So, you’ve got yourself the latest iPhone model with 3D Touch and you’re wondering how to make the most of this feature, right? Well, don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to use 3D Touch on your iPhone, so you can unlock all its hidden potential and take your smartphone experience to the next level. Excited? Let’s get started!
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What is 3D Touch on iPhone
Overview of 3D Touch technology
3D Touch is a technology exclusive to certain iPhone models that allows for pressure-sensitive input on the device’s display. With 3D Touch, you can perform various actions and access shortcuts by applying different levels of pressure to the screen. This innovative feature adds a new dimension to the user interaction and enhances the overall usability of the iPhone.
Benefits of using 3D Touch
Using 3D Touch on your iPhone offers several benefits. Firstly, it provides quick access to specific app functions and shortcuts directly from the home screen, making it more efficient to navigate through your device’s apps. Additionally, 3D Touch enables you to preview content within apps without fully opening them, saving you time and allowing for better multitasking. This technology also enhances the functionality of Live Photos, allowing you to interact with your memories in a more immersive way. Overall, 3D Touch enhances the user experience and empowers you to interact with your iPhone in a more intuitive and efficient manner.
Devices Compatible with 3D Touch
List of iPhone models with 3D Touch support
Currently, several iPhone models support 3D Touch. These include:
- iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS and XS Max
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
How to check if your iPhone has 3D Touch
To check if your iPhone has 3D Touch, follow these steps:
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility.”
- Tap on “Touch.”
- Look for the “3D Touch” option. If you see it listed, it means your iPhone supports 3D Touch.
Enabling 3D Touch
Accessing the Accessibility settings
To enable 3D Touch on your iPhone, you’ll need to access the Accessibility settings. Here’s how:
- Go to your iPhone’s home screen.
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility.”
Enabling 3D Touch option
To enable 3D Touch after accessing the Accessibility settings, follow these steps:
- In the Accessibility menu, tap on “Touch.”
- Find the “3D Touch” option and tap on it.
- Toggle the switch next to “3D Touch” to turn it on.
Understanding 3D Touch Gestures
Gentle Tap
A gentle tap on the iPhone screen is a basic touch gesture that doesn’t trigger any 3D Touch-specific actions. It behaves like a standard tap and is useful for opening apps or selecting items without invoking additional functions.
Peek
Peek is one of the fundamental 3D Touch gestures. To perform a Peek, press firmly on an item, such as an email, message, or link. This action will cause a preview of the content to appear, allowing you to get a glimpse of the information without fully opening it. To exit the Peek, release the pressure on the screen.
Pop
When in a Peek mode, if you want to fully open the content, apply additional pressure to the screen to trigger a Pop. This gesture expands the previewed content into its full view, allowing you to interact with it directly.
Quick Actions
Quick Actions are shortcuts that can be accessed directly from the home screen using 3D Touch. To activate Quick Actions, press firmly on an app icon, and a menu of available shortcuts will appear. These shortcuts provide convenient access to specific features or actions within the app, reducing the time it takes to navigate through menus and options.
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Using 3D Touch on Home Screen
Accessing app shortcuts
One of the main benefits of 3D Touch on the home screen is the ability to access app shortcuts. To do this, find the app icon you want to interact with and press firmly on it. A menu will appear, displaying options specific to that app. From here, you can perform quick actions, such as composing a new email, starting a timer, or checking the latest news updates.
Previewing app content
Another useful functionality of 3D Touch on the home screen is the ability to preview app content. By pressing firmly on an app icon, you can get a glance of the information within the app without actually opening it. This is particularly handy for checking notifications, reading messages, or quickly browsing through recent emails.
Using 3D Touch in Apps
Peeking into emails and messages
Within apps like Mail or Messages, 3D Touch allows you to Peek into emails and messages, providing a preview of their contents. By pressing firmly on a particular message, you can read its content without opening the entire conversation. This feature enables you to quickly triage your messages and decide which ones require immediate attention.
Previewing website links
When browsing the web, 3D Touch enables you to preview website links without leaving your current page. Simply press firmly on a link, and a preview window will appear, displaying the contents of the linked page. This allows you to decide whether you want to visit the website without interrupting your browsing flow.
Quickly accessing specific app features
In various apps, 3D Touch offers the convenience of accessing specific features directly, bypassing the need to navigate through menus. For instance, in the Camera app, pressing firmly on the shutter button enables you to access options like taking a selfie or recording a video. These quick shortcuts streamline your app usage and save you valuable time.
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Customizing 3D Touch Sensitivity
Accessing the Display & Brightness settings
To customize the sensitivity of 3D Touch, you’ll need to access the Display & Brightness settings. Follow these steps to get there:
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on “Display & Brightness.”
Adjusting the 3D Touch sensitivity
Once in the Display & Brightness settings, you can adjust the sensitivity of 3D Touch by following these steps:
- Tap on “3D Touch” located at the bottom of the screen.
- You’ll see the “3D Touch Sensitivity” option with three levels to choose from: Light, Medium, and Firm. Select the level that suits your preference.
- You can test the sensitivity by using the sample image provided on the screen. Adjust the setting until you find the pressure level that feels most comfortable for you.
Using Live Photos with 3D Touch
Activating Live Photos
To use Live Photos with 3D Touch, make sure the Live Photos feature is activated on your iPhone. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
- Look for the Live Photos icon, which looks like a set of concentric circles in the top center of the screen.
- If the icon is yellow, Live Photos is already active. If not, tap on the icon to enable it.
Peeking and Popping Live Photos in the Photos app
After activating Live Photos, you can use 3D Touch to interact with them in the Photos app. When viewing a Live Photo, press firmly on the screen to initiate a Peek. This action will animate the photo, allowing you to see the movement captured. To Pop the Live Photo and see it in full, apply additional pressure to the screen. This immersive experience brings your memories to life and enhances the enjoyment of your captured moments.
Tips and Tricks for Using 3D Touch
Adjusting the preview duration
By default, when using Peek and Pop gestures, the preview duration is set to a specific timeframe. However, you can adjust this duration to suit your preferences. To do so, follow these steps:
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility.”
- Tap on “Touch.”
- Find the “Touch Duration” option and tap on it.
- Adjust the slider to choose your desired preview duration.
Deleting apps quickly
With 3D Touch, you can delete apps from your iPhone home screen swiftly. Simply press firmly on an app icon to activate the Quick Actions menu, then tap on the “Delete App” option. This skips the usual step of entering the app deletion mode, saving you a few extra taps.
Using third-party app shortcuts
Many third-party apps also support 3D Touch shortcuts on the home screen. To explore the available shortcuts for a specific app, locate its icon, press firmly to access Quick Actions, and see if any additional features or actions are available. This allows you to quickly perform tasks within your favorite apps without opening them fully.
Disabling 3D Touch
Accessing the Accessibility settings
If, for any reason, you want to disable 3D Touch on your iPhone, follow these steps:
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility.”
Disabling 3D Touch option
To disable 3D Touch after accessing the Accessibility settings, follow these steps:
- In the Accessibility menu, tap on “Touch.”
- Find the “3D Touch” option and tap on it.
- Toggle the switch next to “3D Touch” to turn it off.
Disabling 3D Touch will revert the functionality of your iPhone’s display back to standard touch sensitivity. Keep in mind that by doing so, you will lose the convenience and additional features provided by this innovative technology.