3 Variations Of The iPhone X App Switcher Gesture

iphone x app switcher gesture

iPhone X App Switcher gesture.

The 10th anniversary iPhone packs a lot of new gestures to make up for the lack of the Home button. Most of them are highly inspired and easy to perform. However, there is a general consensus that the gesture for entering the App Switcher menu is a bit complicated. Problems specially arise for those users that want to invoke the iPhone X multitasking menu single-handed.

On all the earlier iPhone models, the App Switcher has been available with the help of the Home-button double-click. On the iPhone ‘Ten’ you have to swipe-up from the bottom of the screen, pause halfway and wait until the cards of the apps running in the background are displayed. However, at the beginning you might find it difficult to perform, mostly if you’re trying to do it with your thumb when using the iPhone X with a single hand.

iPhone X App Switcher Gesture Variations
After 2 days of testing I’ve noticed that the gesture for accessing the App Switcher is quite dynamic and you can use at least 3 variations and achieve the same result. Check out the options below, test them out and figure out which one suits you best:
1. Swipe-Up & Pause
Go by the book and perform the gesture as explained above. Works great if you’re performing it with the index finger.

iphone x app switcher swipe 2. Semi-Circle Swipe
Start from the bottom area of the iPhone X screen. Perform the swipe from the Gesture bar area. With your finger perform a semi-circle motion towards the right edge. Aim for the Side button. This should enable the App Switcher without you needing to pause your finger on the screen.

iphone x app switcher shortcut3. L-shaped Swipe
Another option is to describe an L-shaped path with your finger. It’s an inverted L, in fact. Start from the bottom of the screen. Go upwards towards the left until you get close to the edge and then make a sharp right turn. Continue to drag your finger horizontally until you reach the right-edge. This kinda replaces the pause from method 1. Your iPhone X detects that the up swipe has been interrupted and triggers the App Switcher shortcut. Check the nearby image for better understanding.

Fact: Although the iPhone X supports 3D Touch functionality, force touching the left edge of the screen doesn’t bring up the App Switcher, as it usually works in previous iPhone models. Nevertheless, this shortcut might be added in future iOS software updates. Follow us and we’ll keep you posted.

Related: You might also be interested about how to easily switch between recently used apps on the iPhone X and how to force quit apps!