Use AssistiveTouch on an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad

Apple products aren’t cheap -- if you've fallen victim to a broken Home or Power button on your iPhone or iPad, don't despair. All is not lost! Applying the AssistiveTouch feature provides options to access all the regular iDevice features through the touchscreen, rather than the tactile buttons. So if your Home or Power buttons are broken, or if you benefit from using touch screen buttons rather than physical ones, AssistiveTouch can help.

Steps

Enabling AssistiveTouch

  1. Go to "Settings."
  2. Scroll down and tap "General."
  3. Tap "Accessibility" at the bottom.
  4. Scroll to Physical & Motor and tap "AssistiveTouch."
  5. Slide the button to on (so that the green background shows).
    • There should now be a glowing AssistiveTouch button located on your screen at all times

Using AssistiveTouch

  1. Look for the glowing white button on your screen. It should float on the screen, whatever app you're in, once enabled.
  2. Move the button around if needed. You can hold it with your finger and pull it around the screen to any location to get it out of the way or make it more accessible.
  3. Tap the button for your options. By default, you will see a screen pop up with several options.
    • Home acts just like the iDevice's usual Home button.
    • Favorites gives you a menu that you can customize for more gestures. If you click on one of the empty Favorites boxes, you'll be taken to a screen where you can set new custom gestures.
    • Siri will take you straight to the device's regular Siri menu.
    • Device gives you some customization options, including the ability to increase/decrease volume, rotate the screen, lock the screen, mute or unmute sounds, and access more options.
    • Clicking on "More" under "Device" will give you the choice to simulate various gestures on the screen that you may not be able to do otherwise - including multi-finger touch gestures, shaking the phone, accessing the multitasking screen, and taking a screenshot.

Using Specific AssistiveTouch Options

  1. Take a screenshot. In case you do not know how to screenshot the traditional way, or the home and/or lock button is broken on your iPhone or Apple product, the Assistive touch has a screenshot option:
    • Tap the glowing Assistive Touch button.
    • Tap the "Device" option on the right.
    • Tap the "More" option on the bottom right.
    • Finally, tap the screenshot.
  2. Adjust volume. With Assistive Touch activated on your Apple product you can either increase, decrease, or mute your volume.
    • Tap the glowing AssistiveTouch button.
    • Tap "Device" option on the right.
    • From here, you can choose "Volume Up", "Volume Down", or "Mute/Unmute".
  3. Lock the screen. In case the lock button is broken on your Apple product, the AssistiveTouch can help.
    • Tap the glowing AssistiveTouch button.
    • Tap Device option.
    • Tap "Lock Screen" at top left of box.
  4. Access the multitasking screen. When using an application or surfing the internet on your Apple product, you can multitask to open another application by double clicking the Home button. In the case that your Home button is broken, the AssistiveTouch can do that for you.
    • Tap the glowing Assistive Touch button.
    • Choose the "Device" button.
    • From here, choose the "More" option on bottom right.
    • Tap "Multitasking" at bottom of box.

Tips

  • You'll need an up-to-date (iOS7) device for all of these options. If you don't see the AssistiveTouch options in your Settings menu, try upgrading your OS.

Warnings

  • Warning: AssistiveTouch can not assist you if both your Power/Lock and Home buttons are stuck or broken.

Things You'll Need

  • A working iPad, iPod, or iPhone

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