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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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The Action button, introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro models and now featured on all iPhone 16 models, offers users a customizable hardware button for quick access to various functions. With iOS 18, Apple has expanded its capabilities to include Control Center functions, which could potentially increase its utility for many users.

iOS-18-Control-Center-Toggles-for-Action-Button-Feature.jpg

Despite its versatility, user adoption of the Action button has been mixed. For example, in April 2024 a MacRumors survey of iPhone 15 Pro users revealed that while some found the button a "game changer," particularly for activating custom Shortcuts, over half of respondents often forgot the button is even there. The most common uses among those who did use it included activating the camera or flashlight – functions already accessible via the default Lock screen.
However, the new ability to assign Control Center functions to the Action button may change its reception, and could address common criticisms about its limited usefulness. By providing quick access to frequently used Control Center settings, it may solve the "out of sight, out of mind" problem and make the Action button more integral to your daily iPhone use. For those looking to give the Action button another chance or maximize its potential, here's how to set it up:
  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap Action Button.
  3. Swipe through the available actions until you reach Controls.
  4. Tap the chevrons next to "Choose a Control."
  5. Scroll through the Control Center options or use the search bar at the top to find a specific control.
  6. Tap on the desired control to assign it to the Action button.
action-button-controls.jpg


Some of the Control Center functions you can assign include Dark Mode, Airplane Mode, Cellular Data, Personal Hotspot, Quick Note, and Scan Code. Third-party app controls may also be available, depending on the apps installed on your device. Here's a full list of what's available:
[*]Calculator
[*]Stopwatch
[*]Alarm
[*]Home
[*]Timer
[*]Dark Mode
[*]Airplane Mode
[*]Cellular Data


[*]Personal Hotspot
[*]Open Music
[*]Quick Note
[*]Remote
[*]Scan Code
[*]Wallet
[*]Tap to Cash
[*]Ping My Watch



Looking at the above list, you may have noticed that not all Control Center toggles are available as Action button controls. For example, while you can assign cellular data control, Wi-Fi control is not an option. Weirdly, neither is Orientation Lock or Low Power Mode. Whether Apple plans to rectify these omissions in a future software update remains unclear. Regardless, you can still use Shortcuts to activate the missing functions.
Once you've set up your preferred Control Center function out of those that are available, you can activate it by pressing and holding the Action button. This provides a convenient way to toggle features or access tools without navigating through menus or opening the Control Center.

Apple-iPhone-15-Pro-lineup-Action-button-230912.jpg

While some users may still find it challenging to incorporate the Action button into their daily usage, experimenting with different Control Center functions could help dial in just the right amount of muscle memory that reminds you it's there.

Article Link: Assign Control Center Functions to Your iPhone's Action Button
 

GlassFingers

macrumors member
Mar 10, 2020
53
34
I still mostly have no use for this button. 😂 I immediately set it to toggle silent mode like the previous switch that used to be in this spot.

Toggling orientation sounds like something I might possibly use…
 

Antes

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2014
192
460
What would be really useful is if we could map Reachability to the action button since I can just map Silent Mode to the Lock Screen shortcut. Using the Action button for this would b perfect and more reliable than the double back tap and even the bottom swipe.
 
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viachicago22

macrumors 6502
Sep 20, 2013
375
120
I’ve had it set to a shortcut to toggle orientation lock and use it daily. Hopefully they add this option, if not I recommend that shortcut!
 

7thson

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2012
1,397
1,538
Six Rivers, CA
I’d like to see multi tap supported to allow multiple functions being assigned depending on single, double and triple presses. It seems obvious but I guess it’s not on their radar.
 
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ignatius345

macrumors 604
Aug 20, 2015
7,572
12,918
As useful as it would be to map out some of these functions, the thing I need by far the most frequently is to toggle ring/silent. I really wish they'd just left the previous switch in place and added the Action Button, then I'd be going nuts with it, probably.

As it is, I just have a button instead of a switch, and the button is slightly worse at its job than the switch was. It's not the end of the world, but it's a questionable design decision IMO.

Can’t believe that you’re still limited to just one action. Then, if you don’t want to lose the mute functionality, this button brings no improvement at all compared to the old mute switch!
Totally. I really thought at some point they would add a way for it to recognize a quick push of the button, for one thing. Press and hold for the ringer switch, quick click for some additional function (or maybe vice versa). Doesn't seem all that hard!
 
