Broken iOS Home Button? Use the Assistive On-Screen Version

If you have a home button on your iOS device that just isn't cutting it anymore, there is an option besides playing the button push roulette. We have recently mentioned calibrating your home button, but in some cases even that won't fix it. For those times, consider an easy option – the on-screen home button.

The devices sport a built in Assistive Touch for accessibility purposes, and among the functions this provides is an on screen home button, virtually sidestepping the mechanical one at the bottom of the screen. While it will take up a bit of screen real estate in the bottom corner of the screen, it is a nice option to shelling out for a out of warranty repair. So, how do you turn it on, and what does it do? Read on for dazzling screen shots and clever commentary.

First, go to settings, and then choose "General" as shown above.

Next, scroll down to the Accessibility option.

Then select the AssistiveTouch option. This brings you to yet another screen.

Now, turn on the AssistiveTouch. Immediately the on screen button will appear, and it will stay on the screen in that location until you turn it off. But what does that new corner screen button do? Why, it brings up the AssistiveTouch On-Screen menu, of course.

As you can see, the new soft home button is at the bottom of the menu. This works like your standard mechanical home button, even supporting double clicks. But it might be handy to note some of the other options here as well.

The device option gives you on-screen control of your other hardware buttons, such as volume control, lock screen, and even a choice to simulate a device shake.

And finally, the gestures button simulates multiple finger screen contact. This can be handy if, like me, you find it difficult to fit more than three fingers on the iPhone screen for some rather punitive apps. And, for the record, my fingers aren't fat, they are just muscular from heavy keyboard workouts. That's my story, and I am sticking to it.