Fix Unresponsive iPhone 4 Home Button

**UPDATE: This procedure worked for a while, but the issue eventually returned. I repeated the procedure again and again, each time it would work for a bit and then the issue would return. Last night, I dismantled my iPhone, cleaned the home button contacts and re-assembled it and it’s working again. Hopefully, that will take care of this issue once and for all. I used the guide on ifixit.com to remove the home button: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-iPhone-4-Home-Button/3144/1

**UPDATE 2: It’s be over two months and no signs of the issue returning since disassembling my phone and cleaning the contact for the home button. Definitely seems to be the long term fix.

**UPDATE 3: Nearly 5 months after I took my phone apart and cleaned the home button, it was still working as if new. I decided to upgrade to the iPhone 5 and I’ve sold my iPhone 4 to NextWorth. They determined it was in excellent condition FWIW.

I’ve been dealing with an unresponsive iPhone 4 Home Button for some time. Clicking the home button registered roughly one out of every 10 clicks. I had a tough time getting to the home screen or getting the task manager to load. During halftime of last night’s Pats/Jets game (Go Pats!) I decided to see if I could find a fix for it.

As I suspected, most resolutions were about heading to the Apple store for a replacement or taking apart your iPhone and replacing the home button PCB membrane & flex cable – not a quick or easy fix. I had replaced the battery on my original iPhone once, so I was not really keen on attempting to take apart the phone and I opt’d not to purchase AppleCare so I’m out of warranty. However, I stumbled across this YouTube video that had an easy fix.

The gist of it is that there’s a “gunk” build-up around & behind the home button (makes sense – just look at your keyboard). The user recommends using rubbing alcohol to attempt to clean it out and ensure good contact. I gave it a shot as described in the video, and voila! My iPhone 4 now registers every home button click without issue.

21 thoughts on “Fix Unresponsive iPhone 4 Home Button

  1. Suddenly today the Home button on iPhone 4 stopped working. Reset the phone but no luck. Tried some of the other internet simple fixes but nothing worked. Saw your post and like to the video and the rubbing alcohol did the trick. AMAZING!

  2. Did it on my wife’s phone. It worked for a week, but afterwards the issue reappeared. After reading the update, I guess I’ll have to disassemble the phone and clean the button contacts as stated… A pain.

  3. I am usually skeptical about all these “hot fixes” but this one worked like a charm for me. It was really easy to do, and the button works fine now. Thanks a lot

  4. Amazing, it works consistently. I had this issue for a long time. didnt use alchol, just did the cleaning with a micro fiber cloath the same way showed in that video. It works.Thanks

  5. I was really getting frustrated with mashing down the home button…I was really considering a new phone. You saved me some dollars I really didn’t have. Thanks Jeff

  6. My iPhone 4, purchased the day they were released 2 years ago was almost as useful as the Zac Morris cell phone. It took approximately 10-20 pushes, slams, tweaks or at times smacks to get the home button to work. After using the rubbing alcohol and these cleaning steps it now works perfectly. Thank you so very much.

  7. Alcohol definitely works a charm. Tried it out tonight even before reading this post

    I’ll see how it goes. Hopefully I won’t have to take my iPhone apart to fix but since the new iPhone is about to be announced im sure this fix will last long enough.

  8. I tried it on my 4 which was very sluggish and unresponsive, cleaned it twice. It seems to work a whole lot better. Saves me a trip to the Apple store. I may even do it again in a couple of days. I have been pressing that button for 2 years. Thanks so much.

  9. I was thinking about trying rubbing alcohol to address this problem. It was very nice to see your technique and that it does work. worked for me too.
    Thanks

  10. Thank you for the quick fix (cleaning with alcohol). I did it 3x and the button now responds to the clicks. I may have to clean the inside as you suggested in the near future. For now, it’s working fine. Thanks, Jeff. I really appreciate it. 🙂

  11. Hey Jeff thanks so much for the Home button fix. I was starting to think that I was going to have to get a new phone. I am going to try that alcohol on my on off switch see if it can bring it back to life. Thanks again you are a life saver.

  12. What EXACTLY did you clean after taking the phone apart? Was it the contact in that plastic enclosure or was it the actual contact pins underneath that plastic clamp? What did you use for cleaning? Alcohol?

  13. My home button was hardly working for à couple of weeks now. I almost wanted to get it repaird vut then I stumbled upon this post and thought why not give it a try. Got the alcohol and done it twice and after switching the phone back on the home button worked like a charm again. Thanks for that

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