You probably know the obvious functions of your iPhone or iPad’s physical buttons, like changing volume or viewing your apps. Do you know all their hidden abilities, too?

Home Button

The primary function of the round Home Button, located at the bottom of the front face of devices that have one, is to go home—literally, to show the Home Screen with your apps. If your device has Touch ID, the fingerprint sensor is also built into the Home Button.

The Home Button has the following additional functions:

  • Press once to wake a sleeping device, or to go to the first Home Screen when showing any other Home Screen
  • Double-press to show the app switcher when a device is unlocked or to show Apple Pay when a device is locked
  • Triple-press for accessibility shortcuts as defined in Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut

Top/Side Button

One side of an iPhone or iPad has a button all to itself. On iPhones from the original to the 5s as well as the SE, and on all iPads, this button is on the right side of the top edge (when the device is oriented portrait)—hence the Top Button. All other larger iPhones have the button on their right side, opposite the volume buttons—hence the Side Button.

Also known as the Sleep/Wake Button, this button physically depresses and has the following functions:

  • Hold for 1–3 seconds to power on device; hold for 3 seconds on a device with a Home Button to prompt for shutdown
  • Press once to wake a sleeping device, sleep/lock one that is awake, silence an incoming call, or cancel an alarm
  • Press twice to decline an incoming call and send a phone call to voicemail
  • Press five times quickly to prompt for Medical ID or Emergency SOS
  • On devices without a Home Button: Double-press to initiate Face ID when purchasing in supported store apps or, when locked, to show Apple Pay; triple-press for Accessibility Shortcuts; other functions require pressing together with one or more other buttons

Volume Buttons

Obviously, the primary function of the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons, located on the left side of each portrait-oriented device, is to increase or decrease the volume, respectively.

There are two primary types of volume to control: alerts/ringtones and media/games. A Sounds setting can control whether the ringer mirrors the media volume or is controlled separately.

In some scenarios, it can be difficult to identify which volume type is in use and how to set it as desired. Let me know if you run into confusion with this.

Additionally, both volume buttons can be used as the camera shutter and to silence a call or cancel an alarm.

Mute Switch

The physical mute switch—“Ring/Silent” as Apple calls it—on every iPhone and some iPads is the easiest way to prevent a device from making noise. iPads with a physical mute switch can optionally use it to set the Rotation Lock, while those without can mute digitally using the bell ( 🔔) in Control Center.

Mute does not prevent a compatible device from vibrating nor a media app from playing sound. However, it’s also one of the most common culprits that leads users to wonder why their devices fail to ring.

With a device in Silent mode, all audio alerts, keyboard sound effects, and ringtones are, naturally, silenced. Keep this in mind the next time you find your device won’t make as much noise as you expect.

Are you getting a feel for the complexity of your mobile device? We’ve barely scratched the surface of all it can do. What would you like to explore next? Email me your suggestions.