How to fix an iPhone 4 home button

Written By: Tarmo Palm

Comments: 42

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

While looking for repairs for the home button, I stumbled upon stupid ideas of spraying WD40 or white spirit onto the button, without disassembling the device. Because of the design of the button, white spirit (or worse, WD40) can NEVER reach the contacts

Iphone's home button tends to become unresponsive over the time. These couple of pictures show the reasons and easy fix. Photos are taken during the repair of my own device. Probably it works with other iphones too.

Tools

Step 1

Use the edge of an iPod opening tool or your fingernail to lift the home button ribbon cable retainer.
Be sure you are prying up on the cable retainer, not the socket itself.

Take a look at step 31. it shows him prising off the socket with the tool. why? Your not meant to do that, and I broke my iPhone following this. all you have to do is disconnect the ribbon. you don't lift anything up!

oranjj -

Hi oranjj, I did the same :-( can you do anything about it? Did you get yours fixed?

leroy978 -

The picture is right. There is a very very tiny tab that needs to be lifted, so the socket releases the flex cable. It's barely noticeable but it's there. After replacing the home button you connect the new flex cable and then you lower the socket tab again to secure it. I'm sorry you broke yours :-/

pic10F206 -

@oranjj actually you should lift up the small plastic retainer flap which locks the ribbon in or you won't be able to lock the new one in, the warning does explain you don't lift the whole thing

Leigh Ellis -

This step is really tricky. I broke the connector accidentally.

Meng -

this step is the most difficult part of the entire process. a closeup photo or two of how this connector works would be very useful. i nearly destroyed mine too!

garymohr001 -

Nearly broke the connector too, although this was down to me not reading the step thoroughly. Was very tricky working that ribbon cable back in there, but all back together now and touch wood seems to be working fine! Thanks : )

Marc -

My home button had gone really bad and had to be pushed hard so I installed a complete new button w/socket cable.

I followed the guide and lifted the ribbon retainer before removing/inserting the ribbons.

Now there's no functionality at all?! .. :(

Any ideas?

stroelsen -

me too! did you ever hear back from anyone?

sgoodwin -

It is a ZIF type connector. Careful!!

similar to this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqalgC6zbHw

travisray -

I really don't understand how to put the home button back. I finally was able to get the old homebotton with cable out...though I am affraid I broke something.

Getting the new one is, is a pain in the $#$ and does not keeps in position. Is there a way to obtain a new socket? Or are there other posibilities?

stefan -

I have the same problem. Getting the cable out was no problem, but getting it in again does not work. I think my socket is okay but I cannot connect the button again... The cable still does not get in... :-/

Christian -

Hi! I actually broke the connector... took it out from the iPhone.

Can I just glue it back? Will it work?

My iphone doesnt want to reset... it asks for restore mode all the time

Alex -

Putting the new home cable in the socket was impossible. After pushing and wriggling for half an hour on the old cable to see how to get it back in, I gave up, put the new one in as far as possible, put the clip down and put the phone back together in the hope that it was I'm far enough. Turns out, it was!

Reversing instructions is not that simple. Some photos or more notes on how things go back would be great.

That said, I am so grateful these guides exist. Thank you!

Fiona Palmer -

Well, I too separated the "socket itself" because I thought it was a pushdown connector instead of sizeways ZIF. First attempt to put it back in place with superglue ended in a non-working home button (although the phone was still usable via Settings/General/Accessability/AssistiveTouch).

In my second attempt I removed the suplerglue and, with a fine soldering iron, very carefully, reconnected the socket in place by soldering the two back leads and (perhaps) one or two of the front leads. And now it works! Just afraid that if I drop the phone the hole thing will come apart, but for the moment I remain a happy camper.

Very many thanks for the guide, but please add a statement in Step 31 about the ribbon cable having to slide out of the socket horizontally, since the pictures are misleading.

jnavarro -

Putting the cable back into the connector is not easy. I broke the cable off the *old* button and played around to see how it all worked before attempting to fit the new one. I would recommend doing this as a few dummy runs of plugging them together makes it clear. Important to remember, the tiny, almost invisible, clip on the socket is up open, down locked.

If you have a lit magnifying glass, use it.

Victor -

Is there any way to repair the socket if I accidentally removed the whole thing instead of just the cable???

kevinmorris - 19/05/15

Did anyone find a solution for braking the connector off?

Gallai Kamilla - 16/07/15

Step 2

Use a pair of tweezers to pull the home button ribbon cable out of its socket.
Do not excessively strain the home button ribbon cable, as it is very thin and delicate. Also, be careful with the two small electronic parts on the ribbon cable. It is very easy to damage them with tweezers.

The guide did not specify which part of the home button ribbon cable to squeeze when installing it, so the moment I tried to put in the new home button, I used my tweezers to squeeze the flat part of the home button ribbon—which was a terrible mistake, because on the other side of the ribbon were the two small transistors (or whatever) that I demolished instantly. As a result, I had to clean and reinstall my old button. :(

Michael Khmelnitsky -

The directions are not very clear on the "direction" the cable connects. Does it lift off? Does it pull off? Does it pull out? The answer is it pulls out to the right as shown in the picture. I discovered this only after I had damaged the two little copper wires (thick as a human hair) and now have to toss the fone as they are part of the underlying electronics. This is an extremely frangible connection. Be VERY careful pulling this guy out.

inettransactions - 19/02/15

An oblique photo would REALLY help show just exactly where the tab is supposed to go. I opened the high-res photo provided here and zoomed in on it, then looked at my phone at an oblique angle to find the slim little slot for the tab.

