Reachability lowers the upper half of the iPhone interface so controls near the top of the screen are easier to reach with one hand. The feature still exists on current iPhones, although the gesture differs from the Home-button instructions used in iOS 10.
Enable Reachability on a current iPhone
Open Settings > Accessibility > Touch and turn on Reachability. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen to lower the interface. Tap the upper area or wait briefly to return to the normal view.
On older iPhones with a Home button
Older models that support Reachability use a light double-touch of the Home button rather than a full double-click. Pressing the button can trigger other actions, so the gesture is a touch rather than two normal button presses.
If Reachability activates accidentally
Return to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and turn it off. This does not disable other accessibility features or change the screen’s display zoom.
If an old iOS 10 guide points to a different menu, use the current Accessibility path above. Apple has reorganized these controls since iOS 10, and current instructions are more useful for readers using modern iPhones.
Reachability only shifts the visible interface temporarily; it does not shrink text, change Display Zoom, or permanently move controls. If your goal is larger controls rather than easier one-handed reach, review Display & Text Size or Display Zoom instead.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.