Feel nostalgic about the erstwhile Home button, which you loved using on your iPhone 8 or earlier devices? You are not alone as I’m also pretty much on the same side of the fence. Thankfully, there is a way to get a virtual Home button on iPhone X, Xs, Xs Max, and XR.
If you have used iOS device before, you may have used “AssistiveTouch” and hence be fully aware of how user-friendly it is. For those unfamiliar, it’s designed to let you use your device more conveniently. For instance, you can restart your iPhone, take a screenshot, adjust volume and more using the virtual button. Even better, you can also customize action icons to get the most out of it.
Quick Access:
- How to Add Virtual Home Button on iPhone X, Xs, Xs Max or XR
- How to Customize Action Icons for AssistiveTouch on iPhone X, Xs, Xs Max or XR
- How to Reduce Opacity of AssistiveTouch on iPhone and iPad
- How to Use Accessibility Shortcut in iOS 12/11
Step #1. Launch Settings app on your iPhone.

Step #2. Now, tap on General.

Step #3. Next, you need to tap on Accessibility.

Step #4. Next up, scroll down and tap on AssistiveTouch and turn it on.

That’s it! Check out the floating Home button on your screen. Tap on it to open the menu and then use it to access Control Center, invoke Siri, rotate screen and more. Go through this quick guide to get the most out of it.
Customize Action Icons for AssistiveTouch on iPhone X, Xs, Xs Max, and XR
As mentioned above, you can also customize AssistiveToch to suit your needs better. For instance, you can tap the floating-button once to capture a screenshot.
Step #1. Open Settings → General → Accessibility → AssistiveTouch.
Step #2. Now, you need to assign custom actions to directly interact with Assistive Touch icon.

For instance, select Single – Tap and then select what you want to access or do from the available options. In this test, I’m going to select the Screenshot. Now, when I tap on the AssistiveTouch button, it will let me capture a screenshot.

Select Double-Tap and then choose what you want to access or do with it. Likewise, you can select Long Press and 3D Touch and then select the suitable action. There are 22 actions you can choose from.
How to Reduce Opacity of AssistiveTouch on iPhone and iPad
iOS 11 or later allows you to reduce the opacity of AssistiveTouch when not in use. As a result, it doesn’t seem to be distractive. Jump over to this post to find out how it works.
How to Use Accessibility Shortcut in iOS 12/11
With iOS 11 or later, you can quickly access Accessibility shortcut right from Control Center on your device. Head over here to know more about it.
That’s done!
Your take:
I find swipe gestures very handy on iPhone X series. They allow you to navigate through your device with ease. I’d say they have ably replaced Home button. But, if you haven’t been able to get used to the gestures, use AssistiveTouch to control your device.
If you have liked this post, you might want to take a peek at these articles as well.
- Tips to Speed Up iPhone X, Xs, Xs Max, and XR
- Disable Face ID on iPhone
- How to Put an iPhone in DFU Mode
Your feedback about this Accessibility feature? Do not fail to put it across in the comments section.
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Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com, who has a keen eye for news, rumors, and all the unusual stuff around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting content on social media.