Phones are getting too massive to make use of one-handed, and that is not more likely to change anytime quickly. Even the smallest telephones as of late have screens greater than 6 inches. If you have received a bag of groceries or a canine leash in a single hand, and you have to ship a textual content message with the opposite, you may run into some points — particularly in case you’re utilizing an iPhone 17 Pro Max or Galaxy S25 Ultra. For me, some of the annoying quirks about upgrading from a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini to a 6.1-inch iPhone 16 was how tough it’s to entry the Control Center. This is the iOS characteristic that lets me change my display screen brightness, toggle Airplane Mode, use the Flashlight and lock my display screen rotation, amongst numerous different features. If your iPhone nonetheless has the Home Button, you’ll be able to open the Control Center just by swiping up from the underside of the display screen. But on newer iPhones with a notch or Dynamic Island, it’s a must to swipe down from the highest proper nook. In concept, it needs to be straightforward. In apply, it will probably require some elaborate finger gymnastics, particularly on a display screen that is pushing 7 inches. AppleIf I transfer my finger too far to the left, I’ll get the Notification Center as a substitute of the Control Center. And if I solely have one hand free to make use of my telephone, it may be nearly not possible to stretch out my thumb and attain for that nook (oh, how I want Apple would convey again the iPhone Mini).However, I’ve discovered a number of tips that allow me entry the Control Center extra simply. Use the Reachability characteristicThe easiest strategy to attain the highest of your iPhone’s display screen with one hand is by utilizing the Reachability characteristic. It enables you to pull down the whole prime half of the display screen. All it’s a must to do to allow Reachability is swipe down on the underside fringe of your display screen: This will convey the highest proper nook of your display screen inside thumb’s attain, letting you open the Control Center with out adjusting your grip in your telephone. Once you have arrange Reachability, you should use the characteristic by swiping down on the underside fringe of your display screen. Screenshots by Jason Chun/CNETIf you are not ready to make use of Reachability in your iPhone, this is how one can activate the characteristic. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch. Then toggle on Reachability.While Reachability is useful, it is not all the time probably the most intuitive to make use of. It also can restrict your entry to the decrease half of your display screen briefly. If your purpose is to only open the Control Center, you do have another choices. Turn on Back TapDo you know that the again of your iPhone is technically a button? Back Tap is likely one of the machine’s most helpful hidden options, permitting you to entry a variety of features with out touching the display screen. It works even in case you use your iPhone with a case. And it simply enables you to open the Control Center whereas utilizing your machine with one hand. You can use Double Tap or Triple Tap to entry the Control Center. Screenshots by Jason Chun/CNETTo allow Back Tap to open Control Center, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. From there, choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then choose Control Center. Once you have arrange Back Tap, you’ll be able to convey up the Control Center with one finger, just by tapping two or thrice on the again of your telephone. You may need to apply doing it on the proper velocity, in order that your telephone appropriately registers your faucets. But as soon as you have mastered Back Tap, you will not need to even take into consideration reaching for the highest proper nook of your display screen once more.Create a Shortcut bookmarkYou also can entry the Control Center in your iPhone by making a customized Shortcut bookmark. The bookmark is basically an app which you could transfer to any spot on your private home display screen (which is even simpler to do after iOS 18 added extra choices to rearrange your apps). You can create a customized Shortcut bookmark so as to add to your Home Screen. Screenshots by Jason Chun/CNETTo create the Control Center bookmark, open the Shortcuts app and hit the plus (+) signal within the prime proper nook. Then, within the Search Actions finder, kind Control Center and choose the choice Show Control Center. In the next drop-down menu, choose Add to Home Screen. You’ll see choices to customise the icon, or you’ll be able to merely choose Add to skip. You can transfer this bookmark round such as you would with any app. Screenshots by Jason Chun/CNETNow you have got one other strategy to open the Control Center with out doing thumb stretches. One downside to this technique is which you could solely entry the Shortcut in case you’re in your iPhone’s Home Screen, or whichever app web page you have positioned the bookmark. If you are in the course of watching a Netflix present, shopping on Safari or doing something in one other app, you may must exit the app to get to this bookmark.There’s nonetheless another strategy to open your Control Center, and this technique works irrespective of which app you are utilizing. Use the Action ButtonOn the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 sequence, you’ll be able to customise the Action Button to carry out nearly any operate you’ll be able to think about. You can use it to run any Shortcut — together with opening the Control Center.To set your Action Button to set off the Control Center, comply with the identical steps for making a Shortcut bookmark. Then make one modification: Go to your Shortcut for the Control Center and alter the motion from Show to Toggle. Change your Shortcut for the Control Center from “Show” to “Toggle”, earlier than setting it as your Action Button operate. Screenshots by Jason Chun/CNETNext, go to Settings > Action Button and swipe to pick the Shortcut possibility. In the menu, you may see a listing of your accessible Shortcuts. Choose Control Center. Now you can open and shut your Control Center at any time with a fast press of the Action Button.By default, the Action Button is your Silent/Ring change, and also you may miss having that operate by altering it to this Shortcut. However, the Control Center is a way more versatile possibility for the Action Button. And you may nonetheless have quick access to the Silent/Ring change by going to — the place else? — the Control Center.For extra iPhone suggestions, study concerning the iOS settings that may drain your battery, and take a look at 10 hidden options in iOS 18.2.
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