iPad: Home button on iPad 3.....

[barryl85]

So I have a 64gb iPad 3 that i've had since a week after launch, I paid £560 for it and have hardly used it as much as most would. Its pristine, not a single mark, here's my issue.....


The home button doesn't work properly, it sometimes takes a forceful press for it to work as intended. When you press it, a lot of the time nothing happens till (as i said) you give it a forceful press then on most occasions it doesn't go to the home screen it opens the multitask app shortcut bit at the bottom as if i've double clicked the button but I don't even try to open the multitask bit as that's a mission on its own. In case anyone is wondering this thing has never seen any kind of moisture or water near that button or anywhere.

I don't want a refurbished model for the simple fact I don't want someone else fixed unit. I'd rather mine was fixed and returned the way i've given it to Apple.

Whats the likely outcome to my problem? Do you think they will only offer me a refurbed unit as a replacement? I'm going to book a genius appointment for the weekend.

[trouble747]

My new iPad 4 does this as well. Either the button press doesn't register, or it registers two when I press it again a second or two later. Pretty annoying.

[barryl85]

I went for a long while thinking it was software related but i'm just not happy with it and I only have until march to get it back to the store under warranty.

[trouble747]

Originally Posted by barryl85

I went for a long while thinking it was software related but i'm just not happy with it and I only have until march to get it back to the store under warranty.

You could always switch it out for a refurb and see if that one is any better. I agree, the home button on my iPhone 5 works much better.

[Fattytail]

This is bound to happen with physical hardware buttons. Take it in and get a replacement. Refurbished units actually get an even closer inspection than units that come fresh off the manufacturing line. I've had plenty of refurbished exchanges over the years and not one has failed me.

[Kissaragi]

Just ring apple and get a replacement. Its not complicated.

[RevTEG]

I had to replace my home button on the iPhone 3 and 4. $80 at "We Fix Macs".
Now my ipad 3 is also having the same issues as yours. Although I will be the first to admit that I use my gadgets A LOT....

[LeeMac2012]

I was worried about this myself when I got my iPad. Both my iPhone 4's had this issue and it didn't feel as firm as the 5. Instead of using the home button i've been using the finger gestures as much as possible to avoid it going out sooner.

[mpayne2k]

Try this trick, it resets the home button:

1. Go into any apple app (Music / iTunes / whatever)
2. Hold the lock/power button until the slide to power off notice comes up
3. Don't slide at this point, but hold the home button until the app exits.

You've just reset your home button. See if you have better response now, if not...you may have a hardware issue.

[Nighttracker]

Not sure if the ipad has this option but on my ipt4 it does. Go to settings, accessibility and down towards the bottom is "home-click speed". Settings are default, slow or slowest. Maybe try it and it may help cause you don't need to double click home so fast.

[Rasmussen]

Originally Posted by mpayne2k

Try this trick, it resets the home button:

1. Go into any apple app (Music / iTunes / whatever)
2. Hold the lock/power button until the slide to power off notice comes up
3. Don't slide at this point, but hold the home button until the app exits.

You've just reset your home button. See if you have better response now, if not...you may have a hardware issue.

I had the same problem with the home button on my iPod touch (4th gen.) - it would take 2-4 firm presses to quit an app, and half the time it would end up opening the app switching / multitasking bar at the bottom of the screen instead of quitting the app.

I was beginning to think it was a hardware problem, but the steps mpayne2k listed above seem to have fixed the problem!
Thanks for the tip!

[aPple nErd]

Originally Posted by barryl85

So I have a 64gb iPad 3 that i've had since a week after launch, I paid £560 for it and have hardly used it as much as most would. Its pristine, not a single mark, here's my issue.....


The home button doesn't work properly, it sometimes takes a forceful press for it to work as intended. When you press it, a lot of the time nothing happens till (as i said) you give it a forceful press then on most occasions it doesn't go to the home screen it opens the multitask app shortcut bit at the bottom as if i've double clicked the button but I don't even try to open the multitask bit as that's a mission on its own. In case anyone is wondering this thing has never seen any kind of moisture or water near that button or anywhere.

