Most people see the volume up and down buttons on an iPhone as simple controls for sound. But Apple has baked in hidden shortcuts and features that make them useful in many situations — often without needing to touch the screen.
One of the most handy uses is with the Camera app. Pressing either volume button takes a still photo, helping you avoid shaking your phone by reaching for the on-screen shutter. If you hold a volume button while in photo mode, the phone switches to QuickTake mode, allowing you to start recording video instantly. There’s also a burst-mode option: you can set one of the volume buttons so that pressing it takes a rapid series of shots.
In emergencies, the volume buttons are part of Apple’s SOS functionality. Pressing and holding a volume button together with the side (power) button brings up the Emergency SOS screen. On recent iPhone models, this includes satellite-based SOS if you’re out of cellular coverage. Also, tapping the power button five times quickly can trigger SOS if this shortcut has been turned on in settings.
The volume buttons are useful beyond photos. When an alarm goes off, pressing either button silences or snoozes it. This works even if the alarm is set to vibrate only. Similarly, if a call is coming in, pressing a volume button silences the ringtone without rejecting the call. Find My notifications can also be muted this way — you’ll still see the alert, but the noise stops.
In short, those two little buttons do a lot more than adjust sound volume. Whether you’re snapping photos, calling for help, or just trying to silence noise without fumbling on your screen, volume buttons are a shortcut waiting to be used.
