iOS 10 tips: Revert Touch ID from 'press home to wake' back to rest to wake

AppleInsider · September 30, 2016 7:48PM

Slide to unlock is gone in iOS 10, and isn't coming back. In its place is "press home to unlock" which works well for the iPhone 6s and newer, but isn't so smooth for older phones, requiring two button presses to open a phone. Here's how to only have to hit the home button once to unlock your older phone with Touch ID.

Phones with the M1 motion processor have "raise to wake" enabled by default in iOS 10, which senses when the user picks up the phone and wakes the phone. Older phones with Touch ID don't have that ability, requiring users to press either the power or home button, and then press the home button with a registered digit again to unlock the phone.

Here's how to turn "press home to unlock" off, and change Touch ID's iPhone unlock feature back to how it worked pre-iOS 10.

The text on the home screen doesn't change in iOS 10.0.2 after the procedure is completed, it says "press home to unlock" regardless of setting. However, after toggling the setting, a registered finger rest will in fact unlock the phone, regardless of the lock screen's directions for the user.

This tip is also useful to revert the Touch ID button back to its previous behavior under iOS 9 even with M1 iPhones.

crowley · September 30, 2016 7:59PM

Definitely turning this on. Raise to wake has ruined my physical memory, and I keep finding myself resting my thumb on the home button expecting my 6S to unlock, before realising that I also need to press.

Very surprised that the need to press the home button is the default.

crowley · September 30, 2016 8:00PM

I already love it, much better this way. Though I notice that the tip on the Home screen still instructs to Press the Home button. Sloppy

anantksundaram · September 30, 2016 8:03PM

crowley said:

Definitely turning this on. Raise to wake has ruined my physical memory, and I keep finding myself resting my thumb on the home button expecting my 6S to unlock, before realising that I also need to press.

Very surprised that the need to press the home button is the default.

Thanks for this, AI. I am also reverting to the "rest" mode. And, the first thing I did was to turn off "raise to wake."

(The JB is utterly gorgeous, btw).

edited September 2016

crowley · September 30, 2016 8:06PM

anantksundaram said:

crowley said:

Definitely turning this on. Raise to wake has ruined my physical memory, and I keep finding myself resting my thumb on the home button expecting my 6S to unlock, before realising that I also need to press.

Very surprised that the need to press the home button is the default.

Thanks for this, AI. I am also reverting to the "rest" mode. And, the first thing I did was to turn off "raise to wake."

(The JB is utterly gorgeous, btw).

Really? I rather like raise to wake. I actually get to see my notifications before I unlock my phone now.

Though getting into them by Force Touch is hugely annoying and doesn't seem at all thought through as an interaction. So awkward.

ireland · September 30, 2016 8:19PM

Certain occasions/situations requires the press. Minor bug.

wood1208 · September 30, 2016 8:42PM

This is the most fucked-up change Apple did. I tell you why ? First there was NO problem with slide to unlock ? simple and easy. to use. 2nd, with IOS 10 change, keep using your Home button to unlock increases wear and tear on Home button which than reduces the longevity of Home button mechanism which breaks sooner costing lot $$ to fix it at Apple store. . I told Apple when you remove 3.5mm jack, no problem but make sure using same lightening port for audio earpod and charging increases(more than double) insertion in same port crippling it sooner than usual. Once the lightening port is non-functional on iphone 7, phone is unusable. If lightning port or Home button starts failing faster than Apple is looking for massive replacement and law suit.

edited September 2016

anantksundaram · September 30, 2016 9:00PM

wood1208 said:

....the lightening port ....

...aaaargh....

crowley · September 30, 2016 9:31PM

wood1208 said:

This is the most fucked-up change Apple did. I tell you why ? First there was NO problem with slide to unlock ? simple and easy. to use. 2nd, with IOS 10 change, keep using your Home button to unlock increases wear and tear on Home button which than reduces the longevity of Home button mechanism which breaks sooner costing lot $$ to fix it at Apple store.

