[Fairphone FP6] Home button not working

Using /e/OS Troubleshooting
,
1
  • Fairphone 6
  • 4.2-a16-20260815662938-official-FP6

Every now and then, the “home” button stops working, and I have to restart the device to get it working again.To explain further: when this happens, the button responds to touch (displaying the small press animation) but doesn’t do its job of taking me back to the home screen.
Adding that I use the “3 buttons navigation” setting.

This has been happening ever since I received the Fairphone 6 (it must have been on version 3.9) and persists despite the updates.

I’ve searched the forum a bit but haven’t found anything conclusive. Is this issue already known? Does it occur on other devices or only on the Fairphone 6? Is there a solution?

Thanks for your help.

2

Unfortunately, I do not own a FP6. However, you probably use 3-button navigation? Maybe another FP6 user can share their experience?

3

Yes, I use the “3 button navigation” setting. I edited the OP to add this information.

4

I don’t use the 3 button layout but sometimes when I unlock the phone it “hangs” on the opened app selection screen. When that happens I just swipe up from the button “bar” (again, no 3-buttons) and I can continue…

5

I have the same configuration than you and never experience such an issue.

Did you determine if the problem occurs with only specic apps?

6

Sometimes it happen without any app open, and sometimes it happens while I’m using an app (the ones I use the most are Signal, Firefox, Comaps and Mail).

I thouht first it was caused by a specific app but as it happens with most of them I don’t think it’s the case here.

7

It might be related to parameters in Systems \ Buttons \ Home long press action | Home double tap action (Système \ Boutons \ Appui long sur le bouton d’accueil | Appui double sur le bouton d’accueil). For me all these parameters are set to No action (Aucune action).

8

As a follow to the suggestion of @eOSPC92 I did not previously realise that the Home button could have multiple alternative options.

I have frequently had issues (on a Moto) where tap can be confused with long press as if it is a screen sensitivity issue. Seems to me that dry fingers and “the wrong sort of tap” play a part too.

9

It could have been a valid solution, but I always set those buttons to “no action” on long press.
In doubt I’ve already checked and it’s the case.

I’m wondering if there is a way to debug like using xev on Linux?

10

After several days without any issues, the problem occurred again.
It happened after I updated a few apps on App Lounge.
Note: App Lounge had been offering me these updates for a few days but was unable to install them (there were error messages that I didn’t note, or the updates simply got stuck at 0%).
When I was finally able to update the apps last night (using my Wi-Fi network) and after closing App Lounge, the problem came back.
Restarting the phone fixed the problem.
I’ll see if it happens again the next time I use App Lounge to update apps, which might help me better understand the issue.