iOS 10, released to the general public this Tuesday, changes the way you interact with the home button to unlock a device. Previously, if you have Touch ID set up, you would touch your thumb or finger on the home button to unlock an iPhone or iPad. Now, the iOS device asks you to “Press home to unlock.”
Fortunately, you can change this, and go back to the previous, simpler method of unlocking the device, though you may prefer having to actually press the button. I suspect this change is because of the way the home button works on the iPhone 7, which doesn’t have a physical button that presses.
To change this behavior, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Home Button, and toggle Rest Finger to Open. Note that this only works on devices with the second generation home button or later; that’s the iPhone 6, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, and later.
h/t Rob Griffiths.
I absolutely hate this change. More often than not, I end up activating voice control. Since I own an iPhone 6 Plus, your tip doesn’t work. Too many time in the past several year, Apple seem to change things just for the sake of change not realizing how people actually use their products in the real world. It is so frustrating.
What do you mean it doesn’t work? Is the Plus somehow different than other iPhones in the way the home button is implemented?
Thanks for the tip, Kirk! I own an iPhone 6 Plus, too, and this does work. Maybe Greg thinks that it does not because of »this only works on […] iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, and later.« in your piece, since the iPhone 6 Plus is older than the iPhone 6s (Plus).
Ah, I looked up when they added the new home button, and I read that it was with the 6s. I have an SE, and before that I had a 5s. Resting a finger on the home button never unlocked the 5s, but does unlock the SE (after changing the setting, or under iOS 9).
Just as a clarification: Resting your finger on the Home button absolutely unlocks the 5S. That was the first device with the fingerprint sensor, and that has been the default unlock scenario since then. It only just changed in iOS 10.
I also don’t think the change was made because of the new iPhone 7 Home button. Apple talked about emphasizing the lock screen as a place where you have more functionality, and having touch-to-unlock makes it more likely that you’re accidentally unlock your phone and miss the lock screen. Adding click-to-unlock just adds an extra intentional behavior to unlocking.
I absolutely hate this change. More often than not, I end up activating voice control. Since I own an iPhone 6 Plus, your tip doesn’t work. Too many time in the past several year, Apple seem to change things just for the sake of change not realizing how people actually use their products in the real world. It is so frustrating.
What do you mean it doesn’t work? Is the Plus somehow different than other iPhones in the way the home button is implemented?
Thanks for the tip, Kirk! I own an iPhone 6 Plus, too, and this does work. Maybe Greg thinks that it does not because of »this only works on […] iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, iPad Pro, and later.« in your piece, since the iPhone 6 Plus is older than the iPhone 6s (Plus).
Ah, I looked up when they added the new home button, and I read that it was with the 6s. I have an SE, and before that I had a 5s. Resting a finger on the home button never unlocked the 5s, but does unlock the SE (after changing the setting, or under iOS 9).
Just as a clarification: Resting your finger on the Home button absolutely unlocks the 5S. That was the first device with the fingerprint sensor, and that has been the default unlock scenario since then. It only just changed in iOS 10.
I also don’t think the change was made because of the new iPhone 7 Home button. Apple talked about emphasizing the lock screen as a place where you have more functionality, and having touch-to-unlock makes it more likely that you’re accidentally unlock your phone and miss the lock screen. Adding click-to-unlock just adds an extra intentional behavior to unlocking.
I have a 6s Plus on iOS 9, and I cannot unlock my phone simply by resting my finger on the home button, unless I first click the sleep/wake button. If the phone is asleep, the only way to unlock it using only the Home button is to click the Home button (which then leads to unlocking, if the finger I used is registered).
Unlocking only by resting my finger on the Home button only works if I first press the sleep/wake button, is that what this article is referring to? I never unlock that way; I always unlock by clicking the Home button.
I have a 6s Plus on iOS 9, and I cannot unlock my phone simply by resting my finger on the home button, unless I first click the sleep/wake button. If the phone is asleep, the only way to unlock it using only the Home button is to click the Home button (which then leads to unlocking, if the finger I used is registered).
Unlocking only by resting my finger on the Home button only works if I first press the sleep/wake button, is that what this article is referring to? I never unlock that way; I always unlock by clicking the Home button.
What does the h/t represent, at the end of the article?
“Hat tip;” acknowledging the person who brought it to my attention.
What does the h/t represent, at the end of the article?
“Hat tip;” acknowledging the person who brought it to my attention.