this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2023
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Have you gave it a good used to it? Or it’s like a NPC? I use it for Shazaming music and I couldn’t find a better use for it. Its good honestly.

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[–] dcdttu@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it for a flashlight but my god why does it also turn the screen on every time I turn the flashlight on or off?

[–] EfficientAccident418@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

It still takes too long to activate to be useful for any camera app. It should have a toggle for instant response.

[–] DarkLord55_@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use mine to skip music

[–] mredofcourse@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I wish it didn't exist, or at least wasn't next to the volume buttons.

[–] OppositeApartment244@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] mredofcourse@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

As much as I don't like the Action Button, I'd still rather have the larger display, better processor, increased RAM, faster USB-C, larger capacity, and better camera for my needs.

My problem with the Action Button is that there's nothing I find it useable for that isn't either already in, or should be in, the Control Panel. Meanwhile, its placement interferes with the volume buttons.

[–] sfmclaughlin@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I have it set to launch Google Translate in camera mode since I live in a foreign country.

[–] psychosynapt1c@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I just use it for the camera, but I can’t believe they don’t have a double/triple/long press option to set it for different things.

[–] -Azona-@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I have shortcut attached to it but I barely use it. I do not like you have hold it. Rather see option to tap it to go into action. Shortcut opens menu to pick various things.

[–] andrew_a7@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I have the screenshot, copy to clipboard, autodelete shortcut.

[–] Krillinish@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I’ve kept it as the silence button and use it fairly often for that. I use my triple-backtap for Shazam.

[–] TheKobayashiMoron@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it to turn the climate control on in my car

[–] TheSwampPenguin@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it as often as I used the mute switch… pretty much NEVER.

[–] WaterWeedDuneHair69@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I don’t use it at all. Pretty useless for me, but idk. They need to add more abilities like on double or triple tap maybe.

[–] valoremz@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it as a silence button. But honestly it gets pressed accidentally often which sucks compared to the switch where that never happened.

[–] PeterusNL@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it for screen rotation lock. It’s perfect

[–] Expensive_Finger_973@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I wish I could map multiple actions to it depending on button press. IE long press opens camera and short press mutes device. If it can do that I haven’t figured it out yet.

[–] Vossky@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I use it for flashlight. It's way better than fumbling on the screen at night when I need to turn it on quickly. That's the best use I could find.

[–] Batman_in_hiding@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Sorry for dumb question - how do you set it to turn flashlight on?

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[–] KrispyAvocado@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I do too, but I'm always hitting it on accident, thinking it's the up volume. I'm recently a Motorola user, and I could just shake the phone to get the flashlight.

[–] Rdubya44@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Been loving it as a camera button on my current vacation. Taking pics with gloves on is finally achievable.

[–] No-Kick-1156@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Huh...the volume buttons already act as physical shutter buttons

[–] skullkollektor@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If you dont remove ur gloves then How do you close the camera app after use then?

[–] ExcellentConcept1616@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Just lock the screen with pysical power button?

[–] skullkollektor@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Then how would he use the phone for other purposes? Like calling

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[–] dirty34@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

can't wait until they add one on the other side for the 16 pro max mega

[–] Atosl@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Love it ! Just open the camera with it. Simple but effective

[–] IIsForInglip@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I have a shortcut menu on mine that has mute, flashlight, camera, Halide, rotation lock, QR code scanner, and settings. Halide generates it for you in the app but i added the code scanner to it.

[–] IonDaPrizee@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I set it up to do voice memos. But honestly it’d be much much more useful if Apple came up with speech to text for voice memos.

[–] cwsjr2323@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

iPhone 14 Plus bought in March. There were no instructions included at all. Action button? I will have to look it up. From the comments of others, it might be useful. Right now, the iPhone is just one of many devices I use to play a game. It is also used for calls and text, maybe 10 a month. I use my iPad 10, bought at the same time, as a replacement for my laptops main functions of shopping, chrome searches, and banking. My laptops are now for old games from before the micro transaction and scammer apps from the Apple Store.

[–] zombies8mybrain@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Action button is only on the 15 pro and pro max.

[–] cwsjr2323@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Ty for the clarification. Did I get down voted for saying I didn’t know something and was going to research? Or maybe for saying the iPhone was not of much use to me?

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[–] HippieToTheHoppie@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

It controls the lights in my bedroom. I love it.

[–] slut-for-flatbread@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I’m enjoying it as a camera but will be moving somewhere with a “”””smart”””” lock on the front door soon and if it’s actually smart it’s going to be awesome to lock and unlock the house with the action button.

[–] StrangelyNormalAlien@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I never use it. I set it to open location settings so I can easily turn on the location, but I still go into Settings -> Privacy -> Location Settings.

I just feel it is awkwardly placed. I mean if you’re holding it in your palm and using your phone with just one hand, it is hard to reach.

[–] QXPZ@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

No bueno. Made a shortcut to nudge volume up less than a normal volume up button press so that I could hit it with my eyes closed while in bed listening to music/podcast quietly and trying to sleep. I think apple added some proximity sensor thing so that if the phone is face down or in a pocket it won't trigger the action button. So half the time my shortcut assigned to the action button didn't even work and then I had to look at my phone in bed which is what I was trying to avoid in the first place.

[–] joeyg151785@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago
[–] fabrictm@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Like a second tail on a dog. Useless.

[–] Stingray88@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I don’t use it at all. It’s just not that useful to me.

[–] adultbaby@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I didn’t use it at all and found it pretty pointless until the weather got cold. Being able to easily open the camera and take pictures with that button has been great with gloves

[–] Dizzy_Phase_5074@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Just curious: Isnt it just a programmable button? Cant we set the existing power or volume buttons to do the same? I dont understand whats so special about it.

[–] ricosuave79@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Use it everyday. Set to run a shortcut to turn on/off my living room lights. It has become my lazy go to light switch.

[–] mitchellad@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Only as a mute switch. I'm gaming on my iphone so I always switch the mute because game have no sound in mute.

[–] SurealGod@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I'm loving it so far.

I've mapped it to a shortcut that opens a menu that makes it act like a second control center.

It still functions as a mute toggle but also for rotation lock, turn on flashlight, etc. Very versatile and customizable.

[–] MartyMcFry7@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it for opening the Ring doorbell app. It’s the only thing I could think of that I use regularly that isn’t already easily accessible.

[–] Particular_Try7974@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it just for silent mode, but after using my 14 and 15 pros together, I prefer the action button to the toggle switch. I just imagine a focus group packed with people who never used the silent toggle.

[–] cavefishes@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I set mine up to do two things - if my phone is in sleep focus it deactivates sleep focus, so I'll use it when waking up in the morning. In any other focus it's an auto rotate toggle. Both of these are actions that would usually require extra presses or command center taps and it's quite nice to have them on a button instead.

[–] iCanFly1011@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I use it to open a menu letting me pick different shortcuts, I also have it set to open a folder of shortcuts. I thought it was a gimmick at first but now it’s a necessity for me

[–] Mastacon@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Never use it

[–] Baggss01@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Probably the most useless “feature” of the phone.

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