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Risco

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2010
1,947
262
United Kingdom
I have struggled to find any practical use for the action button other than mute.

I thought it would be great to create a thread where people talk about what they use it for.

So what does your action button do?
 

Kottu

macrumors 6502a
Sep 21, 2014
622
622
I tried to use it to start camera and as a shutter button. But I felt it is unnecessary as opening camera is easy from lock screen and volume button can be used as shutter. So, I changed it back to mute. Wish it worked like.. One click for camera, two for mute etc..
 

Bobajobbob

macrumors regular
Oct 11, 2005
239
145
I use it to open a shortcut mini menu where I can add bespoke actions. Currently I have Mute, Sleep Focus toggle, Open camera, Set alarm, Lights Out for all my Home Hub lights and open Shazam on it.
 

rsday75

macrumors regular
Sep 9, 2009
108
131
I have mine do different things based on the phone orientation.
If landscape right, it opens the camera to video. Quick access to video that way. Lock screen gives me camera.
Other orientations, it does mute.
 

FreakinEurekan

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
5,636
2,691
Camera at the moment... kind of forgot about it really though.

What I do like about it, is that it acts as a shutter button (I think Volume Down did this previously, but the action button is better-positioned).
 

MacDevil7334

Contributor
Oct 15, 2011
2,528
5,719
Austin TX
Camera for me. Start pressing it while pulling the phone out of my pocket and then it’s ready to shoot by the time I get the phone up to eye level. Took a couple of weeks to build up the muscle memory but it is now faster than using the button on the Lock Screen.
 

drew0020

macrumors 68020
Nov 10, 2006
2,335
1,236
I've honestly forgotten about the action button. I prefer the design and love the covered button on my 15 Pro case.

But... could Apple have put the button in a worse spot? I can barely reach it so it defeats the purpose of a quick button (for me). I do hold the phone with my right hand though.
 

Ifti

macrumors 68040
Dec 14, 2010
3,941
2,449
UK
I set mine up to launch the camera in Video mode. However, I very rarely use it. I will most likely create a shortcut to launch my home front door Ring doorbell camera instead.
 
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ignatius345

macrumors 604
Aug 20, 2015
6,964
11,422
I still need fast access to mute/ringer so it stays with that until they see fit to enable other clicks like double-click, etc.
 

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
34,525
50,091
In the middle of several books.
Don’t you just love it when people on this forum brag about a solution they found, but then don’t tell the rest of us how they did it?
Anyway, here’s a video that explains the process:
If I had been asked, I would have gladly posted a follow-up. I answered what was asked of the OP.

There was no need to be rude.
 

Jamo12

macrumors 6502
Mar 23, 2009
326
202
Ohio
I have mine set up to do different things based on its position.

If I am holding my phone normally or it is laying face up/down, silent switch.
If the phone is upside down (like in my pocket) flashlight.
If my phone is sideways, it activates the camera.
 
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prospervic

macrumors 65816
Aug 2, 2007
1,071
1,250
NYC
If I had been asked, I would have gladly posted a follow-up. I answered what was asked of the OP.

There was no need to be rude.
So you can hit it and get options? How does one set that up?
Looks like a request to me.
But I wasn’t attacking you personally (although I admit my unfortunate use of the word “brag” was harsh - my apologies), I was pointing out a common behavior on these forums that causes great frustration for readers.
 
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