Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will inherit the Action button first introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro. This versatile button replaces the traditional Ring/Silent switch, offering a range of customizable functions to enhance your iPhone experience.
Here are seven things the Action button can do for you:
1. Accessibility
Quickly access various accessibility settings, such as VoiceOver, Zoom, AssistiveTouch, Live Speech, and more, with a single press of the Action button.
2. Shortcuts
Open your favorite app or run a shortcut created in or downloaded from the Shortcuts app, such as sending a message, playing a playlist, or controlling smart home devices.
3. Silent Mode
Toggle silent mode on or off, muting or unmuting the ringer and alerts, similar to the Ring/Silent switch on existing iPhone models.
4. Camera
Take a photo, selfie, video, portrait, or portrait selfie with a single press of the Action button.
5. Flashlight
Turn the flashlight on or off with a quick tap of the Action button.
6. Focus
Activate or deactivate a Focus mode with the Action button.
7. Magnifier, Translate, Voice Memos
Activate the Magnifier app to use your iPhone’s camera as a magnifying glass, launch the Translate app to start a conversation or text translation, or start/stop recording a voice memo with the Voice Memos app.With iOS 18, the Action button’s functionality will expand even further. You’ll be able to assign it to controls available in the new Control Center gallery, including Calculator, Stopwatch, Alarm, Home, Timer, Dark Mode, Scan Code, Airplane Mode, Cellular Data, Personal Hotspot, Quick Note, Remote, Wallet, Tap to Cash, and Ping My Watch.
The Action button’s press-and-hold gesture, combined with fine-tuned haptic feedback and visual cues in the Dynamic Island, ensures a smooth and intuitive user experience. Customize the Action button in Settings to suit your preferences and make the most of its versatility on your iPhone 16.
