One of the new features that has arrived with iOS 14 that did not make a big splash but will be super useful for all users is something called Back Tap. The new iPhone feature lets you customize Double and Triple taps on the back of your iPhone to use for Shortcuts automations, Accessibility features, and iOS system actions.
Possibilities for iPhone Back Tap custom controls are pretty much only limited by your imagination since the feature works with Shortcuts app automations. But if you want to keep things simpler, you can assign a Double or Triple tap on the back of your iPhone to do things like open Control Center, take a screenshot, or enable Accessibility features like AssistiveTouch, VoiceOver, Zoom, etc.
How Does It Work
Back Tap uses the accelerometer in the iPhone 8 or higher to detect taps on the back side of your device running iOS 14. You assign the actions you want to launch upon tapping.
Back Tap works from the Home Screen, within apps (including third-party), and even from your your lock screen.
Let’s explore how to launch the built-in iOS 14 actions upon tapping.
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How to Tap the Back of Your iPhoneto Take a Screenshot in iOS 14
This is for the iPhone running iOS 14
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Setup Back Tap
First, open Settings (the gear icon). Refer to below image:
Now, scroll down and tap the Accessibility option. See below image:
Under Accessibility option, scroll down and tap the Touch option. See following image:
On the Touch Settings screen, scroll down until you see the Back Tap option, now tap it. Refer to below image:
Next, in Back Tap settings, you can set the an action to either Double Tap or Triple Tap on back of the iPhone. See below image:
Chose one of the list of available actions. At the bottom you will find the System actions. See following image for my example in selecting Screenshot for a Triple Tap.
Scroll to the bottom to see your shortcuts. If you don’t see any or you want to create one, follow along. Here is how you can build a Camera Shortcut, then attach it to the Back Tap iOS 14 accessibility gesture.
Create a Shortcut
Open Shortcuts on your iPhone by swiping past your first Home Screen, then enter Shortcuts in the Search Box and tap the app. Refer to below image:
Tap the plus (+) button in the upper-right corner. See below image:
Tap Add Action. Refer to below image:
Tap the Search Bar. Now ttype in Camera and tap the app. See below image:
Tap your selection, Take Photo Or Take Video. See following image:
Tap Next in upper right-hand corner. Refer to below image:
Enter a shortcut name, like Camera Shortcut and tap Done in upper right-hand corner. See below image:
Your Shortcut(s) will be displayed. See following image;
Now exit Shortcuts. You’have now successfully created your Camera shortcut. Just follow the above steps and chose this as an action to be associated with Double or Triple Back Tap. Refer to below image for my example of assigning Camera Shortcut to Double Tap and Screenshot to Triple Tap:
That’s it. In writing this blog post, I have found the Double Tap to be too sensitive; the associated action goes off accidentally.
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