The home button in the Samsung Galaxy S5 doubles as a fingerprint reader. The fingerprint reader functionality relies on a fragile cable assembly that is commonly broken upon opening the device. Follow the instructions in this guide to replace a broken home button, or transfer your old home button to your new screen if your replacement screen did not come with one.
This guide is a conditional add-on to the Display Assembly guide, and begins after the last step of that guide.
This guide is a conditional add-on to the Galaxy S5 Display Assembly guide. If you need to replace your home button but have not yet opened your device, start here.
The clear rubber backing of the home button assembly is lightly adhered to the back of the display. The adhesive should be easy to cut through with an opening tool. If you have trouble removing the assembly in the following steps, try heating the area using an iOpener or a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive.
Grab the lifted portion of the home button assembly and gently pull it away from the display, tearing the rest of the adhesive.
As you pull the assembly away, the rubber backing may begin to separate from the home button. The home button is only connected to the rubber backing by a fragile cable, so do your best to keep them together as you pull the assembly out.
If you are transferring your home button to a new display, the original adhesive should be strong enough to keep it in place.
If the original adhesive is not strong enough to hold the button in place while you re-install the display, you can lay the button in the chassis, and then install the display over it—the display assembly will keep the button in place.
If you are installing a new home button, remove the plastic film covering the adhesive, then carefully align the button with the display and press it into place.