How to Use Action Button Shortcuts Without the Button on iPhone

Did you know

you can trigger a whole menu of actions with just a double tap on the back of your iPhone? Instead of assigning a single shortcut, you can build a custom shortcut menu. Think of it as your mini command center.

I’ve been using the iPhone 14 for the past two years, and it’s been a great experience overall. But one thing I’ve really felt missing from the newer models is the Action Button, a small physical button that lets you trigger shortcuts with a single press.

I’ve been using Shortcuts in various ways and I love them. Once you set things up, you can save a lot of steps just to open an app or perform routine tasks. For almost six years, I’ve used the Back Tap feature to take screenshots. But recently, I had an idea: why not combine Back Tap with a custom shortcut menu?

Now, with just a double or triple tap on the back of your phone, you can create your own version of the Action Button. It’s a small trick that adds a lot of convenience.

Whether it’s launching Spotify, toggling Do Not Disturb, or opening your journaling app. This guide walks you through how to create your own multitool using the Shortcuts app and Back Tap.

Step 1: Create a Shortcut Menu

Open the Shortcuts app.

Tap “+” to create a new shortcut.
Tap Add Action, search for “Choose from Menu”, and select it.
Customize each menu item:
- Tap to rename (e.g., “Focus Mode”, “Spotify”, “Notes”)
- Scroll to Run [Shortcuts] ▶ Under each item to define what that action should do.
- Add more items by tapping “Add New Item”.

Or I made a template for you, You can download it and simply save it into your Shortcuts

▼ Click below to download the pre-made shortcut