People are already using iPhone 16’s new Action Button as fans obsess over ‘shortcut’ trick to order food and start car

YOU may already have a special iPhone 16 button on your device – and its custom presets allow you to order food and even start your car in just a few taps.

Apple unveiled its latest lineup of gadgets at its Cupertino headquarters as part of Monday’s Glowtime event.

Apple

The Apple iPhone 16 is shown onscreen at the 2024 Glowtime event on the tech giant’s Cupertino campus[/caption]

Perhaps the most awaited announcement was the iPhone 16, which comes loaded with new tools like TK and TK

One of the features thrown into the spotlight was the Active Button, replacing the mute switch on newer devices.

What the button does is up to you. It can be programmed to open the camera, launch frequently used apps, or activate the flashlight.

You can create “shortcuts” to unlock more possibilities, like linking the button to your car app to unlock or remote start your vehicle.

However, Monday’s announcement wasn’t the first time the Active Button made an appearance.

It already exists on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, giving users a year to find ways to use it.

Apple fans took to Reddit to share their favorites.

“I use it for flashlight, it’s quite useful and shockingly comes in handy almost daily,” one user wrote.

“I have it set to start my car so it’s warm when I leave,” another shared.

Beyond simple functions like launching a music app or opening the camera, the feature also lends itself to accessibility.

“I mapped my Action Button to my insulin pump’s control app,” one user wrote.

Another user shared that he linked the feature to his glucose-monitoring app to manage his diabetes.

“Saves me a lot of time for quickly checking levels,” the Redditor wrote.

And it seems the options are endless. When one user lightheartedly proposed ordering a pizza from a shortcut, other Redditors devised a way to make it possible.

Reddit / Speakingthekingss

A Reddit user shared their custom shortcut menu using the Action Button on their iPhone 15 Pro[/caption]

“This kind of thing probably already exists in App Intents,” one user responded.

“So probably pretty easy to map the action button to a menu of your five favorite meals.”

If you’re indecisive, there’s a solution for that too.

“One thing to keep in mind with shortcuts is that you can trigger a shortcut that pulls up a menu with options for different shortcuts,” one user explained. “That way you don’t have to just settle on one.”

Apple

The button is located on the side of the phone, in place of the mute switch[/caption]

To do so, navigate to the Shortcuts app, create a folder, and fill it with your desired shortcuts.

Once that process is complete, locate the Action Button settings in the Settings menu and finish linking them.

Some Redditors swore by the feature, sharing how they used it to group related apps or alarms and launch them in one click.

With the iPhone 16 rollout came the announcement of a second, entirely new, button.

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The iPhone 16 Plus is shown during the annual Apple product unveiling in Silicon Valley[/caption]

Camera Control is located on the other side of the phone and, as the name implies, helps users take photos and videos.

The button is so sensitive that it can detect the difference between a gentle press and a full click.

Clicking it once takes a picture while clicking it twice starts a recording.

When you press the button lightly, it will help frame your shot and zoom. Pressing it a second time will launch other controls.