Help, my iPhone screen slides down!
On today’s iPhones, one-handed operation is a lot trickier than before. Apple has found a solution: Reachability. The screen of your iPhone slides down a bit, so you can easily operate the buttons at the top of an app. In this tip you can read how to use this, from the iPhone 6 to the latest models with Face ID.
- Explanation
- Face ID iPhones
- Home button iPhones
- Disable reachability
What is Accessibility?
Reachability has been available since iOS 8 and works on all iPhones with a 4.7-inch screen or larger. This therefore applies to the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and later. Reachability is not available on the iPad. Some people think it’s a bug in iOS, but it was added on purpose to ensure that you also get to the top buttons of a screen. It seems like your iPhone screen suddenly goes down, but that’s exactly the point.
It ensures that you can operate the entire screen with one hand. This also works in Notification Center and Control Center. How you use the function differs per device.
Reachability on iPhones with Face ID
Reachability on iPhones with Face ID works in a special way. To lower the screen, swipe down the bottom horizontal line at the bottom of the screen. So you don’t have to press any buttons or tap sensors, because it is enough to pull down the line at the bottom of the screen. The screen will then move downwards and then automatically rise again.
Don’t forget to enable the feature first in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Reachability.
Gif via Engadget
Reachability on iPhones with home button
On iPhones with a home button, you use Reachability via the Touch ID sensor. Tapping the Touch ID sensor twice will automatically slide the screen down. This makes a button bar in an app or an app icon at the top of your screen a lot easier to reach, without having to use two hands.
So all you need to do to use Reachability is tap the Touch ID sensor twice with one finger. So you need the home button do not press, but two short taps in a row is enough. This can be done with any finger, including fingers that are not registered with a fingerprint. Also on the home button from the iPhone 7 and later you tap twice briefly, without actually pressing the button. The function can be used both in apps and in the home screen.
Disable reachability
Does it happen too often that you accidentally use the Reachability function, causing your iPhone screen to drop down unintentionally? Then you can turn off Reachability in the Settings app. You do this as follows:
- Go to the Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Scroll down to the Physical and Motor section and tap Touch.
- Turn off the Accessibility button.
By disabling the feature, the iPhone screen will no longer slide down as soon as you tap the Touch ID button twice or pull the bottom bar.
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