Galaxy S8 Users Unable To Disable Hard Press Home Button After One UI

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The Samsung Galaxy S8 series was revolutionary in terms of the design as they ditched the physical home button for a pressure sensitive on-screen button. Though the virtual button has worked flawlessly so far, some users are now reporting an issue with the Galaxy S8 hard press Home button functionality.

Issue with Galaxy S8 hard press Home button functionality

Samsung shipped the Galaxy S8 phone with the Android Nougat. Later, the company rolled out Android Oreo based Samsung Experience UI, and in April, the Android 9.0 Pie update (One UI update) was made available.

After updating to Android Pie, several Galaxy S8 users noticed that they were unable to disable the hard press Home button functionality, notes tech site PiunikaWeb. Affected users say that the functionality works even when it is turned off in the Settings.

“Today I updated my s8(g950u1) to Android pie with one ui and since then I can’t disable hard press home button. In settings it is turned off but still works no matter what and pisses me off because of accidental presses,” said one affected user.

Further, some users say that the functionality works as intended when the phone is unlocked, but when the phone is locked, the hard press button wakes up the phone.

Users generally disable the Galaxy S8 hard press Home button functionality as it often results in randomly waking up the phone. This leads to phones turning on in their pocket. Moreover, users say that enabling the accidental touch option and even raising the press sensitivity won’t help and the phone would still turn on in their pocket.

“And now there is no option to turn off the home button while the phone is in the always on display screen. And even turning on the accidental touch option, and increasing press sensitivity, the phone is back to turning on in my pocket again,” said one user.

Apart from the regular users, the issue is understandably more frustrating for gamers. “I’m a serious gamer and I bought the S8 for gaming and this issue is really me off! If I knew how to get oreo back on it I would certainly go that route,” one user said.

Samsung intensifies confusion

Affected users say that they have tried the usual trouble shooting tricks, such as resetting and booting the device in Safe mode, but the issue with the Galaxy S8 hard press Home button functionality remains.

Also, as per PiunikaWeb, the same issue is affecting Note 8 devices as well. “Same issue on my Verizon note 8. Been looking weeks now, no fix and so today as my Cat stepped on the screen just right to wake it up I knew I was done. 2 factory resets, twice online with Verizon to fix, no third for me this time,” a user said on Samsung’s product forum.

Samsung Moderators are in touch with the affected users, but they haven’t yet given any convincing replies. Samsung, on the other hand, has not yet acknowledged the issue. However, the company has quietly updated the support page for the home button, saying the “Show and Hide option for the Home button is no longer available” after the Pie OS update.

Instead of addressing the confusion, this statement from the company complicates the matter further. Hopefully, Samsung will resolve the issue soon.

Meanwhile, if you are also facing the issue with the Galaxy S8 hard press Home button functionality, there is a workaround that you can try. You can set the phone to unlock on pressing the side power button. Though it is not a complete workaround and will only help you when the phone is locked, it still could relieve you from concerns of the phone accidentally waking up inside your pocket somewhat.

Issue with Caller ID fixed

The issue with the Galaxy S8 hard press Home button functionality is not the only problem triggered by the Android Pie/One UI update. Several Galaxy S8 users also complained about the Caller ID and spam protection not working after updating to the Android Pie.

The issue with the Caller ID mainly affected AT&T users. Affected users said that after the Android Pie update, their handsets were not displaying the contact information on incoming calls even for the existing contacts.

Affected users have been reporting the issue for the past few months now, and the only workaround available was to disable the AT&T Call Protect app in the Play Store. Samsung, in this case, acknowledged the issue and assured users of a fix soon.

Now, it seems, the company is delivering on its promise. There are reports that an update currently rolling out in the European region has fixed the issue. Hopefully, the update will soon be available in other regions as well.

Do let us know if you get any update and if it addresses the Caller ID issue.

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