Use AssistiveTouch for Physical Button Replacement on iPhone (iOS 18 Guide)


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 If your iPhone’s Side, Home, or Volume buttons are damaged—or you just prefer touch-based control—AssistiveTouch on iOS 18 lets you perform every essential action virtually, right on your screen. Here’s how to enable it and customize it for full, button-free use.

1. Enable AssistiveTouch from Accessibility Settings

AssistiveTouch is part of the built-in Accessibility suite.
To turn it on:

  1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Touch.

  2. Tap AssistiveTouch.

  3. Toggle AssistiveTouch ON.

You’ll now see a floating on-screen button that can be moved anywhere.

2. Customize the AssistiveTouch Menu

You can tailor this menu to replace all physical buttons:

  1. In AssistiveTouch settings, tap Customize Top Level Menu.

  2. Tap any icon → choose an action (for example, Lock Screen, Volume Up, Home, or Screenshot).

  3. To add more options, tap the + button (up to 8 icons).

Recommended Setup for Full Button Replacement:

  • Lock Screen → replaces the Side button

  • Volume Up / Volume Down → replaces hardware volume keys

  • Home → for gesture navigation or app switcher

  • Siri → activates without holding Side button

  • Screenshot → replaces combo buttons

3. Use Gestures and Custom Actions

AssistiveTouch also supports gestures like pinch or multi-finger swipes with a single tap.

To configure quick actions:

  • Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch.

  • Scroll to Custom Actions:

    • Single-Tap → Open Menu

    • Double-Tap → Lock Screen

    • Long Press → Screenshot

You can map any function to these shortcuts—ideal for users with broken buttons or limited dexterity.

4. Adjust the Floating Button Behavior

To reduce distraction or improve usability:

  • Tap Idle Opacity → choose 20–40% for subtle visibility.

  • Enable Always Show Menu if you want one-tap access.

  • Drag the button to any edge of the screen—it will stay docked there.

5. Quickly Toggle AssistiveTouch On or Off

Use any of these methods:

  • Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch → toggle manually.

  • Hey Siri, turn on AssistiveTouch.

  • Or, assign it to the Accessibility Shortcut (triple-click Side button):

    1. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Accessibility Shortcut.

    2. Select AssistiveTouch.

    3. Now triple-click your Side button anytime to toggle it.

AvNexo Tip 💡

If your physical buttons are completely unresponsive, enable AssistiveTouch via Voice Command instead:
Say → “Hey Siri, turn on AssistiveTouch.”
This instantly activates the floating menu even if your screen lock button doesn’t work.

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