The Volume Buttons on Your iPhone Have More Hidden Features Than You Think 📱
Your iPhone’s volume buttons aren’t just for turning the sound up and down. Depending on your iPhone model and iOS version, they can perform several useful actions.
1. Take photos
Open the Camera app and press either volume button to take a photo. This can be especially useful when you’re holding the phone horizontally or taking a selfie.
2. Record video more easily
While using the Camera app, pressing and holding a volume button can start recording on supported iPhone models and camera modes. You can also use the volume buttons while recording for certain camera functions.
3. Take burst photos
On supported iPhones, you can configure a volume button to capture a burst of photos. Go to Settings → Camera and look for the option that lets the Volume Up button control Burst.
4. Quickly silence an incoming call
When your iPhone rings, pressing either volume button can silence the ringtone without declining the call. The caller can continue hearing ringing on their end.
5. Turn off an alarm
When an alarm is sounding, pressing a volume button can silence the alarm in supported configurations. Check your alarm settings if the behavior differs on your device.
6. Adjust media volume
When you’re listening to music, watching a video, or playing audio, the buttons control the media volume.
When no media is playing, they may instead control your ringer and alert volume depending on your settings.
7. Force restart your iPhone
If your iPhone becomes unresponsive, the volume buttons are part of the force-restart sequence on modern iPhones:
Quickly press Volume Up → quickly press Volume Down → press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Don’t hold the volume buttons continuously during this sequence.
8. Use them with accessibility features
iPhone accessibility settings can provide additional ways to interact with the device. Features such as VoiceOver and other accessibility controls can change how physical buttons behave or interact with the phone.
9. Control the camera remotely
If you have a compatible Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, you can use the Watch as a camera remote while the iPhone is positioned elsewhere. The iPhone’s physical controls can still be useful when you’re handling the phone directly.
10. Remember: they aren’t always “volume” buttons
What the buttons do depends on which app you’re using, whether media is playing, your settings, and your iPhone model. So if a trick doesn’t work exactly as described, it may simply not be supported on your particular device or iOS version.
Tip: Explore Settings → Camera and Settings → Accessibility to see which button-related options are available on your iPhone.
