UKC

The mechanical switch on left side of the screen on my iPad has ceased to function - it's been threatening to do this for some time now, but seems it's finally given up the ghost. It's the thing that changes mode from internet > email > photos etc and is at the moment stuck on internet. Has anyone else had this happen? Is it possible to repair/clean/replace it? Is there any way to bypass it?

Thanks.

In reply to jon:

Do you mean the "home" button? The round one on the front panel?

Whichever it is, however, it is not a repair for the faint-hearted
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPad+Wi-Fi+Home+Button+Switch+Replacement/2207
I'm guessing it's a first gen iPad - the newer they are, the harder to repair they become as Apple gets more enthusiastic about using glue

Not that I'm accusing you of being faint-hearted, of course.
It's doable, definitely

In reply to pneame:

Yes, the home button. You've every right to accuse me of being faint hearted...

It's an iPad 2. The only thing that worries me (flushed with success in dismantling and reassembling my Lumix camera to remove dust from the sensor... ) is that the repair seems to rely on the possession of a metal spludger...?!

Anyway, I've now found that the home button can be bypassed by a five fingered pinch action to get the home screen.

Strangely though, the rotation/lock rotation switch has now also died and the screen is locked with the home button on the right. Not that that is a problem. Could this be built-in obsolescence at its absolute perfection?

As you can probably tell, it's raining...

In reply to jon:

I hope not! That's the same as my iPad vintage - although I fondled an iPad Air2 the other day and it's very light and very thin....

I didn't know about the five fingered thing...... ooh yes, quite cool.

Somewhere in settings is a control for what the rotation button does.

So now I've looked at repair of an iPad2 - hell's teeth
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPad+2+Wi-Fi+EMC+2415+Home+Button+Control+Boar...

It involves a microwave. And $70. It would be at the limit of my tolerance level for difficulty!