Many iPhone users know the side buttons and the touchscreen inside and out, but did you know that there is also one hidden button is on the back of your device? Apple has built in a smart function that allows you to perform actions by simply tapping the back of your iPhone.
This feature is called Back Tap and uses the iPhone’s touch-sensitive body. This technology has been available since the iPhone 8 from 2017, which means that almost all modern iPhones support this trick. With a double or triple tap you can activate all kinds of useful tasks without touching your screen.
Tap on back explained
Of ‘Tap on back‘ you can operate your iPhone by tapping the back of the device two or three times. The iPhone recognizes these taps via sensors and then performs a preset action. You decide which task you link to tapping, so you can choose from:
- Taking a screenshot
- Opening the camera
- Turning on the flashlight
- Show the app switcher
- Controlling accessibility options such as VoiceOver
- Starting a command, shortcut or automation
Especially in combination with the Assignments app, this function becomes extra powerful, because you can link complex automations to a simple tap. This can make operating your iPhone suddenly very different.
This is how you activate the hidden button
- Open ‘Institutions‘ on your iPhone
- Go to ‘Accessibility‘
- Choose ‘To touch‘
- Open the option ‘Tap on back‘
- Select Double tap or Tap three times
- Choose the action you want to link
The list of options is already long by default and by using the Assignments app it is possible to perform even more complex tasks. This way, you can start an automation as soon as you tap the back of your iPhone two or three times.
In the settings for this option you will also find the ‘Show strip’ option, which is the notification that pops up when the tap on the back button is activated and the associated action is performed. Disable the ‘Show strip’ option to not receive a notification.
This is how the hidden button works
Using this feature is not very difficult; when you tap the back of your iPhone two or three times, the associated action is performed. It’s also good to know that tapping three times is more reliable than tapping twice, because putting your iPhone down can sometimes accidentally activate the double tap.
Use a case? No problem. In most cases, ‘Tap on back’ simply works through a case. You may have to tap a little harder depending on the material.
Which iPhones support this?
The feature works on iPhones from iPhone 8 and newer. This is because these models have the right sensors to detect taps on the back.