If you’ve ever struggled to reach your phone’s buttons, fumbled to turn on the torch, or needed to take a quick screenshot one-handed, your iPhone has a little-known feature designed to make all of that easier.
Known as Back Tap, it allows you to trigger useful functions simply by tapping the back of your phone two or three times.
According to the lifestyle team at Lottomart, it’s one of the most practical iPhone settings for reducing friction in day-to-day phone use, especially for people who rely heavily on their devices while on the move.
Back Tap is part of Apple’s accessibility tools, but its benefits extend far beyond accessibility alone. Once enabled, it effectively turns the back of your iPhone into a shortcut button, helping users access key features without unlocking their device or navigating menus.
“It’s a simple adjustment that can make your phone feel far more responsive to how you actually use it,” says a Lottomart lifestyle spokesperson. “Being able to perform common actions with a couple of taps can save time and make everyday interactions with your phone much smoother.”
Which iPhones Support Back Tap?
To use Back Tap, you’ll need:
- An iPhone 8 or later
- iOS 14 or later installed
If your phone meets those requirements, the feature is already built in – it just needs to be switched on.
How to Enable Back Tap
Turning it on takes less than a minute:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Select Touch
- Scroll down to Back Tap
- Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap
- Select the action you want to perform
Once set, simply double tap or triple tap the back of your iPhone to activate the feature.
What Can You Use Back Tap For?
Back Tap can be customised to trigger a wide range of built-in iPhone actions, including:
- Action Button
- App Switcher
- Camera or Front Camera
- Camera Control
- Camera Control Double Light-Press
- Camera Control Light-Press
- Home
- Lock Rotation
- Lock Screen
- Notification Centre
- Reachability
- Screenshot
- Shake
- Siri
- Spotlight
- Torch
- Visual Intelligence
- Volume Down
- Volume Up
It can also be set to run shortcuts, allowing users to automate multiple actions with a single tap sequence.
“The flexibility is what makes it so powerful,” the Lottomart spokesperson adds. “People can tailor it to their habits – whether that’s quick access to the torch, controlling volume, or launching tools they use daily.”
Despite concerns, accidental activation is rare. Apple designed Back Tap to recognise deliberate tapping rather than everyday handling, so it won’t usually activate when you place your phone down or hold it normally.
How to Turn Back Tap Off
If you ever want to disable the feature:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Select Touch
- Tap Back Tap
- Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap
- Select None
Apple doesn’t heavily promote Back Tap, but as the lifestyle team at Lottomart notes, it’s often the quieter features that have the biggest impact on everyday use.
For anyone looking to make their phone faster, easier and more intuitive, this is one setting well worth knowing about.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
