iPhone X Supports Reachability With Swipe Down Gesture on Home Screen Indicator Once Enabled - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iPhone X Supports Reachability With Swipe Down Gesture on Home Screen Indicator Once Enabled

by

Despite some speculation suggesting the iPhone X would not support Reachability, reviews of the device published today have confirmed that the feature can be enabled in the Settings app on the device.

iphone x reachability
Once enabled, Reachability can be invoked by swiping down on the bar that serves as a visual indicator for returning to the Home screen.

Skip to the 5:05 mark in Engadget's first impressions video to see Reachability in action. The tidbit was highlighted on Reddit by user Whert Ser Nert.


Reachability is designed to bring down the entire top portion of the iPhone's display so it is within thumb's reach for one-handed access to apps and content. The feature is invoked by double tapping the Home button on other iPhone models.

Tag: Reachability
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

M_Json Avatar
M_Json
116 months ago
Actually a clever and intuitive way to do it..
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chucker23n1 Avatar
chucker23n1
116 months ago
The minute someone says they haven’t had much time with a device I stop watching or reading their so-called review. I’d much rather read/see a review from someone who’s been using the device as their daily driver for a week or more.
There is no such person right now, so good luck with that, dude.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
W
Wowereit
116 months ago
Actually a clever and intuitive way to do it..
I'm pulling down, UI is coming down.
I'm pulling up, UI is going up, revealing the thing 'under it' - the home screen.

Seems natural.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zaft Avatar
Zaft
116 months ago
Very nic3, I’m glad it’s still there.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L
linkmaster02
116 months ago
Intuitive and simplicity go hand and hand.
Something intuitive should be simple, but something simple isn't necessarily intuitive. Much like all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares.

Imagine a feature on the phone where if you blow into the microphone, it switches wifi on/off. Simple? Yes. Intuitive? Nooooooo.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
webquake Avatar
webquake
116 months ago
Reachability is just compensating poor ergonomic interface design. Using upside-down design instead could drastically increase smartphone usability, as outlined in my article "Ergonomics of scale ('https://medium.com/@webquake/ergonomics-of-scale-75c711dbda36')".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
Read Full Article • 151 comments
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Read Full Article • 111 comments
deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...
Read Full Article • 142 comments