If you own an iPad, you know that the Home button is a critical component on your device. You need to have a working Home key in order to do most anything. That’s what makes a sticky Home button on your iPad so insanely irritating.
If the Home key is sticking when you try to use your iPad Air or iPad Mini, you may not have to go to an iPad repair shop to get it fixed by tech. There are some DIY remedies that could very well work for you.
Try to Re-Calibrate the Home Button
To do this, press the iPad Power button. When you see the slide to power off, release the power button and press down on the home button.
Now, launch an app that is built-in, like the camera app or any other app that came loaded on your iPad when you first purchased it. Press Home until you are brought back to the home screen. If this doesn’t fix the issue at first, try repeating this a few times and see if this gets your Home button working again.
Try to Clean the Home Button
Home buttons can get sticky from frequent use – and who isn’t frequently using their iPad? Outside elements like sand, dust, oils from your fingers, lotion, or anything else can gunk up the area around your Home button.
Grab some rubbing alcohol – make sure you don’t use water. It will just soak your Home button and cause water damage. Then you’ve got a whole different problem on your hands.
Dip a flannel towel into the rubbing alcohol and gently apply the fabric to the Home button. Using a circular motion, apply slight pressure to the corners of your home button for half a minute. If this endeavor has been a success, you’ll see the gunk on your flannel and you’ve successfully avoided a trip to the phone repair shop.
Take another cloth and thoroughly dry the Home button after you have cleaned it. If your Home button isn’t working as good as new, head to the next troubleshooting tip.
Give Your iPad a Pat on its Backside
Wrap your iPad in a towel, then locate the Home button, and give its backside a pat. Restart your device and see if your Home button is working again.
Restart All of the Settings on Your iPad
It is possible there is a wonky setting set on your iPad which is causing your Home button to malfunction. Head to the Settings app, tap on General, tap on Reset, then select Reset All Settings.
Don’t worry – this won’t delete any of the information on your phone but it will return your configured settings back to default, which might fix your sticky Home Button debacle.
Look into the Taptic Settings on Your iPad
If you don’t feel that familiar “click” when you press down on your Home button, there might be an issue with the taptic settings on your iPad.
Head to Settings. Choose General, then tap on Home Button. Here, you can choose how intensely you’d like to feel your Home Button feedback. We suggest switching it to level three to see if it will fix your sticky Home Button issue.
Try to Replace the Home Button On Your Own with a DIY Kit
This option isn’t for the faint of heart, but you can order a Home button replacement and Google a guide on how to replace the home button yourself.
Make sure you check out the reputation of the replacement kit and choose accordingly.
Take Off Your iPad’s Protective Case
Your sticky Home Button might be caused by your iPad’s protective case. Try slipping it off and see if your issue is resolved after removing it.
Perform a Network Reset
If your iPad’s Home button feels “hot” when it is sticking, the culprit might be wi-fi or data issues. Jot down your wi-fi password, then head to Settings, tap on general, select Reset, and tap on reset network settings.
Restart your iPad, and see if this fixes the issue.
When All Else Fails: Use AssistiveTouch
This is a setting that will place a virtual button onto the display. This will at least allow you to operate your iPad until you can get your sticky Home button fixed.
To turn on this accessibility setting, open the Settings app. Select General, tap Accessibility, then tap AssistiveTouch. Toggle the switch on, and a button will appear on your iPad screen.
Go to a Repair Shop
If none of these DIY troubleshooting tips worked, you’ll have to get your sticky home button repaired by a professional.
You can head to the Apple store if you are covered by AppleCare+ but a lot of people find themselves out of warranty and a lot of times a sticky home button can be thanks to water damage. If you have damaged your iPad’s home button with water, Apple will refuse to fix your iPad.
In this case, you’ll want to head to a local phone repair shop and get that pesky home button replaced. These shops employ professionals, often offer warranties, and can repair your iPad rather quickly – sometimes within an hour. If the DIY troubleshooting tips have not worked, and the Apple store won’t touch your iPad, a third-party repair shop is definitely your best bet.
