Debunked: Wait, is the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone actually a button?

People all over TikTok are talking about it but some say it doesn’t work

2 years ago

You’ve probably seen it all over TikTok, where users are claiming that the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone is actually a secret button. People in the comments are calling the hack a “game-changer” now that you can turn on your torch, take a screenshot or even open your camera app without touching your screen.

But other people in the comments seem to be saying that the hack doesn’t work when they try it. Is this just a well-edited fake TikTok trend? Here’s what you need to know:

Okay so what is the Apple logo TikTok hack?

The Apple logo does in fact become a button but only for iPhones that have iOS 14 installed.

For the more tech-savvy of you out there, the Apple logo is *technically* not a button. You can’t click down on it. It’s the accelerometer in the phone that is being used. I can’t tell you much more than that so ask your friends studying Computer Science.

The best part? The command is customisable.

How do I get it to work on my iPhone?

To activate the secret button, open up your Settings app, click “Accessibility”, select “Touch” and then scroll right down to “Back Tap”. She’s hiding at the bottom. You have to work to find her.

From there you can choose what will happen when you double tap and/or triple tap the back of your iPhone.

There are plenty of options to choose from. As of today, this is what comes up on the iPhone 13:

App Switcher
Camera
Control Centre
Home
Lock rotation
Lock screen
Mute
Notification centre
Reachability
Screenshot
Shake
Siri
Spotlight
Torch
Volume down
Volume up

There are even further accessibility options such as inverting the colour of your screen and being able to zoom in on whatever you’re looking at.

If you have any shortcuts set up like calling a partner or texting a group chat, these should also appear as options for the secret button.

Overall, for iPhone users with iOS14, this is a really useful hack. I use mine to take screenshots with a double tap and to quickly open Shazam with a triple tap. When a song is playing and I can’t remember what it’s called or I want to add it to a Spotify playlist I just tap, tap, tap. My life has significantly improved since.

Wait, why isn’t it working for me?

The most common reason for the secret button not working (according to TikTok comments) is that your phone doesn’t have at least iOS 14 installed. This operating system is only available for the iPhone 6s or later. Sadly, if you have an earlier version of the iPhone, this secret button just won’t work.

Another common reason seems to be if your iPhone has a thick case on it. Try to remember where the logo is and tap through the case as close to it as possible. If this doesn’t work, maybe your case is just a little too protective. Now you have to figure out if the secret button is worth getting a new case for.

If it’s *still* not working then… maybe you have an Android?