How to Add 3D Touch Actions to AssistiveTouch

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

If you have a 3D Touch-supported device, starting with iPhone 6s (but not including the iPhone SE or XR), you can add a 3D Touch multitasking gesture by way of AssistiveTouch. So, instead of pinching to zoom, you can use the AssistiveTouch button and zoom with a tap instead! Zoom and other gestures or actions can become a shortcut accessible by 3D Touching the AssistiveTouch button. This is an ideal option if you have a Home button that isn't too reliable or just want to take advantage of the convenience. 

Related: How to Add an On-Screen Home Button to Your iPhone X

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You already know how to use gestures in iPhone, but the Assistive Touch button takes it one step further. The AssistiveTouch button basically acts as an on-screen Home button and a quick means of accessing your frequently used iPhone features. Here's an example of what the AssistiveTouch button and its options look like:

 

To set up a 3D Touch multitasking gesture for AssistiveTouch, you'll first need to enable AssistiveTouch: 

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap General. Next tap Accessibility.
  • Tap AssistiveTouch.
  • Toggle AssistiveTouch to on.
  • Tap 3D Touch.
  • From the list, select which gesture you want to enable as a 3D Touch option. 

I chose the Notifications option, and can immediately bring up the Notifications screen by force tapping the AssistiveTouch button. 

Experiment with what's available on the list and find what works best for you!

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Hallei Halter's picture

Author Details

Hallei Halter

Hallei is a 2018 graduate of Maharishi University of Management with a BFA in Creative & Professional Writing. She's currently working on a novel about people using witchcraft to clean their houses.