Home Button Stuck Down on iPod Touch 4G

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Lounge' started by LawLessLove, Apr 3, 2012.

  1. LawLessLove

    LawLessLove Well-Known Member

    Nov 18, 2010
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    Today, I took my iPod Touch 4G 32GB out of my pocket to find that the home button was permanently stuck down. It won't push or respond in anyway. I tried hitting the back of it to try to knock the button back, but that did nothing. I tried cleaning the area with alcohol, that also did not. Other than the button, my iPod is in perfect condition, no scratches or problems of any sort. I had my iPod since launch so the warranty has expired and I don't want to pay $150 to a Apple store. Currently I am using Activator to use the volume buttons to return home, I would not like to have to do this forever. I also would like to sell my iPod when the next generation is released.

    Does anyone know how to fix this?
     
  2. lord-sam

    lord-sam Well-Known Member

    Feb 25, 2009
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    The exact same happend to both me and my brother. Nothing you can do.

    I managed to fix mine by getting a new iPad... :p
     
  3. Mitsuko

    Mitsuko Member

    Apr 3, 2012
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    Ahh, most of the time this is a design fault that the dirt block the connection.
    You know what? You can save your device by flicking the home button for about 10 times.
    Let me know if it works for you.
     
  4. Mitsuko

    Mitsuko Member

    Apr 3, 2012
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    Well, that will do too. Best idea~:p
     
  5. LOLavi

    LOLavi Well-Known Member

    May 23, 2011
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    My lock button is stuck down like that! Any help?
     
  6. crunc

    crunc Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2008
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    The home button on my iPhone is partially messed up. Sometimes I can lightly press it to get it to register, other times I have press down hard, and often I press it once but it behaves like I double tapped it. It's pretty irritating. I'm wondering if it is just a matter of some gunk in there making it sticky. How hard is it to take apart an iPhone 4? i'm wondering if I could clean it somehow and make it work right.
     
  7. Teknikal

    Teknikal Well-Known Member

    Oct 26, 2010
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    If it was anything but an apple device I'd say hit it a bang but with apple it would probably just shatter.

    Some possibilitys for a fix although all somewhat risky

    Vacumn
    Compressed Air
    Electronic contact cleaning spray
    Opening the thing up << prob the best option so far

    Or failing that take it to apple and pay a ridiculous price but at least it's a safe bet.
     
  8. crunc

    crunc Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2008
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    Yeah, one of these days I'm going to risk it and take it apart to see if I can do anything. I have effectively banged it by dropping it on concrete. It didn't shatter, due to the case (though I did get a small chip in one corner), but it didn't help the home button either. LOL.
     
  9. LOLavi

    LOLavi Well-Known Member

    May 23, 2011
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    If your home button works, but isn't registering clicks it's probably a software problem, you can fix it by searching home button reset on youtube or google I think. But yeah, how can I get my lock button out?
     
  10. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
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    My Home button has always been a little unresponsive. Come on Apple, we know you're all about the touchscreen but if you could just make that one main button reliable it'd be a step up.
     
  11. crunc

    crunc Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2008
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    #11 crunc, Apr 3, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2012
    Reset the home button? That seems like a weird concept and a tad hard to believe, but I found a video on youtube and tried it. Verdict is out, but I'll see how it goes over time.

    EDIT: it might have worked? How? I don't get it. Also sometimes I think the home button is working right, then later it starts being flakey again, so this could all be coincidence.
     
  12. JeNeI

    JeNeI Well-Known Member

    Feb 8, 2010
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    If you are JB-en install Zephyr ;)
     
  13. crunc

    crunc Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2008
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    #13 crunc, Apr 3, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2012
    Here's allegedly how you reset the home button:

    1. Press and hold power until you get the swipe to power off slider (don't swipe it!)

    2. Press and hold the Home button until you get dumped back to the home screen.

    It is interesting that it does that, so I guess it's intentional. I'm still very unclear how this would work since it seems like home button is a physical switch. Weird.

    EDIT: but I'm not convinced yet. It still seems like it's dependent on where on the button I press. If I press the lower portion of the button I need to press harder. Then again I think maybe I'm not seeing the bogus registrations as a double-tap. Hmm.
     
  14. koyut

    koyut Well-Known Member

    Jan 18, 2010
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    If I remember correctly that action is used to force quit an application. I do not know though if it has other software and hardware relation functions.
     
  15. crunc

    crunc Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2008
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    Well, a day later I'm not as convinced that technique really did anything. I think it was the placebo effect. It did seem kind of ludicrous. LOL. The button is still inconsistent. Depending on where I press on it, it either responds with a fairly light touch or doesn't respond unless you press hard on it. I have also had a couple instances of it registering as a double tap when I pressed only once. So that's not really fixed either.

    One of these days I'm going to take it apart and see if a cleaning or some such would help.
     
  16. viper_attack

    viper_attack New Member

    Dec 4, 2012
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    Thanks i just tried that and it worked
     
  17. Hkliese

    Hkliese New Member

    Aug 21, 2013
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    I had it my ipod touch 4th gen 8gb in my pocket too and when i got home the button was permanently stuck down as well
     
  18. Gov

    Gov Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2013
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    Why don't you just activate the - virtual button. It is a temp fix, until you actually fix your physical button.

    To get the virtual home button,

    1: go into the - settings app
    2: then go into - general
    3: scroll down to - accessibility
    4: scroll down and activate - AssistiveTouch

    Problem solved.
     
  19. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    I had the same problem as i used to use my ipod touch 4th gen A LOT, for a temporary solution i used the virtual button for a while.

    I dont know where you are based, but like you my ipod was out of warranty. I tried 'flicking' the home button and i could see 'white' buildup around the outside, flicking it for a while (and swiping the crap away every time) did help it a bit.

    I then heard the alcohol solution, theres a few youtube videos which 'seem' to work.

    I spoke to Apple who mentioned they had to 'break' the glass screen to get to the home button which would cost a lot ?!?! But in the end i found an Apple repair shop in the UK, bit nervous at first but its a common problem apparently. Used this place...

    http://www.ukipodrepairs.co.uk/fix_my_ipod/parts/4GiPhone

    This was £35 so thats about $55 or so ?

    Came back, worked perfectly and felt like it was back to factory settings. They didnt have to break the screen so was a bit annoyed that Apple told me they had to.

    If you're based in the US i'm sure theres quite a few places who can repair it as it seems to be a common problem. Very frustrating though i know having to keep pressing the home button trying to get a response
     
  20. JBRUU

    JBRUU Well-Known Member

    May 9, 2012
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    This is why I use the 5 finger pinch on my iPad.
     

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