Huh? Before iOS 10 most people would use the Home button to turn on the screen anyway (a few may have used the sleep/wake, but I'll bet it's a barely significant minority). Now that iOS 10 introduces raise to wake, coupled with the tip above, the Home button doesn't need to be pushed at all to get in to the phone. And with the iPhone 7 removing the mechanical aspect to the home button, wear and tear is much less of a problem also (though I suppose the taptic engine will have a shelf life).

I certainly think the defaults are back to front, but I don't see where you're coming from with your complaint.

wood1208 · September 30, 2016 10:08PM

crowley said:

wood1208 said:

This is the most fucked-up change Apple did. I tell you why ? First there was NO problem with slide to unlock ? simple and easy. to use. 2nd, with IOS 10 change, keep using your Home button to unlock increases wear and tear on Home button which than reduces the longevity of Home button mechanism which breaks sooner costing lot $$ to fix it at Apple store.

Huh? Before iOS 10 most people would use the Home button to turn on the screen anyway (a few may have used the sleep/wake, but I'll bet it's a barely significant minority). Now that iOS 10 introduces raise to wake, coupled with the tip above, the Home button doesn't need to be pushed at all to get in to the phone. And with the iPhone 7 removing the mechanical aspect to the home button, wear and tear is much less of a problem also (though I suppose the taptic engine will have a shelf life).

I certainly think the defaults are back to front, but I don't see where you're coming from with your complaint.

You got good point but people with iphone 6/5s/5, IOS 10 can't do "raise to wake". About 3,5mm jack, everyone understands the time for it had long come, ready to retire but what makes be nervous that single lightening port will take beating[earpod,charging) more than previous iPhones and could fail relatively early. But, I have faith in Apple's engineering than my doubts.

edited September 2016

crowley · September 30, 2016 10:25PM

wood1208 said:

crowley said:

wood1208 said:

This is the most fucked-up change Apple did. I tell you why ? First there was NO problem with slide to unlock ? simple and easy. to use. 2nd, with IOS 10 change, keep using your Home button to unlock increases wear and tear on Home button which than reduces the longevity of Home button mechanism which breaks sooner costing lot $$ to fix it at Apple store.

Huh? Before iOS 10 most people would use the Home button to turn on the screen anyway (a few may have used the sleep/wake, but I'll bet it's a barely significant minority). Now that iOS 10 introduces raise to wake, coupled with the tip above, the Home button doesn't need to be pushed at all to get in to the phone. And with the iPhone 7 removing the mechanical aspect to the home button, wear and tear is much less of a problem also (though I suppose the taptic engine will have a shelf life).

I certainly think the defaults are back to front, but I don't see where you're coming from with your complaint.

You got good point but people with iphone 6/5s/5, IOS 10 can't do "raise to wake". About 3,5mm jack, everyone understands the time for it had long come, ready to retire but what makes be nervous that single lightening port will take beating[earpod,charging) more than previous iPhones and could fail relatively early. But, I have faith in Apple's engineering than my doubts.

But if they can't do raise to wake then they wake the phone with the home button in exactly the same way they've always done, right? Then either TouchID or passcode unlock it. What's changed?

There are enough threads about the headphone jack, let's just talk about the home button.

eric_wvgg · September 30, 2016 10:55PM

crowley said:

Very surprised that the need to press the home button is the default.

I prefer rest-to-touchID as well, but Apple made the right move here. I've observed dozens of non-nerds trying to figure out TouchID, they don't get the "rest" thing unless you explain v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y.

If TouchID is to be the normal mainstream way to open an iPhone, they had to make this change.

jupiterone · September 30, 2016 10:56PM

Off topic, I know, but if we're talking about iOS 10.....I use my iPhone for an alarm clock. Previously when my alarm went off, it was very easy to (in my half awake stupor) to reach over and just slide the screen, without even opening my eyes, to stop the alarm. (Sliding the screen stopped the alarm and gives me the passcode screen but I didn't care, I was already back to sleep by then). Now you HAVE to find that very small "stop" button and tap it to stop the alarm.

