Apple's flagship iPhones are missing a feature that's exclusive to the iPhone SE – the physical Home button – but that classic experience can be added back with the software included in newer models. The same technique works on an iPad as well, expanding the Home button ease beyond the standard model.

Despite complaints that Apple devices can't be customized, iOS and iPadOS are loaded with options to change the look and operation of these modern devices. A huge number of choices are hidden within the multi-layered options of the Settings app, requiring some time spent on different tabs, scrolling, and tapping to find out what's possible. Some of the most interesting functional changes that can be made are found in the Accessibility tab and that is the key to creating a virtual Home button.

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The original iPhone had the iconic Home button, a super-easy way to get back to the Home Screen with a press, and a convenient way to see all open apps with a double-press. Having more screen space is nice, but some might miss the ease and reliability of that ever-present physical control. Thankfully, Apple makes it possible to simulate this experience in a couple of different ways by using the iPhone's Accessibility features. It's possible to place a virtual Home button on the screen using Assistive Touch. A less obtrusive option, however, is to set up Back Tap to perform the two main tasks of the Home button.

Add A Virtual Home Button To iPhone

iPhone 13 With Assistive Touch Button

In the Settings app, go to the 'Accessibility' tab, tap on 'Touch', and then enable 'Assistive Touch' to set up a virtual Home button. Now, select 'Custom Actions' and choose 'Home' for Single-Tap, 'App Switcher' for Double-Tap, and 'Siri' for Long Press. By enabling this, any iPhone that has Face ID technology will be able to recreate the Home button experience with a virtual version that appears on the screen. The button can be repositioned by dragging to the bottom center or anywhere else. Users can tap on 'Idle Opacity' to control how transparent the button becomes when not in use, allowing the screen to be seen through the button.

Alternatively, in the 'Touch' menu under 'Accessibility,' there's a 'Back Tap' option at the bottom of the page that allows setting up something similar. This enables a secret button of sorts for the iPhone, allowing the device to respond to taps on the back panel. There are only two options under Back Tap – 'Double-Tap' and 'Triple-Tap.' Users can choose between 'Home,' 'App Switcher,' or 'Siri' to enable two of the three classic Home button functions. Whether using the virtual home button or Back Tap, users have the option to set different controls apart from traditional home button features – for instance, users may choose to replace 'Siri' with 'Torch' or 'Lock Rotation.' While Apple is accused of limiting the iPhone's customization options, a virtual Home button can easily and quickly be added if wanted.

How To Get To The Home Screen On iPhone

iPhone Gesture Navigation

For users who don't enjoy the experience of using a virtual home button or Back Tap, gestures are the only other form of navigation. To get to the home screen on a modern iPhone, such as an iPhone 13 or iPhone 14, just swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen in any app. Opening the app switcher requires a similar action – swipe up from the home screen and pause to see a carousel of all the open apps. Swipe to the left or right to scroll through the list of apps, and tap on any app to enter it. Users can also swipe up on individual apps from the app switcher to close them.

With gestures, it's also possible to swipe to the right from the bottom of any app to switch to other open apps. By doing this, users can easily switch between the last few recently used apps without having to open the app switcher. Users can also swipe down on the home screen to open a search bar and search for anything stored on their device or on the web. Accessing Siri only requires speaking the hotword 'Hey Siri' to activate the digital assistant, but those who prefer using a button can press and hold the power button instead. While many of these actions can seem overwhelming for users upgrading from older iPhones with Touch ID, a few days of practice can make using gestures second-nature.

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Source: Apple 1, 2