What do you use the action button on the iPhone 15 pro for?

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John Gruber made a shortcut that triggers mute if the device is laying face down on the table and otherwise launches the camera: shortcut.
Edit, small hint: Actions App is required to detect the face down orientation.
- I am using the gruber action too. I really appreciate its simplicity. Although it took me a second to realise you needed the extra app ‘actions’
- Not only is the Actions app required, but you must also download the Toggle Silent Mode shortcut of his
  
  So this doesn’t want to work for me. Says the shortcut can’t be found?
  Edit: needed the actions app for this one too.
  
  Ah apologies. I didn’t buy a 15 Pro myself so I just linked to his article. I thought he put that into one shortcut, definitely should’ve had. I get that he’s calling this in two places and there no function definition in shortcuts, but it’s really annoying to share if it’s split up. There should definitely be a solution for this from Apple if you ask me.
- Shortcut link is bad.
  
  You’re right, I‘m pretty sure it was working before. I sadly don’t have it downloaded, maybe someone else does. Otherwise there’s a few screenshots linked in the article.
  Edit: it’s working again. I think something was broken with iCloud, I couldn’t download anything for some time.
- That’s a really neat shortcut. Unfortunately it doesn’t work for me and I’m unsure of how to fix it. Ill just wait till there is a fix for it.
  
  Could be you don’t have the Actions App installed? It’s used to detect the face down orientation.

I really hope they expand this button in software later. Long press as the only activator is absurd. How about single? Double? Triple? Short-long?
I hate that the only option is long. Also I wish I could change the behavior based on context (is the phone locked, what app is active, etc). I don’t need camera or flashlight if the phone is locked, they are right there but elsewhere that might be nice.
I’m leaning towards camera in video mode as what I set it to, since getting to video mode takes longer than I’d like in most cases, even from the Lock Screen.
- If only Apple could develop the technology to distinguish between a light press and a forceful touch.
- Contextual behavior can be done through the shortcuts app I think.

Planning to make Focus-variable Shortcut. For example, if current Focus is Sleep, then action button toggles bedroom lights. If current Focus is Work, then action button connects to Bluetooth speaker and plays Spotify.
- That is a cool ideA - I just went with the camera
- Same here. If I’m connected to my gym’s wifi, start a workout.
  After a certain time of day, have then turn on my bedroom lights so I can read. If the lights are on, turn them off and turn on the white noise. If the white noise is on, set my sleep focus.
  Otherwise, take me to my favourite shortcuts and let me select one of those.
- How can you order it to play Spotify?
  
  There's a trick. First, say Hey Siri play spotify [Playlist name / radio]. Siri will start playing it. Now when you open Shortcuts and search your actions for Spotify, it'll be listed temporarily. You can then incorporate that into your Shortcut.

Camera.

I left it at default because flashlight and camera are already easily accessible and my muscle memory goes that route. I was honestly waiting for a thread like this to help me decide on something.

Mine is set to run a Siri shortcut that remote starts my car. This may change tho, we’ll see
- What’s to stop you from bumping that button in your pocket and accidentally causing your car to come on and run for 15 minutes?
  
  Figured I’d figure that one out the hard way. So far it hasn’t happened, but upon purposely trying to start the car with my phone in my pocket, it seems like the screen needs to be active before the action button works. So either detect it’s out of your pocket, or hit the lock button to wake the screen.
- This is a pretty cool idea. Never thought of it.

Quick link to the Reeder app

Rotation lock via shortcuts! It’s the best

Flashlight
- I’m also using for the flashlight.
  It can only be accessed by the Lock Screen button and the control center widget. The camera can be activated by app, Lock Screen swipe, control center widget, Lock Screen button, search, etc.
  I like the idea of using shortcuts to make it more flexible. However mute toggle and camera are not likely something I will pursue. (Why do people need to intermittently mute their phones, isn’t your phone always on mute?)

Breaking the glass back.

31 comments