In iOS 14, Apple added a new button to your iPhone. What? Yep, double- or triple-tapping the back of your iPhone lets you open an app, take a screenshot, summon Siri, or even run a shortcut.
New Features in iOS 14: Back Tap – How to Use the Back Tap Shortcut on Your iPhone
Found in the Accessibility section of your iPhone’s settings, Back Tap uses the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer sensors to detect a sharp tap on the back of the handset. You can set two Back Tap triggers: a double-tap and a triple-tap. There are a few built-in options, but the real power comes when you assign a tap trigger to a Shortcut automation. It’s a great feature, but there is one drawback: it doesn’t always work.
“I just set it up for Spotlight, but it’s been super unreliable to activate, in my experience,” iOS app developer Think Tap Work told Lifewire via Twitter. “Am I typing it wrong?”
I have my iPhone set up to launch the Halide camera app when I double-tap the back. It works everywhere: on the home screen, in another app, and even on the lock screen. This makes Halide almost as convenient to use as the built-in camera app.
