Apple introduced a brand-new physical Action button that was only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. This button enables you to swiftly toggle on and off certain settings without having to go around your screen.

For the whole iPhone 16 series, Apple unveiled a new button this year called the Camera Control button. However, the firm also included the Action button to all iPhone 16 non-Pro models.

You may be wondering what you can do with the Action button if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max or if you just bought one of the iPhone 16 models, like as the iPhone 16 Plus or iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Is it beneficial and deserving of the hoopla, or should we ignore it?

Here is all the information you want on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16’s Action button. For further information, see how the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button will transform your photo-taking experience. It’s also one of the device’s greatest features.

What does the iPhone’s Action button do?

The Action button is now included on the whole iPhone 16 series after Apple first included it on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, the two Pro variants of the iPhone 15 series. The Action button, which offers more settings options than simply turning off your iPhone, took the place of the ring-silent switch that has been there for years. It is located just above the volume controls in the upper left corner of your phone.

16-action-button iPhone
The iPhone’s Action button is a little but powerful feature.
What is possible with the iPhone’s Action button?
You may choose the action you want the Action button to do when you touch it by going into your settings:

Alternate between ring and silence modes.
Activate alternative concentration modes and do not disrupt.
Launch the Camera application.
Activate the flashlight.
Make a voice memo recording.
Use Shazam to identify songs.
Interpret a discussion you’re having with someone.
Use your phone as a magnifying glass to enlarge nearby items.
Use the control center to quickly access your favorites, such as the calculator, alarm, dark mode, etc.
Execute a shortcut
Make use of an accessibility feature
Even choosing “no action” will prevent the button from doing anything when you touch it.

How to set up the Action button

When you push the Action button, it will automatically switch between quiet and ring mode.

Go to Settings > Action Button and go through the available carousel of choices to modify the button’s functionality. A button with arrows will appear beneath a setting if there are variants; tapping it will display a menu of choices.

Settings for the action button

The camera option also allows the camera to be opened in video, portrait, and selfie modes.
The camera setting, for instance, may open your camera in the following modes: picture, video, selfie, portrait, and portrait selfie. You may use the accessibility option to activate a magnifier, put on color filters, lessen motion sickness when driving, and more. You may start your stopwatch, set an alarm, activate dark mode, activate airplane mode, and more from the control center setting.

Is the Action button limited to that?

Yes, however you can be creative and make the Action button do about whatever you want if you know how to use the Shortcuts program. You can create shortcuts in the Shortcuts app to carry out tasks fast, then click the Action button to activate them.

We have a tutorial on how to make a shortcut to utilize ChatGPT with Siri. On your iPhone, you may also make a shortcut to use the Circle to Search function.

Go here to learn how to enable Google’s Circle to Search AI on your iPhone. This Is How

Additionally, the program has a number of pre-made shortcuts if you don’t want to make your own. Even better, you can download third-party shortcuts from websites like Reddit, RoutineHub, and others. By using these third-party shortcuts, you can evade paywalls, create complex passwords, download videos from X (previously Twitter), and much more. You may then add these shortcuts to your action button.