The title of this post may suggest that only the home button was replaced on this particular iPad, but in truth this is only half the story. The previous screen had shattered into tiny pieces having been dropped, and upon unpicking the old screen with the combination of a heat gun and some tweezers, unfortunately I discovered the home button ribbon had been cut too.
I fitted the new screen, or to give it the correct name – the Digitizer, a week or so ago, and ordered the replacement button. It was now time to fit it.
Half of the work was already done as I hadn’t glued down the new Digitizer just yet I position the new button and ran the ribbon carefully along the inside, folding it in the correct place to reach the connector, and attached it. I used super strong super glue to hold the button clamp in place, and also gently applied some glue around the edge of the button to secure it in place.
Having tested to ensure there was a satisfying ‘press and click’ when the button was touched, I left the glue to set overnight, before returning the next day to glue the Digitzer and use clamps to hold it in place all day why the adhesive set.
It was lovely to see the iPad switch on again and be useful once again. This iPad will now go off back to a Secondary School in Hartlepool ready to be used once again.