Home button not working on iPhone or iPad? Add a virtual one with AssistiveTouch!

By Serenity Caldwell
last updated

There are several reasons that your iPhone or iPad's Home button might not be currently working: Older iPhone and iPad models (pre-iPhone 7) have physical buttons, which can wear down with time, while the iPhone 7 and later has a Taptic Engine-driven "button" which won't work without skin (or other capacitative) contact. Whatever the reason, if you're having trouble with your Home button — or just don't want to use it — you can turn on a little-known Accessibility feature called AssistiveTouch to give yourself a virtual Home button on your screen.

How to add a virtual Home button to your iPhone or iPad with AssistiveTouch

  1. Launch Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Accessibility.

  1. Tap AssistiveTouch under the Interaction category.
  2. Tap the toggle switch to turn on AssistiveTouch.
  3. You should see a small rounded rectangle with a circle in the middle appear on your screen.

  1. Tap the AssistiveTouch icon to launch the on-screen controls.
  2. Tap Device.
  3. Tap and hold Lock Screen until the slide to power off prompt displays.

  1. Slide to power off.

Note: Having trouble with your On/Off button? You can also use this trick to help you turn off your iPhone!

Don't forget to visit the Apple Store (or fix it yourself)

Using AssistiveTouch is a nice patch, but it's no solution for an actual, working Home button. If you're still under warranty, you can get Apple to replace it for free; if not, the company still might replace it for a small fee. You can check your service and support coverage below:

If going to an Apple Store or through AppleCare is out of the question, you can also consider repairing it yourself — we have a number of guides on Home Button repair on our site.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments.

Serenity Caldwell
Serenity Caldwell

Serenity was formerly the Managing Editor at iMore, and now works for Apple. She's been talking, writing about, and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, sings, and in her secret superhero life, plays roller derby. Follow her on Twitter @settern.