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How to Set Up Back Tap on iPhone

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Open Accessibility in Settings

    Go to the Settings app's "Accessibility > Touch."

  2. Find "Back Tap"

    Look for "Back Tap" in the Touch settings list and open it.

  3. Assign double- and triple-tap actions

    Choose what happens when you tap the back of your iPhone twice, and separately what happens for three taps.

  4. Test it by tapping the back of the phone

    Tap the back of the phone the way you configured it and confirm the action you expected actually runs.

  5. Why it matters

    Without touching the screen at all, a simple tap on the back can trigger things like a screenshot or jumping to the Home Screen.

A hidden shortcut worth turning on

Back Tap lets you trigger a frequently used action just by tapping the back of the phone, with no need to touch the screen at all.

Good actions to assign

Screenshot, Control Center, and Home Screen are all solid choices. For anyone who finds one-handed use or pressing physical buttons difficult, Back Tap also works as a lower-effort alternative gesture. You can even assign it to a custom Shortcut you've built for your own automation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it work on every iPhone?

It works on iPhone 8 and later, though a thick case can sometimes interfere with detection.

Can it trigger a Shortcut?

Yes β€” you can link a Shortcut you built ahead of time to a Back Tap action and run whatever automation you want.