iPhone 15 Pro's Action Button to Support Translate App Later This Year

Wednesday September 13, 2023 6:05 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

The new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with a customizable Action button that replaces the traditional mute switch on previous iPhones. By default, the button is set to toggle between Ring and Silent modes, but it can also be assigned to a different action for quick access to the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos, and more.

One of the options for the Action button will be the Translate app, allowing you to quickly start translating between two languages without having to open the app. However, fine print on Apple's website says the Translate option will not be available for the Action button until later this year, suggesting that it will be enabled in a future iOS 17 update.

A recap of the other options that will be available for the Action button immediately:

Ring/Silent
Focus
Camera
Flashlight
Voice Memos
Magnifier
Shortcuts
Accessibility

You must press and hold the Action button to launch the assigned action.

iPhone 15 models can be pre-ordered starting Friday, September 15 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and will launch on Friday, September 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15 Pro

Tags: Apple Translate, Action Button

Buyer's Guide: iPhone 15 Pro (Buy Now)

Top Rated Comments

shapesinaframe

2 weeks ago

needs more options for clicks same as home button eg:
[LIST=1]
* single click
* double click
* triple click
* long press

no doubt they'll make it possible, but lock it out by hardware revision over the course of 4 years of iterations.

Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)

kerr

With the power button, I can single click to turn the screen off, double click to open the Wallet app or triple click to select one of three Accessibility shortcuts. The action button should be able to do the same and it's disappointing that it can only do one thing.

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

poorcody

I winder if it would be possible to make an app that pops up when the action button is used that allows you to run actions or launch apps or whatever, just a more configurable dock of sorts.

You can definitely do that -- in fact I do it on my Apple Watch. Just have the Action Button open the Shortcuts App (you can even make a Shortcut to open the Shortcuts App if needed). In that app, you can create Shortcuts that do anything you want (e.g. start the Camera in Movie mode), and arrange them in any order you want on the "home" screen when Shortcuts opens. So everything is a click of the Action button and one tap away. That's my plan for it.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

tweaknmod

Call me old fashioned, or just old, but I really dislike when companies announce software features before they’re ready, while still positioning them to be part of the OS launch.

This isn’t part of iOS 17 - it might be part of a future update, which is not the same thing.

Now get off my lawn.

syklee26

This will be awesome when I talk to Scottish friends!

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)