How to use AssistiveTouch if an iPhone button is broken

In short

Open Settings, tap Accessibility, Touch, AssistiveTouch and switch it on. A floating button appears. Tap it for a menu with Home, Siri, Control Centre, volume, screenshot and lock, so you can use the phone without the physical buttons.

3 of 5 steps show a real screenshot from our iPhone 14 Pro.

What changed: added how to move or hide the AssistiveTouch button.

Steps

1. 1

   Open Settings, Accessibility, Touch

   Touch is the first row under Physical and Motor.

   Done
   
2. 2

   Tap AssistiveTouch and switch it on

   It is the first row on the Touch page. Switch on AssistiveTouch at the top of the next page. A grey round button appears. Drag it to any edge of the screen.

   Done
   
3. 3

   Tap the button to open the menu

   The menu offers Notification Centre, Device, Control Centre, Home, Siri and Custom.

   Done
   Illustration
4. 4

   Use Device for hardware actions

   Tap Device for Lock Screen, Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute and Rotate Screen. Tap More for Screenshot, Restart and Emergency SOS.

   Done
   Illustration
5. 5

   Customise the menu

   On the AssistiveTouch page, tap Customise Top Level Menu to choose which icons appear. Under Custom Actions, set what a single tap, double tap or long press on the button does.

   Done
   

Move or hide the AssistiveTouch button

• Move it Drag the button to any edge of the screen. Apple says it stays there until you move it again, so park it away from the keyboard and the buttons you use most. Source: Use AssistiveTouch on your iPhone
• Make it fainter On the AssistiveTouch page, Idle Opacity sets how visible the button is while you are not using it. Ours was at 40 %.

  

• Hide it completely Switch AssistiveTouch off on the same page. Apple says you can also add it to the Accessibility Shortcut, so you can switch it back on quickly. Source: Use AssistiveTouch on your iPhone

If this does not work

• Cannot reach Settings to turn it on? If the broken button has left you stuck, Apple lists other ways in. Ask Siri to turn on AssistiveTouch, or add AssistiveTouch to the Accessibility Shortcut in Settings, Accessibility, so it can be switched on from Control Center later.
• The menu closes on its own? One tap anywhere outside the menu closes it. Keep your other fingers off the screen while you choose an item, and tap the button again to reopen it.
• Double-tap or long press feels too fast? Under Custom Actions, Apple lets you adjust how long a double-tap can take and how long the button must be held for a long press. Slow these down if the wrong action keeps firing.

Good to know

To turn the phone off without the side button, open Settings, General, Shut Down. Plug in the charger to turn it back on.

Don't worry, a broken button can usually be repaired. AssistiveTouch is a workaround to keep you going until then.

Turning it on changes no other setting. To undo it, go back to Settings, Accessibility, Touch, AssistiveTouch and switch it off. Your custom menu and actions are kept for next time, so switching it back on later brings the same layout.

Back Tap is a useful partner when a button fails. Apple's Back Tap page, in Settings, Accessibility, Touch, lets a double or triple tap on the back of the phone take a screenshot, open Control Center or trigger the Accessibility Shortcut. On an iPhone 8 or later this gives you a second way in without touching the screen button.

About this guide

Device

iPhone

Shown on

iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 14 Pro)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Accessibility › Touch

Real screenshots

3 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Sources

• Apple Support: Use AssistiveTouch on your iPhone
• Apple Support: Use Back Tap on your iPhone

Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.

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