The quickest way to get a home button back

If your iPhone's physical home button is broken or unresponsive, you can add a software button called AssistiveTouch that sits on your screen and works exactly like the physical one. This button appears as a small circle in the corner of your display and stays there across all apps — you tap it to go home, swipe up from it to see open apps, or hold it to trigger Siri.

The process takes about two minutes and works on any iPhone model. You do not need to restart your phone or read anything from the App Store. Once it is on, you can move it anywhere on the screen and customize what it does.

Key Takeaways

  • AssistiveTouch is a built-in feature that puts a home button on your screen without needing any apps or downloads.
  • You turn it on through Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch, then toggle it to On.
  • The button appears as a small circle you can drag to any corner or edge of your screen to keep it out of the way.
  • You can customize what the button does by long-pressing it and choosing actions like home, lock screen, or volume control.

Opening Settings and finding Accessibility

Start by opening the Settings app — the gray gear icon on your home screen. Scroll down until you see Accessibility listed in the menu. Tap it.

Inside Accessibility, you will see several categories. Look for Touch and tap that. This is where all the touch-related features live, including the home button replacement.

Turning on AssistiveTouch

Once you are in the Touch menu, scroll down and find AssistiveTouch. Tap it to open the AssistiveTouch settings page.

At the top of this page, you will see a toggle switch next to "AssistiveTouch". The toggle is currently off (it will be gray). Tap the toggle to turn it on — it will turn green. Within a second or two, a small white circle with a gray dot inside will appear on your screen, usually in the bottom right corner. That is your new home button.

Moving the button to where you want it

The button will be in your way at first. To move it, straightforward drag it to a corner or edge of your screen where it will not block content. Most people put it in the bottom right or top right corner. You can drag it anywhere — it will stick to the edge of the screen and stay there.

The button is small enough that it will not interfere with most apps once it is positioned in a corner. If you find it is still in the way, you can drag it again at any time.

Using your new home button

Tap the AssistiveTouch button once to go home, just like the physical button. Swipe up from it to see your open apps and app switcher. Press and hold it to open Siri. Double-tap it to open the app switcher directly.

If you want to lock your screen, you can customize the button to do that instead. Go back to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch and scroll down to find Customize Top Level Menu. Tap the plus sign to add actions, or tap the minus sign next to an action to remove it. You can set up the button to do whatever you use most often.

Hiding the button temporarily

If you need the button out of the way for a moment — to take a screenshot or see something in that corner — you can swipe the button off the edge of the screen. It will hide but stay active. Swipe from that edge back toward the center to bring it back.

You can also turn AssistiveTouch off entirely by going back to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch and toggling it off. Your settings will be saved, so when you turn it back on, the button will reappear in the same spot with the same customizations.

What to do if the button is not appearing

If you turned on AssistiveTouch but do not see the button, restart your iPhone. Hold the power button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds, then hold the power button again until you see the Apple logo. Once the phone restarts, the button should appear.

If it still does not show up, go back to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch and make sure the toggle is actually on — sometimes it takes a moment to register. If the toggle is on but the button is not visible, try turning it off and back on again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the AssistiveTouch button bigger so it is easier to tap?

The button size is fixed, but you can make it easier to hit by positioning it in a corner where your thumb naturally rests. If you have trouble tapping small targets, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Touch Accommodations and turn on features like Hold Duration or Tap information, which give you more time to complete a tap.

Will the button work in every app?

Yes. The AssistiveTouch button works everywhere on your iPhone — in apps, on the home screen, in Settings, everywhere. It stays on top of whatever you are doing and is always tappable.

What if I need the home button to do something different in different apps?

AssistiveTouch does the same action everywhere. If you need different buttons for different tasks, you can customize the menu that appears when you tap the button by going to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch > Customize Top Level Menu and adding multiple actions. Then each tap shows you a menu to choose from.

Does using AssistiveTouch drain my battery faster?

No. AssistiveTouch is a software feature that runs constantly but uses negligible battery power. You will not notice any difference in battery life.

Can I use AssistiveTouch if my physical home button still works?

Yes. Some people use both — the physical button for everyday use and AssistiveTouch as a backup. You can have both on at the same time with no conflict.