Comments on: My Home Button on My iPhone doesn't work!

Question: My Home Button on My iPhone doesn't work!

ptsampras14 — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:39:47 -0800

IPHONE EMERGENCY: My Home button no longer works!

My iPhone took a hard fall and the glass part jutted out past the chrome on the top. So I pulled it all out and me (stupidly) forced the bottom out without unscrewing it (I didn't know).

So then I reconnected the ports 3,2,1 but now my Home button doesn't work! I see two metal prongs hanging out, I'm not sure where they should be touching and if theres anything I should do to make it work better.

I tried just forcing it closed but the Home Button still didn't work so I'm gonna wait to get a small screwdriver before I try it again.

By: Mwongozi

Mwongozi — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:54:09 -0800

iPhone takeapart guide

...but, I think you're boned.

By: birdherder

birdherder — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:09:34 -0800

You're probably boned. I got an iPhone wet and it worked perfectly except the home button wouldn't work. You can't do anything w/o that damn button. Before you do more fiddling, make sure you've synched it so if you do something that kills it, you don't lose data.

You may be able to get a replacement refurb from Apple. iPhone out of Warranty Service. Your damage may not qualify if the Genius determines the damage is catastrophic but from a drop, you should be OK. Make an appointment with the Apple store near you. You give them $200 and the give you a refurbished phone. The good part is, this doesn't add on to your AT&T contract. The bad news is it is $200. Or you could throw the SIM into another phone until the new iPhone comes out this summer.

By: duckstab

duckstab — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:57:58 -0800

Is your phone jailbroken? If so, search cydia for 'close button widget'
From the description: "sbsettings close button for those with broken home buttons."
I haven't used it.

By: ptsampras14

ptsampras14 — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 18:54:52 -0800

It is jailbroken and ive been using sbsettings to respring it when necessary, but shouldn't just putting the home button metal prongs to the connector work?? its not water damaged or anything?

By: InsanePenguin

InsanePenguin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:20:18 -0800

Maybe checkout iFixIt and see if there is anything on their site that might help.

By: owls

owls — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:01:23 -0800

I had a home button fail on my 3G, and managed to replace it myself. It's not a super easy fix (involving a heat gun or hairdryer to delaminate the plastic backing from the front glass), but it's possible if you're patient and careful. This necessary patience is a lesson learned the hard way. I cracked my LCD while trying this fix, so a word of caution.

If I'm reading correctly, it sounds like the button's ribbon cable is hanging out of the case? The two metal prongs on the end of that cable are supposed to touch two contacts on the phone's mainboard. They're not attached in any way - they just rest on the contacts when everything is correctly assembled. The contacts are pretty obviously visible - they'll have slight indentations from where the metal tabs were previously resting. You just need to reassemble the phone (with a screwdriver - don't force it!) with everything in it's proper place. The previously mentioned iFixIt guides are your friend.

I'm guessing that the deciding factor for your success will be whether you've bent or broken any of the pieces as you've pulled the screen loose. If so, it may be new screen time.

Good luck.

By: LittlePrince

LittlePrince — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:44:54 -0800

Same thing here on a 2G phone.

Just installed "Close App" button on sbsettings - it works for all applications that don't steal your topbar. (Search cydia for the Close App app)

For the others, I just reboot the phone. :(