The iPhone X, released in 2017, marked a change in the design of Apple’s smartphones, as it did away with the physical home button on the front panel. In its place, a gray bar known as the “home bar” now appears at the bottom of the screen.
One issue with this new design is that the home bar remains visible at all times, including when using apps or playing games.
Understanding the iPhone Home Bar: Function and Use
The round home button was a distinctive feature of Apple smartphones for many years. However, with the introduction of edge-to-edge screens, Apple had to remove it. This change in design has some effects on the user experience. To help users familiarize themselves with the new gesture-based navigation system, Apple has implemented a black (or white) bar at the bottom of the screen. This bar, known as the “home bar,” serves as a reference point for unlocking the screen or accessing the app switcher. Here’s a list of gestures that can be used in place of the home button on iPhone.
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher.
- Swipe up and hold to enter the multitasking screen.
- Swipe up from the top-right corner of the screen to control center.
- Swipe left or right along the home bar to switch between open apps.
Once you get used to the iOS interface, you may find that the home bar is no longer necessary and could even be a distraction while playing games or navigating the iPhone interface. If that’s the case, there is a native feature of iPhone to hide the home bar, you can use it.
Hide iPhone Home Bar
The Home Bar, located at the bottom of the iPhone screen, cannot be hidden through traditional means as Apple does not offer a switch in the iOS settings to manage its display. However, a workaround does exist using the accessibility settings.
To hide the Home Bar, follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings of your iPhone.
- Click on the Accessibility section, then on Guided Access.
- Turn on Guided Access by activating the switch at the top of the window.
- A new window will open, click on Code Settings and activate the Accessibility Shortcut function.
This will configure your iPhone to hide the Home Bar. However, to make the Home Bar disappear, you will need to do an additional step:
- Open the application in which you want the Home Bar to be hidden.
- Quickly click the power button on the right edge of the phone three times.
Your device will enter Guided Access mode, and the Home Bar will be hidden. Please note that this method has some limitations like you will not be able to change application, take screenshots or return to the home screen of your iPhone. To exit the application, triple-click the power button again to exit the guided access mode. This remains the only available option to Hide iPhone Home Bar.
FAQ
How does the home bar affect battery life on my iPhone?
The home bar itself has minimal impact on battery life, as it is a static interface element that doesn’t consume significant resources. However, the gesture-based navigation system associated with the home bar might indirectly affect battery life, as it requires more screen interaction than using a physical home button. Overall, the impact on battery life is negligible, and users should focus on other factors, such as screen brightness and app usage, to optimize battery life.
Can I customize the color or appearance of the home bar on my iPhone?
Unfortunately, Apple does not provide options for customizing the appearance or color of the home bar on iPhones. The home bar adapts its color based on the background, appearing either black or white to maintain visibility. If you find the home bar distracting, you can use the Guided Access workaround to hide it, as mentioned earlier.
Are there any third-party apps that can hide or customize the home bar on my iPhone?
Apple’s strict control over its iOS ecosystem means that third-party apps generally do not have the ability to modify system-level interface elements like the home bar. While jailbreaking your iPhone could potentially grant access to such modifications, it is not recommended due to the risks involved, including voiding your warranty, compromising device security, and causing software instability.
Do other iPhone models have the home bar feature?
The home bar feature is present on iPhone models that lack a physical home button, such as the iPhone X and later models. These devices use gesture-based navigation, which relies on the home bar as a visual reference point for users. iPhone models with a physical home button, such as the iPhone 8 and earlier, do not have a home bar, as they use the home button for navigation.
