparently from the pressure of the screw when it was fastened. when the whole back panel was removed, I noticed how the control board where this tiny grounding strap fastens on to, has a contact ring slightly bigger in diameter than the hole where the screw goes in. There was rust there as well. I cleaned the rust on the board with a pencil eraser on the board and the strap on the Silver back cover. Also, I slightly bent or arched the grounding strap where the screw goes in and through into the control board so that the grounding strap touched a larger surface area of the contact point on the control board (Before, asides from the rust, it was warped in a way that it barely touched the contact point on the board.) After this I have had no more problems! At first I thought it was a software problem, but a little observation, that's what I found. Makes sense that this area where there was rust is not sealed to prevent humidity, sweat and condensation from getting inside specially from storage in your pants pocket and or sudden changes in temperature.

Good luck to all as it seems as if there is more than 1 possible causes of Home button malfunction. I do not know who I hate the most for their incompetence in providing a product with such a mediocre service. Out of warranty, you are SOL! ATT or Mac?

Not a software problem!

I have had two Iphone 3G's with this problem, that last one delivered with the problem. However if you blow gently, for a second, into the socket at the bottom of the IPhone the problem goes away for a little and then returns as a hard fault again. Blow again the home button works again? Why, I do not know. But it is a repeatable, no fail test, which tells me this is not a software problem.

CURE for faulty button

hi mine had stopped working for past couple of days!!??
i couldnt understand it...........after a bit of thought not wanting to take phone apart i very very slightly twisted phone by holding top and bottom and "voila"
one perfect working phoe again!!i think the problem stems from people bending phone whilst carrying in pocket or similar!!!

Sometimes the geniuses at the bar give you straight BS. Like when they told you your home button not responding isn't a problem. Then what the heck is it? I had a major light leak and they said it wasn't a problem, instead "normal variation". Thanks for that wonderful normal variation Apple.

I have the iPhone 1st Generation

I had this same issue 6 months ago, it was the radio board or whatever (that part of badieter is showing above), it cost me $150, but is working awesome, no more troubles about it.
The fix it wasn't from Apple, I have my iPhone completely hacked, it was from a guy who lives fixing iPhones here in Buenos Aires.
But I don't recommend to buy nothing from Apple within the first generation of the product, beside that, my iPhone (1st Generation ) is gorgeous.

phatkontrolaz said:

hi mine had stopped working for past couple of days!!??
i couldnt understand it...........after a bit of thought not wanting to take phone apart i very very slightly twisted phone by holding top and bottom and "voila"
one perfect working phoe again!!i think the problem stems from people bending phone whilst carrying in pocket or similar!!!

Click to expand...

Thanks!! it worked for mine!!
my iphone got the same problem after a few times dropping on the floor and just now....it was like totally dead.

I kind of bending it as you suggested and it was back to normal!! yay!

Isn't all this twisting like the equivalent of thumping the top of the tv to get it working?

A bit hit and miss?

I had to same issue. Took back to Apple and they replaced no issues.

I'm not sure about the 1st gen phones, but this is definitely a hardware problem with the 3G. All three that I've had have been fairly unresponsive (no click), the second being replaced for this problem alone. I've had three 1st gen phones and all clicked when I pushed that home button.

I traded my first 3G in for light leaks and ended up getting the same thing in my third but the home button is a tad more responsive.

Guess you just gotta decide which defect you'd rather live with. Thanks, Apple, for finally giving us options on something!!

hallo all i have the same problem like badieter i was repair my lcd screen on 1g and now my home button dont work(befor it work just fine)...
do i need to get the radio out and to check there?
please help... thnx!!

there she blows!!!!

Like all of you guys, I have been having the same problems recently, tried restoring and backing up, but to no avail.

Next step was to check out the forums, I never would have thought the fix
was by blowing on it as suggested by BWMAC84, all sorted?????????????

values for the home button resistors R7 and R8

hi-

to the person who has the ribbon already taken apart... can you tell me the value of the R7 and R8 resistors under the home button?

ours corroded and that's why (we hope) the home button no longer works.. here are our pictures.

http://www.mdahacks.com/iphone-home-button.htm

thanks!