Hi Richard,
Will the use of the volume buttons work as a home button as in past
iPhones without the home key? How bout the app switcher. How do you
access it without the home button.
On 2/28/2025 7:32 PM, 'Richard Turner' via VIPhone wrote:
I'm pasting an article from Applevis that David Goldfield sent to his
Tech VI list. I would point out that I can unlock the screen from
pretty much anywhere along the bottom of the screen, for me, it does
not have to be in the center near the charging port. But, for others,
this may vary.
Original Source
<https://www.applevis.com/guides/finding-your-way-home-home-buttonless-world-using-ios-device-without-home-button>
Finding Your Way Home in a (Home) Buttonless World: Using an iOS
Device Without a Home Button
By Scott Davert, 28 February, 2025
Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team
Introduction
With the recent release of the new iPhone 16e,
<https://www.applevis.com/blog/hands-iphone-16e-my-first-impressions> this
means the end of the Home Button for iPhone users. Those who have been
using iPhone SE's for years will now have to face not having a phone
on the market which has the Home Button. We can't bring Touch ID back,
but we can do something about duplicating the function of the Home
Button. While many users have adapted in various ways, including
performing the gesture, the fact remains that this gesture isn't as
simple to perform until you are used to it as hitting a button.
Speaking of buttons, I've sent the feedback several times to Apple
that this should be an option for the Action Button. As of iOS 18.3.1,
this still isn't one, though you can set up a Siri shortcut to assign
the Action Button to the Home gesture (discussed below).
Using the new Gesture
The way in which one now goes to the Home Screen by default with
VoiceOver is to place one finger at the bottom center edge of the
screen and slide up quickly until you feel a slight vibration or hear
the "pop" sound and then release. There are ways of addressing various
challenges associated with this change. For example, I've found that
using the Lightning or USB-C port on the iPhone as a placeholder has
worked in some cases. Though the gesture doesn't have to be centered
exactly, the port can act as a tactile guide of sorts. The advantage
of this method, if effective, is that there is no physical
modification required and transference of knowledge will apply to any
iOS device the user will encounter in the future as long as the iPhone
doesn't lose its one port. For those struggling with the initiation of
the gesture, if you have a case on your iPhone, it is possible to
strategically place a Bump Dot or some other tactile tool on the case
which lines up with where one must place their finger to initiate the
gesture.
But I don't wanna!
Sometimes, people can’t, for various reasons, or don't want, to learn
this gesture. Since it's not something simple like a one-finger double
tap, it's understandable that this may be the case. There are ways to
address this as well. For example, one can set up a customized gesture
to take them to the Home Screen. This is a process I've done many
times, but when doing so, I make sure my consumers are aware that this
gesture is a modification, and that if they wish to continue using it
in the future, they may need to get support with setting it up on new
devices. Here are step-by-step instructions for setting this up with
VoiceOver, with the 2-finger swipe right being the chosen gesture.
1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Commands > Touch
Gestures.
2. Select the gesture desired. For example, swipe right with 2 fingers.
3. Under the System heading, locate Home and select it.
4. iOS may inform you that the gesture you have chosen is already in
use for another function. At that point, you can select Cancel or
Assign, and the appropriate action will be carried out.
Once you have found a gesture that works and press Assign, that is all
that is needed. The reason I chose swipe right with 2 fingers is
because this gesture is assigned to moving into a group when
VoiceOver's Grouped Navigation is enabled. This is a feature I do not
use, so I will not miss it. Those who may miss it can also choose
another gesture.
I don't use VoiceOver, now what?
Another way of doing this which doesn't use VoiceOver is to set up one
of the Back Tap features to take you Home. For those unaware, Back Tap
is a feature on iPhones that lets you do things just by tapping the
back of your phone. You can set it up so that when you tap the back
two or three times, your phone does something like take a screenshot
or go to the Home Screen. It has been my experience that sometimes
whatever is set up on the double Back Tap gesture will get activated
by accident, but that the Triple Back Tap seems to work best. To set
up Back Tap to perform the Home gesture with the Triple Tap, do the
following:
1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap.
2. Toggle this to on.
3. Navigate to Triple Tap and then select.
4. Select Home from the list of options and you will be done.
I've found that the thicker the iPhone's case, the less often the Back
Tap registers. Like any of the other methods above, it's another
possibility.
Taking the Shortcut Home
As noted above, it is possible to create a Siri Shortcut which can
utilize the Action Button on supported devices to take you Home.
Follow the below steps on the compatible iPhone.
1. Download the shortcut, courtesy of AppleVis' very own AnonyMouse.
<https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/51b3da22d8a74d6ea05cfcb487c61b37> on
a compatible iPhone.
2. Activate the shortcut if it does not happen automatically.
3. Select Add Shortcut.
4. Now go to Settings > Action Button.
5. IN the adjustable menu, select Shortcut
6. Select Choose a Shortccut.
7. Select "Go to Home Screen".
8. Press and briefly holdthe Action Button to go Home. Welcome home!
*Tags*
iOS <https://www.applevis.com/guides/ios>
iPhone <https://www.applevis.com/guides/iphone>
VoiceOver <https://www.applevis.com/guides/voiceover>
Disclaimer
The article on this page has generously been submitted by a member of
the AppleVis community. As AppleVis is a community-powered website, we
make no guarantee, either express or implied, of the accuracy or
completeness of the information.
David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
www.DavidGoldfield.com <http://www.davidgoldfield.com/>
Director of Marketing,
Blazie Technologies
www.BlazieTech.com <http://www.blazietech.com/>
Am Yisrael Chai
The Nation of Israel Lives!
JAWS Certified, 2022
<https://www.freedomscientific.com/Training/Certification>
NVDA Certified Expert <https://certification.nvaccess.org/>
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Richard, USA,
"When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to
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-- Barbara J. Winter.
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