The iPhone’s Action button replaces the former ring/mute switch, and while it can fulfill the same purpose, there’s much more you can do with it. Apple gives you a bunch of options out of the box if you want instant access to your flashlight, camera, Shazam and more.
You pick the function, and it’s just a button push away. You can even turbo-charge the Action button by running a shortcut.
Setting up the Action button to do your bidding is easy. And once you do, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy quick access to your favorite feature.
How to use the iPhone Action button
Apple introduced the Action button in 2023 on the iPhone 15 Pro, then extended it to the entire iPhone 16 lineup. Sure, some people complain about the Action button’s location (just above the volume rockers on the iPhone’s left side). But the Action button offers a surprisingly useful way to quickly access some of your favorite iPhone tools.
Here’s what it can do.
Set the Action button to whatever you want
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Changing what the Action button does could hardly be simpler. Just open Settings > Action Button, then pick a feature you want to use. You can choose from several settings using the unusual user interface — swipe left or right to pick one.
The iPhone’s stock Action button actions include:
- Silent Mode: Switch between Silent and Ring for calls and alerts.
- Focus: Turn Focus on to silence notifications and filter out distractions. Leave it on “All Focus Modes” if you want to see the menu of options every time. Or pick a specific Focus to toggle one that you use often.
- Camera: Open the Camera app to capture a moment. Choose between Photo, Selfie, Video, Portrait or Portrait Selfie for the default camera mode.
- Flashlight: Turn on extra light when you need it.
- Voice Memo: Record personal notes, musical ideas and more.
- Recognize Music: Find out what song is playing nearby or on your iPhone with Shazam.
- Translate: Translate phrases or have a conversation with someone in another language.
- Magnifier: Turn your iPhone into a magnifying glass to zoom in on and detect objects near you.
- Controls: Quickly access your favorite Control. Tap Choose a Control… to pick one from the list — these are all the same options you’ll find in Control Center on iOS 18.
- Shortcut: Open an app or run your favorite shortcut. This is a powerful feature — you can make some really advanced shortcuts.
- Accessibility: Quickly use an accessibility feature. Tap Choose a feature… to pick one. (Here’s a roundup of all 25 iPhone accessibility features. Some prove surprisingly handy.)
- No Action: With this selected, the Action button becomes an actionless button.
Unlock extra capabilities by setting the Action button to Shortcut
As mentioned, choosing the Shortcut option proves wildly useful if you’re willing to put in a little effort. Using Apple’s Shortcuts app, the sky is basically the limit. You can create your own shortcuts (or download shortcuts from other people) that open up advanced capabilities to suit your specific needs.
For instance, because I own an iPhone 16 Pro with the Camera Control, I don’t set my Action button to open the camera or magnifier. Instead, I use it to run a shortcut that adds whatever I type into my grocery list. Now when I say to myself, “Oh, I should add that to my grocery list,” I can actually add it in just five seconds.
For more information and inspiration on using shortcuts, read our post on eight cool things you can do with the iPhone Action button.
