Skip to main content

You won’t miss the home button on the iPhone X, thanks to these new gestures

One of the biggest complaints about the iPhone X — besides the lack of Touch ID — is its complete lack of a home button. Instead of the standard set of gestures and buttons that have defined the product for years, iPhone users must now
Recommended Videos
relearn how to navigate Apple’s latest headset. Gone are the days of simply swiping up to access the Control Center and down for notifications, but, thankfully, the new gestures aren’t a huge departure from the originals.

Swiping down on the screen of your iPhone X will still bring up notifications, but only if you swipe from the left side of the screen to the right side of the notch in the center. If you swipe from the right side of said notch (where the battery and signal icons are located), you will now bring up the Control Center, which used to be located at the bottom of the screen.

Swiping up from the bottom now brings up the home screen, nixing the need for the traditional home button. Simply swipe up from the small line located on the bottom of your lock screen, or from the very edge of your phone. Easy, right?

iPhone X
Image used with permission by copyright holder

While you could swipe up in the same motion and hold your finger in the middle of the screen to access Multitasking, there’s a actually a faster way to do it. To open Multitasking immediately, swipe up from the button of your screen and to the right in one motion.

The latest iteration of iOS 11 also offers Multitasking Gestures, which allow you to quickly access the last app you were using — simply swipe right along the bottom of your screen to do so. If you swipe to the left, you can even bring up the  app you used before that.

Many iPhone X users also miss Accessibility mode, a feature seemingly absent on the latest iPhone. In previous iPhone models, lightly tapping twice on the home button allowed you to pull the contents of your screen down, allowing you to access them more easily with one hand. Thankfully, you can still do this! After you’ve ensured Reachability is toggled on — you can do this by going to Settings > Accessibility — swipe down on the very bottom of your screen to trigger the feature.

Gesture controls aren’t the only thing Apple changed with the new iPhone. The physical buttons lining the sides of the iPhone now perform different functions to some extent, because of the missing home button. To turn off your device, hold the Sleep/Wake button and one of the volume buttons (it doesn’t matter which one) until you see a prompt to power down.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you hold the Sleep/Wake button for an extended period of time, you’ll activate Siri. If you double tap it, Apple Pay will launch. To take a screenshot, hold the Volume Up and Sleep/Wake button for one second, or until you see a copy of the screenshot appear in the lower-left corner. With all the same features — along with a few new-and-improved ones — just a click or two away, you’re not going to miss the home button on the iPhone X.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

Brie Barbee
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brie is a writer from Portland, Oregon. She received a bachelor's degree from Portland State University in 2016, where she…
The best iPhones in 2024: Which iPhone is right for you?
The iPhone 16 Plus next to the iPhone 16 Pro Max

Imagine having an AI assistant on your phone that can analyze documents, write emails, and even generate creative content. That future is closer than you think with Apple Intelligence, and the newest iPhones are leading the way.

While the latest iPhone 16 models offer cutting-edge technology, older models like the iPhone 15 remain excellent. They provide a similar experience at a lower cost; some even come in unique colors that are no longer available on newer models.

Read more
Best iPhone deals: Save on iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro Max and more
iPhone 13 Pro in blue.

With the popularity of Apple’s iPhone lineup it can sometimes be difficult to find iPhone deals. Today, however, iPhone deals make for some of the best phone deals and best Apple deals to shop, as we’re seeing discounts on nearly every iPhone model. That includes iPhone 15 deals, iPhone 14 deals, and iPhone SE deals. So if you’re looking for some savings on a new iPhone, all of the best iPhone deals worth taking a look at can be found below. You can add to your Apple savings by shopping AirPods deals or iPad deals, or if you’re looking for an entirely different software ecosystem for your next phone be sure to check out what’s going on among today’s best Samsung Galaxy S24 deals, the best Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals, and the best Google Pixel 8 deals.
iPhone 15 128GB (renewed) — $600 $635 6% off

The Apple iPhone 15 finally brings with it Dynamic Island which we’ve only previously seen on the Pro range. It’s a real game changer at times and is very convenient. Alongside that, the Apple iPhone 15 has the Ceramic Shield front to keep it more protected while its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display promises to be up to two times brighter than the iPhone 14 in the sun. There’s also a 48MP main camera with 2x telephoto lens to help you take great shots. The A16 Bionic chip has plenty of processing power to aid with software adjustments.

Read more
The iPhone 17 Pro cameras could get a huge upgrade
iPhone 16 Pro Max in Desert Titanium.

The iPhone 16 is barely out but we've already heard quite a few rumors about the iPhone 17. For one, we know it's going to lack an iconic model. It's highly likely Apple is discontinuing the Plus series, instead opting for a base iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. There's also a new, debut phone in the works that's been called the iPhone 17 Air or the Slim — you get no prizes for guessing what its selling point will be.

There's potentially a bigger upgrade coming, though. The iPhone 17 is rumored to have a much higher-resolution front camera than the iPhone 16 does. Currently, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max both have a 12-megapixel front camera, but the iPhone 17 Pro might potentially double that with a 24MP front camera, according to tipster Jeff Pu and GSMArena.

Read more