Amazing iOS 14 trick could be the best new iPhone feature

iOS 14
iOS 14 was released last week (Image credit: Apple)

The absence of new iPhones at last week's Apple event was a little disappointing, but the company did have one surprise in store for us: the rather sudden release of iOS 14 on Wednesday. And while we've known about the headline features since the software's announcement in June, users are discovering a bunch of more subtle upgrades – and one in particular could be a game-changer.

Tucked away in iOS 14's Accessibility settings is a new feature called Back Tap. This allows the user to access a host of customisable controls simply by tapping the back of the phone. The iPhone 11 is already one of our best camera phones, but as well as raw tech, it's subtle iOS tweaks like this that keep it at the top of the list. 

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Tons of actions can be achieved with Back Tap, including taking a screenshot, turning the torch on, opening Control Centre and initiating any of your Shortcuts. There's both a double tap and triple tap option, a little like the customisable single/double tap settings for AirPods (check out the best fun AirPods cases if you're looking to deck yours out). 

iOS 14 Back Tap settings

The feature can be found in Settings, Accessibility, Touch, Back Tap (Image credit: Apple/Future Owns)

Although you're unlikely to stumble across it in Settings, Back Tap is easy to enable and customise. Users simply have to head to Settings, Accessibility, Touch, then Back Tap. There you'll find a huge list of options for both double and triple tap.

Apple calls Back Tap "a simple and easy way to trigger convenient tasks for those with accessibility needs," in its comprehensive iOS 14 features list (where it's relegated to the 'even more' section). But Back Tap could offer a huge amount of convenience for all users. Creatives who need to take a quick screenshot, or use a shortcut to convert an image type for example, can now do so with a simple double or triple tap.

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While Twitter roasted Widgets, iOS 14's rather familiar headline feature, many are impressed with the helpful functionality of Back Tap (with several citing screenshot as one of the most useful actions). It just goes to show that the simplest features are sometimes the best. 

With the iPhone 12 likely delayed until at least next month, we'll have to wait a little longer to see what new hardware-based features are in store. It's a good job, then, that iOS 14 is here to breathe life into your current device. If you can't wait to upgrade, take a look at today's best iPhone deals below. And don't forget to explore the best offers available as part of Apple Amazon Prime Day

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Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).