Home button problem

**Edventure** · 03-29-2013, 05:02 AM

I'm a week into my HTC One ownership and notice the home button only works intermittently. Anyone else had the same problem?

Any opinions of whether its hardware or software related?

**Russ Smith** · 03-29-2013, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Edventure

I'm a week into my HTC One ownership and notice the home button only works intermittently. Anyone else had the same problem?

Any opinions of whether its hardware or software related?

Yea me too, think I'm just not used to hitting it? Need a bit more accuracy!

Sent from my HTC One

**Blacklight2309** · 03-29-2013, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Edventure

I'm a week into my HTC One ownership and notice the home button only works intermittently. Anyone else had the same problem?

Any opinions of whether its hardware or software related?

I saw this on a number of videos where the user had to be hitting the home button a number of times. Thought it was just the user.

**mcpricex** · 03-30-2013, 07:25 AM

I have experienced this but I think it is just a case of where you touch it rather than it being a fault. The button is only touch sensitive right where the home symbol is. Because there is no actual physical mechanical button there you expect the whole strip to respond to touch but it doesn't, more of a design compromise than a design fault I'd say, the price you pay for having sleek touch sensitive buttons with no discernable edges.

**SenseMonkey** · 03-30-2013, 02:52 PM

I think it maybe the whole multitasking deal. Touch once for home and 2x for multitasking. I think it may not be a flaw but they designed it that way to give you time to hit it a 2nd time if what your trying to do is get into the multitasking menu. I dunno, makes sense in my head lol..

Courtesy of My LT3VO

**Edventure** · 03-30-2013, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by SenseMonkey

I think it maybe the whole multitasking deal. Touch once for home and 2x for multitasking. I think it may not be a flaw but they designed it that way to give you time to hit it a 2nd time if what your trying to do is get into the multitasking menu. I dunno, makes sense in my head lol..

Courtesy of My LT3VO

I reckon it must be a fault. The button just doesn't respond sometimes no matter how I press it. Other times it just takes a slight touch. I'm going to try and get it replaced.

**So Cold** · 04-01-2013, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by mcpricex

I have experienced this but I think it is just a case of where you touch it rather than it being a fault. The button is only touch sensitive right where the home symbol is. Because there is no actual physical mechanical button there you expect the whole strip to respond to touch but it doesn't, more of a design compromise than a design fault I'd say, the price you pay for having sleek touch sensitive buttons with no discernable edges.

This isn't htc's first capacitive home button so the button size shouldn't be an issue, especially when you've only got 2 buttons the entire width of the phone

Sent from my Note 2

**mcpricex** · 04-02-2013, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by So Cold

This isn't htc's first capacitive home button so the button size shouldn't be an issue, especially when you've only got 2 buttons the entire width of the phone

Sent from my Note 2

The fact that there are only two buttons across the entire width of the phone is exactly the problem because the buttons themselves do not cover the whole space, therefore there are places where they respond to touch and places that they don't, with no distinction between the two. If they were physical butons rather than capacitive then you could see/feel where they were but you can't. For me, the capacitive buttons work and they suit the aesthetic of the phone, I just have to be more acurate when I stab it with my big sausage fingers.

**Phil Nickinson** · 04-02-2013, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by So Cold

This isn't htc's first capacitive home button so the button size shouldn't be an issue, especially when you've only got 2 buttons the entire width of the phone

Sent from my Note 2

Originally Posted by mcpricex

The fact that there are only two buttons across the entire width of the phone is exactly the problem because the buttons themselves do not cover the whole space, therefore there are places where they respond to touch and places that they don't, with no distinction between the two. If they were physical butons rather than capacitive then you could see/feel where they were but you can't. For me, the capacitive buttons work and they suit the aesthetic of the phone, I just have to be more acurate when I stab it with my big sausage fingers.

Exactly. Only the stenciled part -- the actual button, if you will -- is what's used.

**Sriram Muralidharan** · 04-22-2013, 03:20 PM

I found a solution to this problem. It helped me. Now the home button is much more responsive.

**neilnat** · 04-23-2013, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Phil Nickinson

Exactly. Only the stenciled part -- the actual button, if you will -- is what's used.

Wow. Epiphany. I was coming from an Atrix 4g where the buttons were more of a defined area. It seems like HTC could save a lot of gripe if they expanded the touch sensitive area to larger area... this problem has been mentioned in at least 4-5 threads. Is this software level, firmware level, or hardware level.... seems like the first two could be changed

**zenonssss** · 05-06-2013, 09:09 AM

I did the calibration routine a couple of times ...... no good still the same , home key not working

**TimmyB** · 05-06-2013, 12:02 PM

Hey, zenon. Sorry you're having issues. We should all LOVE our cool new phone!

I have noticed that when you press the home button, you will see a momentary flash at the bottom of the screen, right ABOVE the four docked icons, that will show which of the home screens you are on. If you get to your home screen, you should be able to press your home button multiple times and see if it is registering your touch or not. This should help you determine if the problem is: (1) user-error, not touching the button; (2) software, it is registering the touch, but doing nothing; or (3) hardware, not registering the touch at all.

Let us know what you discover!

**airride** · 05-06-2013, 06:53 PM

Hey
I had my HTC one for two weeks now ,my home button sometimes don't work either ,I think mine is because I'm not touching the home button directly.

**dwd3885** · 05-06-2013, 10:51 PM

Return the phone if having issues here. I had the same problem, home button and back button worked intermittently.. Exchanged the phone and all is well now.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

**airride** · 05-07-2013, 06:45 PM

I re calbrate the g sensor and it seems too work good now

**airride** · 05-09-2013, 11:13 AM

My phone is still acting up ,the home button wasn't working sometimes

So I brought it in and got a brand new replavemt phone

**TimmyB** · 05-09-2013, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by airride

My phone is still acting up ,the home button wasn't working sometimes

So I brought it in and got a brand new replavemt phone

Great. Now your "c" key on the keyboard is broken!

**Zekerink** · 05-09-2013, 12:38 PM

I put a screen protector (Spigen Steinheil Ultra Crystal - ) on my phone and noticed a big drop in touch sensitivity down at the bottom of the screen where the Home button is located. The central part of the screen isn't affected as much as it is down at the bottom.

The button worked pretty good for me before I installed it, though as has been pointed out, touch and tap activation had to be precise. I notice now that the amount of pressure I have to use to activate is great enough that, if I had to, I couldn't drag my finger across it to do so because my finger would stick to the screen (surface friction) when doing so, preventing the action.

That's a bit weird, but I guess goes along with the type of SP material I'm using. I'm definitely going to change it to something better as soon as I get the chance because it is that problematic for me.