What's the deal with iPhone 7 Home Button Replacements?

If you’re having problems with iPhone 7 home buttons, you’re not the only one. In addition to biometrics not working (as is with all iPhone models with the fingerprint scanner since the iPhone 5S), there’s been talk in the repair industry that replacement home buttons for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have no button functions, essentially rendering them useless regardless of manufacturer, supplier, or brand. Techs have also reported flex cables being extremely soft and easy to knick or tear, and the connector pad position making seating incredibly tricky.

We’re here to tell you - these rumors are true. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus home buttons retain zero functionality whether they’re replaced by an aftermarket version or swapped from device to device. Regardless of manufacturer or supplier, any aftermarket button that isn’t married to the motherboard won’t function as intended.

Counter to chatter about the cause of this issue being an iOS 10 software lock, we are led to believe that’s not the case. While Apple has been known to pull this kind of “security” trick before ( a la Error 53… ), it looks like the problem is actually an unfortunate side-effect of the solid state button design, and not a clever ruse to deter independent repairs.

From what we can tell, the feature on an iPhone 7 home button responds to biometric force. Also, the haptic vibrating motor is the same feature that scans fingerprints for identification, which is coded directly to the logic board. The solid-state design of the home button is reduced to a piece of glass without that working fingerprint sensor. Whether or not this design feature is an intentional deterrent, or an unfortunate side-effect of an elegant design (again, this wouldn’t be the first time Apple has tried to force repairs to the Genius Bar), is still up in the air.

If it is, in fact, a mechanical side-effect and not a software lock (of which there is no actual proof that it is), the only solution leading to a functional home button is taking the device to Apple for pairing. While this finding is unfortunate for the aftermarket and independant repair industry, our team is continuing the hunt to find a solution. With our newest hub in the heart of the Chinese marketplace, we’ll bring customers new technology as soon as it becomes available.

Why do we sell iPhone 7 home buttons if they aren’t functional?

Even if there is no foreseeable chance that an iOS 10 update will reactivate the button functions, if a home button is cracked, it can be replaced.

The short and sweet of it is, the replacement home buttons serve as a dust cover. We’ve chosen to keep the part on the website because while the directional and button touch functions are lost, Assistive Touch still makes for a completely usable experience even without a home button (so much, that we doubt the soon-to-be-released iPhone 8 will have any home button at all). It is easily accessed through the menu settings even if the button is disabled.

The iPhone 7 home button functionality seems as though it was designed strategically enough that Apple was likely aware of the issue during the iPhone 7 design process. The sole use for aftermarket home buttons on the market as it stands, is simply to fill a hole should the original get cracked or damaged. Considering the solid state design of the button itself, it isn’t going to break due to heavy use (the “button mashing” syndrome that affects the 5’s and 6’s). The flexes are dangerously soft and easy to knick, although, and dropping anything at just the right angle can cause cracks and chips.

Clearing the confusion surrounding iPhone 7 home buttons, and helping you proceed informed, is just another way we are aiming to help your business succeed! Stay tuned for more inside knowledge here on our blog, YouTube channel, and social media.