I don't want a refurbished model for the simple fact I don't want someone else fixed unit. I'd rather mine was fixed and returned the way i've given it to Apple.

Whats the likely outcome to my problem? Do you think they will only offer me a refurbed unit as a replacement? I'm going to book a genius appointment for the weekend.

Use gestures my friend

[Danmoore03]

Don't settle for dealing with this or using gestures. I've got the newest ipad and I went through three of them until the 4th one had a properly operating home button.

[Rodster]

You can also enable AssistiveTouch in the settings. That gets you an on-screen home button.

[Thetonyk123]

Launch day? Ipad 3? Apple store for you,!

EDIT: didn't real full post...
Assistive touch and gestures are good

Why don't you want a refurbished ipad?

[barryl85]

Originally Posted by mpayne2k

Try this trick, it resets the home button:

1. Go into any apple app (Music / iTunes / whatever)
2. Hold the lock/power button until the slide to power off notice comes up
3. Don't slide at this point, but hold the home button until the app exits.

You've just reset your home button. See if you have better response now, if not...you may have a hardware issue.

Thanks, that's actually made a huge difference to its operation, i'm still convinced its a hardware fault so I will now just use it normally and see if the problem comes back !

Originally Posted by aPple nErd

Use gestures my friend

I'm not paying £560 for it to have a hardware fault and use a work around, if I was out of warranty I would be taking your advice though !

Originally Posted by Thetonyk123

Launch day? Ipad 3? Apple store for you,!

EDIT: didn't real full post...
Assistive touch and gestures are good

Why don't you want a refurbished ipad?

Just don't want someone elses broken then fixed iPad - I bought it brand new as I wanted a new unit which I could keep in mint condition.

[Coasterfanryan]

Same with my 3rd. gen iPad.

[iPhysicist]

Originally Posted by mpayne2k

Try this trick, it resets the home button:

1. Go into any apple app (Music / iTunes / whatever)
2. Hold the lock/power button until the slide to power off notice comes up
3. Don't slide at this point, but hold the home button until the app exits.

You've just reset your home button. See if you have better response now, if not...you may have a hardware issue.

WHY DOES THIS WORK?!

It does work but why? If the home button issue is software related then it is not wear and tear but an intentional failure to happen after a certain use! NOW i am really pissed!

[TPadden]

Originally Posted by iPhysicist

.......If the home button issue is software related then it is not wear and tear but an intentional failure to happen after a certain use! NOW i am really pissed!

Everything is programmed for intentional failure, and then you die.............


........... Unless you know the trick.

[Jman13]

My mini also has a mushier home button, more akin to the iPhone 4 than the 5, which is fantastic and clicky. The one on my mini works fine if you press down and in the center, but off center pushes don't register as cleanly. Figure it's part of the way they designed this one. I was a little put off at first, but since I use gestures for just about everything that's home button related, I really don't care. The only time I use the home button is to stop the apps jiggling when deleting or moving them.

[iPhysicist]

Originally Posted by TPadden

Everything [biological] is programmed for intentional failure, and then [it] die[s]...

fixed that for you ;-) ...but really the "trick" works just fine. Can others with the same problem (iPhone iPad iPod) please try?! Thanks.

[mpayne2k]

Originally Posted by iPhysicist

WHY DOES THIS WORK?!

It does work but why? If the home button issue is software related then it is not wear and tear but an intentional failure to happen after a certain use! NOW i am really pissed!

Its just a calibration issue that needs resetting. You can go to assistive section of settings and change the speed to which the button is registered. Standard, slow and slower. So I think the standard button press gets skewed over time and this reset feature reels it in to normal speed.

BTW...I have an iPad 3 and it's home button has never had issue and IMHO is just as "clicky" as my iPhone 5 even if it doesn't have the same build underneath (didn't I read somewhere the iPhone 5 has a new button mechanism?).