Last edited:

B4U

macrumors 68040
Oct 11, 2012
3,689
4,363
Undisclosed location
As useful as it would be to map out some of these functions, the thing I need by far the most frequently is to toggle ring/silent. I really wish they'd just left the previous switch in place and added the Action Button, then I'd be going nuts with it, probably.

As it is, I just have a button instead of a switch, and the button is slightly worse at its job than the switch was. It's not the end of the world, but it's a questionable design decision IMO.
I am so with you on this.
As it is my work phone, I need to easily put it into ring and silent in my pocket without looking at it.
This design change makes it a pain to work with.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
35,142
25,212
Gotta be in it to win it
As useful as it would be to map out some of these functions, the thing I need by far the most frequently is to toggle ring/silent. I really wish they'd just left the previous switch in place and added the Action Button, then I'd be going nuts with it, probably.

As it is, I just have a button instead of a switch, and the button is slightly worse at its job than the switch was. It's not the end of the world, but it's a questionable design decision IMO.
This was my response as well in another thread to another poster about the action button. And the response I got was if “Steve Jobs was still alive”. Proof positive apple cannot please all of it’s customers all of the time.
Totally. I really thought at some point they would add a way for it to recognize a quick push of the button, for one thing. Press and hold for the ringer switch, quick click for some additional function (or maybe vice versa). Doesn't seem all that hard!
 
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bluespark

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2009
3,166
4,117
Chicago
They should have eliminated this button when they added the new camera button, as that button is more technically sophisticated. There is no reason why they couldn't also allow users to set that button for non-camera functions if they chose to do so. As is, we now have a crazy number of buttons and they detract from the iPhone's former elegance.
 

Mavrick33332

macrumors newbie
Jun 15, 2020
22
20
There are workarounds if you're willing to spend a bit of time on this.
I agree. I need
As useful as it would be to map out some of these functions, the thing I need by far the most frequently is to toggle ring/silent. I really wish they'd just left the previous switch in place and added the Action Button, then I'd be going nuts with it, probably.

As it is, I just have a button instead of a switch, and the button is slightly worse at its job than the switch was. It's not the end of the world, but it's a questionable design decision IMO.


Totally. I really thought at some point they would add a way for it to recognize a quick push of the button, for one thing. Press and hold for the ringer switch, quick click for some additional function (or maybe vice versa). Doesn't seem all that hard!
Hard agree. Why not give us a long push/or hard push to do a second action? I need the right/silent -but would also love a flashlight to turn on if I hold it for say 3 seconds.
 

alexandr

macrumors 603
Nov 11, 2005
5,764
10,482
11201-121099
I agree. I need

Hard agree. Why not give us a long push/or hard push to do a second action? I need the right/silent -but would also love a flashlight to turn on if I hold it for say 3 seconds.
Me too, haven't done this yet as I skipped last year's model and my 16PM hasn't arrived yet, but found a couple of useful videos for this.
 
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DunedinD

macrumors member
Oct 15, 2021
72
222
I am so with you on this.
As it is my work phone, I need to easily put it into ring and silent in my pocket without looking at it.
This design change makes it a pain to work with.
You don’t need to look at it. Four quick vibrations means youve sliced the phone, whereas one means you’ve unmuted.
 
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allenvanhellen

macrumors 6502a
Dec 8, 2015
665
1,325
Ginme music playback controls! One press for play/pause, two for next song, three for previous, just like on the Apple headphones. And make it work only with the Music app (or Spotify or whatever you assign), so you can control music playback just as if the iPhone had an iPod inside, or like you’re playing music on your Mac, where sound from a video or game doesn’t stop the music.
 

CarlJ

Contributor
Feb 23, 2004
7,011
12,215
San Diego, CA, USA
Totally. I really thought at some point they would add a way for it to recognize a quick push of the button, for one thing. Press and hold for the ringer switch, quick click for some additional function (or maybe vice versa). Doesn't seem all that hard!
Yep, ever since the Action Button appeared, what I've wanted is a mode that recreates the button on headphone cables - pres once to play/pause, double tap to skip forward, triple-tap to skip backwards. Then, since long press isn't needed for Siri, leave long-press for ring/mute.

This whole "button only works with a long press" no matter what you choose seems hare-brained. All the other buttons on the phone are allowed to work with short presses (and many accept long presses and double taps as well).
 
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chairguru22

macrumors 6502a
May 31, 2006
668
159
PA
I use it as selfie camera. The camera button brings up regular camera. So when I’m in the bike it’s quicker controls.
 
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