Mangled Jargon - 09/09/15

Step 3

De-route the home button ribbon cable through the inner case and remove the home button from the iPhone.
When installing a new part, there may be a protective plastic film on the home button. It can be removed with a spudger or your fingernail.

Thank you. I have a full light grey area on the right screen side (same position as the logic board). What could it be? Please Help.

Thank you,

David

David Polacek -

I have the exact same problem ! didi you find a solution ?

Sacha KOZMA -

Took 2 hours to tear apart and back together. Had to redo some steps over. 1) Crushed ribbon cable when putting screen back on. Found out when ribbon cable wasn't long enough to reach connection. 2) Got antenna connector stuck under logic board, had to undo logic board to pluck it out.

Phone works, but like most of my tear down projects, I have an extra part left over after reassembly. It's a small bit of rubber insulation that looks like it should clip to some metal edge. I couldn't figure out where it belongs, hope it's not critical. :)

wingeng -

That sounds like the bit at step 18 ?

Victor -

yes, it is the piece protecting the flat cables from the edge of the logic board(you can see it on top of picture 18). I found it also after reassembly and reinstalled it.

patricklautier - 02/11/14

doesnt work "iPhone 4 Home Button Assembly Black". I remowed the tape from the button, the button is too low. it doesnt work. wrong part maybe? dont buy stuff from this shop!

lauri -

How can I tell if there's a thin layer of plastic on the new part? Is it covering the silver connector?

motionpotion -

I'm also confused about the plastic film. I removed the plastic film from the back of my new home button and the silver disk came off with it - the disk is not glued on to the home button. When I put the new button in place I tried as best I could to keep the disk in the same position it was in before I took the plastic off.

The new home button works OK (I only have to press 2x for it to respond) but it doesn't move at all when I press it.

Should I have left the plastic on? Is the little silver disk necessary? should i have glued the silver disk back on to the home button?

I want to go back and re-do it, but not until I have a better understanding of what to do.

sctuck -

Is there any answer to the plastic film question?? Everything was so thorough till the end. Now I'm at step 33 with my phone 100% disassembled and not sure if the film that holds the silver disc should stay or go!!

dannybelisle -

Ok, helpful follow up here, the film I can only assume is something that may be on the front of the button. The film over the silver disc in the back stays. I just reassembled mine with that film on and home button is perfect. After examining the old home button, I realized that had a film too(just harder to see)

dannybelisle -

in order to replace the home button only .....is it necessary to follow and do all the previous steps from 1 to 33 or just do some of them ?please help me

harry dragy -

The sliver disk acts as a spring. That's what provides the 'click'. It is required. and the plastic film is required to hold it in place.

Uday - 19/04/14

I replaced home button along with display assembly and everything went right. I thought home button worked few times initially, but now it is not working. Could be defective piece or connections are loose? I will wait for few days before doing it all over again!

nebula76 - 26/06/14

Completed however the home button brought from ifixit need to have the ribbon removed and placed back in the correct place. The ribbon was directly over a home button lub. So turned it about 15 degrees to get it to fit.

ian - 28/02/15

The gold contacts of the homebutton in this picture are facing the wrong direction. When you look at the button from the frontside, the gold contacts have to be facing away.

dfgd - 22/03/15

every thing is perfect. i had enjoyed working in my iPhone through this wonderful guide.

but , the sensitivity of home button isn't good. i need to press the button heavily to respond.

what should i do ?

Basem - 26/12/15

Step 4

You need really thin blade to carefully peel off the plastic film from the back of the button. Do NOT touch the glue with your finger!

Confirmed! This worked for my iPhone 4 that has not had a working home button for 6 months. Thank you Soo much!

Otto VonCheeseBiscut -

I have just finished. Work real good for now. thanks again

arnaudpiton -

Works like a charm!

Bastiaan Veelo - 07/08/15

Step 5

After disassembly, you need some white spirit and cotton buds to clean up greenish oxide on both: button back contacts and steel cap's inside.
Last picture shows cleaned details.

Step 6

On reassembly, you have to position the steel cap in the center of copper contact ring, placing plastic sticker into its respective cavity on the back of the button.
Press the sticker firmly into its place. Don't worry if it doesnt stick all the way round. its position under the glass keeps the details in place. Again, try to prevent touching the glue while disassembling.
Congrats! Re-assemble your device and enjoy your revived home button!

Apart from tools, all i need to buy is a new sticker. I do not need to buy a new home button. Correct?

matbordeleau - 24/01/16

Hi! I just disassembled the button and re-used the sticker. The sticker that's holding the steel cap is part of the button assembly. I doubt You can buy it separately. Just try not to touch the glue on the sticker and pry it off with the cap, using something really thin, like exacto-knife or something similar. Also, when refitting, You have to be sure the sticker sits nicely in its respective cavity underneath the button. I have also cleaned Iphone 4s-s home button the same way

Tarmo Palm - 25/01/16

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Tarmo Palm

Member since: 01/09/13

2584 Reputation

How to fix an iPhone 4 home button

Introduction

Tools

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