Understanding iPhone 12 Controls
With the touchscreen used for most actions, the iPhone 12 has only four other hardware controls: the Side button in the middle of the right side; the Ringer On/Off switch at the top of the left side; and the Volume Up button and Volume Down button, below the Ringer On/Off switch. This section illustrates and explains these controls, plus the methods for unlocking the iPhone and locking it again.
Identify the Hardware Controls
The right side of the iPhone has only one control, a button called the Side button. The Side button has multiple functions on its own and in combination with the Volume Up button and the Volume Down button. The remainder of this section explains how to use the Side button.
The left side of the iPhone has three controls:
• The Ringer On/Off switch turns the ringer on and off. Move the switch toward the rear of the iPhone, exposing an orange background, to turn the ringer off. Move the switch to the front again to turn the ringer back on.
• The Volume Up button and Volume Down button enable you to control the volume quickly without having to use the touchscreen. These buttons also work in combination with the Side button for other actions.
Turn Your iPhone On and Off
To turn on your iPhone when it is powered off, press and hold Side until the Apple logo appears on-screen; then release the Side button. Your iPhone continues to start, and then the lock screen appears.
To turn off your iPhone, press and hold Side and either Volume Up or Volume Down until the Power Off screen appears; then swipe slide to power off (
) to the right.
Unlock and Lock Your iPhone
To unlock your iPhone, hold it so the front cameras can scan your face. The iPhone unlocks (
changes to
) and the Swipe up to open prompt appears at the bottom of the screen. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen. The iPhone unlocks, and you can start using it.
To lock your iPhone and put it to sleep, press Side once. Depending on how the iPhone is configured, the iPhone may also go to sleep automatically after a period of inactivity.
Using Sleep and Wake, Siri, App Store, and Apple Pay
When the iPhone is awake, press Side once to put it to sleep. When the iPhone is asleep, press Side once to wake it.
At any time, press and hold Side to activate Siri, which plays a tone and displays its icon near the bottom of the screen.
When installing an app from the App Store, double-click Side to authenticate yourself via Face ID and continue installing the app.
When making a purchase via Apple Pay, double-click Side to authenticate yourself via Face ID and confirm the purchase.
Force the iPhone to Restart
If the iPhone becomes unresponsive, a software problem may have occurred. Wait for a minute or two to see if iOS can resolve the problem.
If the iPhone remains unresponsive, you will need to restart it. Press Volume Down once, press Volume Up once, and then press and hold Side for 10–15 seconds. When the screen turns off, release Side. The iPhone then restarts, and the Apple logo appears on-screen.
