It is very annoying, but it can still happen that a button on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch no longer works. You can of course have it repaired or get started yourself with one of our repair videos.
If you do not want this, you also have the option to operate all buttons on your iDevice via software. Most problems occur with the home button of the iPhone or iPad, but the volume buttons can also experience problems.
Control iPhone or iPad buttons with AssistiveTouch
- Open Settings
- Go to ‘Accessibility’
- Choose ‘Touch’
- Go to ‘AssistiveTouch
- Enable the option of the same name
Do you have an iPhone or iPad with iOS 12 or earlier? Then you can enable the option via Settings ▸ General ▸ Accessibility ▸ AssistiveTouch
After the feature is enabled, a white circle with a black border will appear on the screen. Various options are already activated by default, but you can adjust these to your own wishes. Tap Customize Top Menu in AssistiveTouch settings to choose the number of symbols activated, then tap the plus button to associate a feature, including Home, which acts as a home button. These features and options are immediately accessible when you activate AssistiveTouch by tapping the white circle.
Perfect replacement for home button
If the home button no longer functions or you have difficulty with swiping gestures, choose the options: Home, Home button three times or multitasking. If the slide switch no longer works, select ‘Mute’. With the ‘Device’ option you can also control other hardware buttons on your iDevice, such as volume and mute, via AssistiveTouch. If the on/off button is defective, select: Lock and Unlock; However, it is advisable to have this repaired as soon as possible, otherwise you will no longer be able to turn your iPhone or iPad on or off.
You also have the option to choose long-term pressing; when you press and hold the AssistiveTouch button (the white circle) for a few seconds, the associated function or option will be executed immediately. If AssistiveTouch gets in the way, you can drag it anywhere along the edge of the screen. AssistiveTouch always remains active on the screen so you can always refer to it, but after a period of inactivity the option becomes translucent.