iPhone (iOS) · Accessibility
Add an On-Screen Menu for Gestures and Buttons
AssistiveTouch places a customizable floating button on screen that opens a menu for performing gestures, hardware button actions, and multitasking without needing to touch the physical buttons or use multi-finger gestures.
How to open AssistiveTouch
- Open Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch
- Toggle AssistiveTouch on
- Tap Customize Top Level Menu to choose which actions appear
- Adjust Idle Opacity and button size as needed
- Tap the floating button anytime to access the menu
What you should know
- Simulates pinch, multi-finger swipes, and shake gestures with single taps
- Custom actions can be assigned to single-tap, double-tap, and long-press on the AssistiveTouch button
- Includes a virtual Home button, Siri, Control Center, and screenshot shortcuts
- Menu items can be added, removed, and reordered to match frequently used actions
Why it matters
AssistiveTouch helps anyone who has difficulty pressing physical buttons or performing precise multi-finger gestures, whether due to a motor impairment, a damaged button, or simply a case that makes buttons hard to reach. It also benefits people using switches or head tracking as an alternative way to trigger complex gestures with a single input. Because the on-screen menu is fully customizable, users can pare it down to just the actions they need, reducing scanning time and cognitive load in Switch Control or Voice Control setups.
Best practices
- Customize the top-level menu to surface only the actions used most often
- Assign Siri or Control Center to a quick double-tap if hardware buttons are unreliable
- Adjust the idle opacity so the floating button doesn't obscure content
- Use it alongside Switch Control when hardware buttons are physically inaccessible
Common problems and fixes
- The floating button covers important on-screen content
- Lower its idle opacity or drag it to a screen edge/corner
- A custom gesture doesn't trigger the expected action
- Re-record the gesture under AssistiveTouch > Create New Gesture with slower, more deliberate movements
- AssistiveTouch disappeared after an update
- Re-enable it under Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch
Tips and tricks
- Set a triple-click of the side button as a quick way to toggle AssistiveTouch on and off
- Use the virtual trackpad-style dragging mode to move the button anywhere with a finger drag
Frequently asked questions
Can AssistiveTouch replace a broken Home or side button?
Yes, its virtual buttons can substitute for most physical button functions.
Can I record custom gestures?
Yes, Create New Gesture lets you draw and save a custom multi-touch gesture for reuse.
Does it work during phone calls?
Yes, the menu remains available and can trigger mute, keypad, or end-call actions.
Related settings
- Accessibility SettingsAccessibility settings on iPhone include VoiceOver screen reading, Zoom magnification, Voice Control, and many vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive features.
- Switch ControlSwitch Control lets people operate iPhone using one or more adaptive switches, the screen, or a camera instead of direct touch, scanning through items on screen until the desired one is selected.
- Voice ControlVoice Control lets you navigate and operate nearly all of iOS — opening apps, tapping buttons, dictating text, scrolling — entirely by speaking commands, built for users who can't or prefer not to use touch input.
More Accessibility guides for iPhone (iOS)
- Language & RegionLanguage & Region controls which language iOS displays system-wide, plus region-specific formatting for calendars, number separators, measurement units, and temperature — separate settings that don't have to match each other.
- VoiceOverVoiceOver is iOS's gesture-based screen reader that describes aloud everything on screen — text, buttons, images — letting blind and low-vision users navigate the entire iPhone by touch and sound instead of sight.
- MagnifierMagnifier uses the iPhone's camera to magnify nearby text, objects, or your surroundings in real time, with added tools like Detection Mode for identifying people, doors, and objects for users with low vision.
- Sound RecognitionSound Recognition uses on-device listening to identify sounds like alarms, doorbells, sirens, car horns, or a crying baby, and sends a notification when one is detected nearby.
- Guided AccessGuided Access temporarily restricts iPhone to one app and lets you disable specific screen areas, hardware buttons, or gestures, helping someone stay focused or preventing accidental exits.
- Captions & SubtitlesCaptions & Subtitles controls whether closed captions appear by default during video playback and lets you customize their font, size, color, opacity, and background style.