Use the volume buttons, side button, and other controls on your iPhone

Get an overview of the controls on your iPhone.

On iPhone Duo

iPhone showing top with volume buttons (1), side button (2), and Camera Control (3).

1: Volume buttons: Use the volume up and down buttons to adjust the volume when listening to music, watching videos, or playing games. When you're not using other apps, the buttons will adjust the ringer volume. Learn about the dynamic volume buttons on your iPhone Duo.

2: Side button: Use the side button to turn off your iPhone, lock your iPhone, and to unlock your iPhone or make purchases using Touch ID. To summon Siri, press and hold the side button.

3: Camera Control: Use the Camera Control to quickly open your iPhone camera, capture photos or videos, and access camera settings. Learn more about the Camera Control. Press and hold the Camera Control to use Visual Intelligence.

On iPhone 16 and later models with Camera Control

Line art of an iPhone 16 with numbers pointing to the buttons and controls

1: Side button: Use the side button to turn off your iPhone and to lock your iPhone. To summon Siri, press and hold the side button.

2: Volume buttons: Use the volume up/down buttons to adjust the volume when listening to music, watching videos, or playing games. When you're not using other apps, the buttons will adjust the ringer volume.

3: Action button: You can choose what you want this button to do, including opening the Camera app or turning on the flashlight. By default, the Action button turns Silent mode on or off. Learn more about the Action button.

4: Camera Control: Use the Camera Control to quickly open your iPhone camera, capture photos or videos, and access camera settings. Learn more about the Camera Control. Press and hold the Camera Control to use Visual Intelligence.

On iPhone 17e, iPhone 16e, iPhone 15, and earlier models without a Home button

Line art of an iPhone 15 with numbers pointing to the buttons

1: Side button: Use the side button to turn off your iPhone and to lock your iPhone. To summon Siri, press and hold the side button.

2: Volume buttons: Use the volume up/down buttons to adjust the volume when listening to music, watching videos, or playing games. When you're not using other apps, the buttons will adjust the ringer volume.

3: Action button or Ring/Silent switch:

  • With the Action button on iPhone 17e, iPhone 16e, and iPhone 15 Pro models: You can choose what you want this button to do, including opening the Camera app or turning on the flashlight. By default, the Action button turns Silent mode on or off. Learn more about the Action button.

  • With the Ring/Silent switch: If the switch shows orange, your iPhone is in Silent mode and will vibrate for incoming calls or alerts. When in Silent mode, the alarms you set in the Clock app will still sound, and calls from favorite contacts will still ring.

On iPhone 8 and earlier models

Line art showing an iPhone 8 with numbers pointing to the buttons

1: Side button: Use the side button to turn off your iPhone and to lock your iPhone.

2: Volume buttons: Use the volume up/down buttons to adjust the volume when listening to music, watching videos, or playing games. When you're not using other apps, the buttons will adjust the ringer volume.

3: Ring/Silent switch: If the switch shows orange, your iPhone is in Silent mode and will vibrate for incoming calls or alerts. When in Silent mode, the alarms you set in the Clock app will still sound, and calls from favorite contacts will still ring.

4: Home button with Touch ID: Use the Home button to unlock your device or make purchases using Touch ID. Press the Home button once to go to the Home screen. Press the Home button twice to bring up the App Switcher. To summon Siri, press and hold the Home button.

Use the volume buttons on iPhone Duo

By default, the volume button closest to the top button increases the volume and the volume button furthest from the top button decreases the volume, regardless of how you hold your iPhone Duo:

Diagram shows iPhone top edge with volume buttons and a small circle.

Dynamic volume buttons adjust automatically as you rotate your iPhone Duo. So you increase volume with the button on the right or top, and you decrease volume with the button on the left or bottom, regardless of how you hold your iPhone Duo.

If you want, you can turn dynamic volume buttons on or off:

  1. Open Settings, then tap Sounds & Haptics.

  2. If you want the volume buttons to always have the same behavior, turn on Fixed Position Volume Controls. If you want the volume buttons to change dynamically with the orientation of your iPhone Duo, turn the setting off.

With languages that have writing that goes from right to left, you increase the volume using the button on the left or top, and decrease the volume using the button on the right or bottom. If your iPhone Duo has Rotation Lock on, the volume buttons will function based on the orientation that your iPhone Duo is locked to.

Diagrams show iPhone sides with volume buttons, side button, and Home button.Diagrams show iPhone volume buttons and side buttons.

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