Transitioning to a new phone can be amazing, but there’s nothing worse than discovering a feature you don’t like.
This happened to me recently when I upgraded my iPhone 14 Pro Max to iPhone 15 Pro Max. Yes, I know, I’m super late to the party — my “new” phone has since been replaced in Apple’s lineup by the iPhone 16 Pro Max — but the features and functionality of Apple Intelligence I wanted to wait until I had a little more information about the timing. We could expect to see them.
Anyway, better late than never, right? And while for the most part I’m happy with my upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, there’s one thing I really don’t understand – that phone’s action button. (And as of the iPhone 16 release, it’s included in all current iPhone flagships.)
[アクション]I can see there’s a lot to like about the button, but I have some serious issues with the way it’s implemented, especially when it comes to one major feature.
Action buttons should never be silent
If you’re not familiar with this Apple hardware addition, let’s give you a basic overview. The action button replaces the small switch that was used to set your iPhone on silent. this is still[アクション]It’s a button job, but that’s not all you can do.
In addition to silencing your phone, you can configure an action button to perform several functions. From turning on the flashlight to focusing the camera. Even better, the iOS 18 update significantly improves the action button, making it available to third-party camera apps as well. So I agree that the idea behind the action button is smart. I wish I could do multiple things at once.
At least it’s easy to set up action buttons. Just go to settings and use the very stylish menu. But again, if you want your action button to trigger multiple shortcuts, you’ll have to go back and reset it multiple times.
Instead of setting your phone to silent, you want to immediately set an action button to turn on your flashlight. To do this,[設定]You need to go to and set the flashlight to work. But if you want the action button to do something else (like mute your phone), you’ll have to go back and reset your settings. This is annoying since silent mode is the most used feature on this device.
Anyway, another question arises for me. What does an “action” button accomplish that on-screen options cannot?
After all, if you prefer on-screen controls, you can easily turn on your phone’s flashlight from the lock screen. What difference does assigning that task to a button make, especially if you need to change the settings for the action button to do something different?
Why do we need an app to do this correctly?
There is a solution to my dilemma, but it’s not that simple. You can download the free Actions app from the App Store. You can change the behavior of the action button depending on the orientation of your phone. In my experience, this app is difficult to get used to and the average user may be hesitant to try it. More specifically, it seems like a problem that Apple should address without the intervention of third-party apps.
That being said, I confess that I have found it useful to have action buttons in some apps. I can certainly see the benefit of a dedicated button that can be used for various purposes in games, camera apps, etc. I don’t think the action button really serves its purpose in the same way on the home screen.
We hope to see more functionality added to the action button in future updates. Why mess with a separate app when you can just set it up in the Settings app? We also hope to see the return of a dedicated Do Not Disturb switch in next year’s iPhone 17. Until then, you’ll need to use the workaround introduced in iOS 18 and change the lock screen controls to switch to an on-screen shortcut to mute your phone. This is useful when you’re on the lock screen, but a dedicated button lets you silence your phone no matter what you’re doing.
If you like action buttons, please let us know! Or, if you just got an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 series phone, check out our guide on how to get the most out of the action button.
