How to Add Switches to Switch Control on an iPhone

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: May 25, 2021 References

This wikiHow teaches you how to set up special controls (called “switches”) to help people with limited mobility easily navigate their iPhones.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Adding a Camera Switch

1
Open your iPhone's Settings. You'll find this app on one of your home screens, represented by a gray icon that looks like a gear. Look inside the Utilities folder if you don't see it.
- Use this method if you want to use your front-facing camera to navigate your iPhone with head movements.
2
Tap General. It's in the third group of settings.

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3
Tap Accessibility. It's in the third section.
4
Scroll down and tap Switch Control. It's in the third section, under “Interaction.”
5
Tap Switches.
6
Tap Add New Switch….
7
Tap Camera.
8
Select head movement direction. You'll be able to choose an action to occur when you move your head to the right or left. Choose Left Head Motion or Right Head Motion, depending on your preferences.^{[1]
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9
Select an action. This is where you'll choose what happens when you move your head to the direction you previously selected.
- The Scanner section contains navigation actions. For example, you could choose “Move to previous item” for Left Head Movement, or “Move to next item” for Right Head movement.
- The System section allows you connect an “action,” such as a tap.
10
Tap Switch Control to return to the previous menu. It's at the top left corner of the screen.
11
Slide the “Auto Scanning” switch to your desired position. Switch Control will continuously scan and select items on your screen so you can click or tap with head movements.^{[2]
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- If you're using head movements to control navigation (scanning), slide it to the off position.
- If your head movements perform functions like tapping or clicking, slide it to the on position.
12
Scroll down and tap Head Movement Sensitivity. It's under the "Switch Stabilization" header in the second section.
13
Tap Low. This prevents your iPhone from mistaking natural head movements for intended Switch Controls.^{[3]
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14
Scroll up and slide the “Switch Control” switch to the on position. It's back at the top of the screen. Once enabled, you'll be able to use your new switch.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Adding an External Switch

1
Turn on your external switch. If you have a Bluetooth-enabled accessibility device, use this method to add it as a switch for your iPhone. The device should also be charged or connected to a power source.^{[5]
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2
Open your iPhone's Settings. You'll find this app on one of your home screens, represented by a gray icon that looks like a gear. Look inside the Utilities folder if you don't see it.
3
Tap Bluetooth.
4
Slide the “Bluetooth” switch to the on position. If it's already on, you can skip this step.
5
Tap the name of your external switch under “My Devices.” You may have to wait a few moments for it to appear. Once connected, the word “connected” will appear to the right of its name.
- If you are prompted to enter a pairing code, enter the 4-digit code that came with your switch, or try one of these generic codes: 0000, 1111, 1234.
- If your switch came with specific instructions for pairing with an iPhone, refer to those instructions. You may need to press a button on the device.
6
Tap Settings to return to the previous menu. It's at the top left corner of the screen.
7
Tap General. It's in the third group of settings.
8
Tap Accessibility. It's in the third section.
9
Scroll down and tap Switch Control. It's in the third section, under “Interaction.”
10
Tap Switches.
11
Tap Add New Switch.
12
Tap External.
13
Type a name for your switch into the “New Switch” box. This should be something that describes your switch, such as “Joystick.”
14
Tap Save.
15
Select a function for the switch. This is the action that will occur when you use your switch. What you select here depends on your type of switch and its capabilities.^{[6]
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- The Scanner section displays functions for controlling navigation, such as “Move to next item.”
- The System section allows you connect an “action” function, such as a tap or Home button press.
16
Tap Add New Switch… to add another switch. Again, you'll have to choose External, and then a function for the switch.
- Repeat this process for all of your external switches.
17
Tap Switch Control to return to the previous menu. It's at the top left corner of the screen.
18
Slide the “Auto Scanning” switch to your desired position. By default, Switch Control continuously scans in a loop, selecting items on the screen so you can click or tap with your switch.^{[7]
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- If the switch you added controls navigation (scanning), slide it to the off position.
- If your switch controls an action like tapping or clicking, slide it to the on position.
19
Select your desired settings for your switch(es). Now you can tune the behavior of your switch so it does what you want.
- If you're using automatic scanning, you'll want to customize the Timing options to control scanning speed and loop behavior.
- Under Switch Stabilization, you'll find options for hold duration (how long a switch needs to be held before an action occurs).
20
Scroll up and slide the “Switch Control” switch to the on position. It's back at the top of the screen. Once enabled, you'll be able to use your new switch.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Adding a Screen Switch

1
Open your iPhone's Settings. You'll find this app on one of your home screens, represented by a gray icon that looks like a gear. Look inside the Utilities folder if you don't see it.
- Use this method if you want to use the entire screen as a switch. If you're able to tap the screen but unable to tap with precision, this option can help you open apps and menus without the need for an external switch.
2
Tap General. It's in the third group of settings.
3
Tap Accessibility. It's in the third section.
4
Scroll down and tap Switch Control. It's in the third section, under “Interaction.”
5
Tap Switches.
6
Tap Add New Switch….
7
Tap Screen.
8
Tap Full Screen.
9
Tap Select Item under the “Scanner” section.
10
Tap Switch Control to return to the previous menu. It's at the top left corner of the screen.
11
Slide the “Auto Scanning” switch to the on position. This makes it possible to tap anywhere on the screen when the desired item is selected.
- If you're using another switch, such as a camera or external switch for navigation, this slider should be in the off position.
12
Set your Timing and Switch Stabilization preferences. These two sections are just beneath the “Auto Scanning” switch.
- If you're using automatic scanning, you'll want to customize the Timing options to control scanning speed and loop behavior.
- Under Switch Stabilization, you'll find options for specifying how long you need to press the screen before an action occurs.
13
Scroll up and slide the “Switch Control” switch to the on position. It's back at the top of the screen. Once enabled, you'll be able to use your new switch.^{[8]
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References

About This Article

Written by:

Nicole Levine, MFA

Tech Specialist

This article was written by Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 8,958 times.

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Co-authors: 4

Updated: May 25, 2021

Views: 8,958

Categories: IPhone

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