And if anyone is feeling overly generous, can you please tell me how I can stop all the travel time reminders I keep getting for every calendar event now? I never got any before the iOS upgrade. And yes, all my calendar events have "Travel Time" set to None.

charlesgres · September 30, 2016 11:01PM

I keep reading with iPhone 6 you have to press twice, but I don't have to do that at all..
When I (short) press the home button with screen locked and keep my finger on the button my iPhone unlocks just nicely and goes to my home screen right away..
And even before, I woke up my iPhone without unlocking it by pressing the power button instead of the home button, so I never had the unwanted unlock problem in the first place, and still don't have it..
So, with iOS10 I had to change exactly none of my habits, at all.
Unlike before I can now also unlock my iPhone without going to the home screen, so I have a feature more, but then again, doesn't differ that much from just clicking the power button..
So, all the fuzz about the changed behavior of the home button totally passes me by..

edited September 2016

charlesgres · September 30, 2016 11:17PM

jupiterone said:

Off topic, I know, but if we're talking about iOS 10.....I use my iPhone for an alarm clock. Previously when my alarm went off, it was very easy to (in my half awake stupor) to reach over and just slide the screen, without even opening my eyes, to stop the alarm. (Sliding the screen stopped the alarm and gives me the passcode screen but I didn't care, I was already back to sleep by then). Now you HAVE to find that very small "stop" button and tap it to stop the alarm.

Just press the home button..

Better yet, set your alarm at the time when you have to actually get out of bed, so that you have longer uninterrupted sleep..

stuke · September 30, 2016 11:53PM

I'm not happy with it. Slide to unlock was great. Now I have to look for a small text change in the top telling me my touch id has unlocked the phone, then press again. I've has iOS 10 since launch and I'm still thinking about this change every time I unlock my iPhones (one for work, one for personal). It really is not a breakthrough other than in Apple's mind for how it thinks you want (and of course how they want to implement) future features to work. These things perplex me. Why not simply make it a user feature in Settings? Change is hard and always overcome; but, when it ain't broke, don't fix it.

crowley · October 1, 2016 12:00AM

stuke said:

I'm not happy with it. Slide to unlock was great. Now I have to look for a small text change in the top telling me my touch id has unlocked the phone, then press again. I've has iOS 10 since launch and I'm still thinking about this change every time I unlock my iPhones (one for work, one for personal). It really is not a breakthrough other than in Apple's mind for how it thinks you want (and of course how they want to implement) future features to work. These things perplex me. Why not simply make it a user feature in Settings? Change is hard and always overcome; but, when it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Huh? Isn't this exactly what this article is about? It is a user feature in settings.

charlesgres · October 1, 2016 12:12AM

stuke said:

I'm not happy with it. Slide to unlock was great. Now I have to look for a small text change in the top telling me my touch id has unlocked the phone, then press again.

no, just short-press home button and keep finger on it.. phone unlocks.. even if screen was black.. no need to press twice..

edited September 2016

fallenjt · October 1, 2016 12:17AM

wood1208 said:

This is the most fucked-up change Apple did. I tell you why ? First there was NO problem with slide to unlock ? simple and easy. to use. 2nd, with IOS 10 change, keep using your Home button to unlock increases wear and tear on Home button which than reduces the longevity of Home button mechanism which breaks sooner costing lot $$ to fix it at Apple store. . I told Apple when you remove 3.5mm jack, no problem but make sure using same lightening port for audio earpod and charging increases(more than double) insertion in same port crippling it sooner than usual. Once the lightening port is non-functional on iphone 7, phone is unusable. If lightning port or Home button starts failing faster than Apple is looking for massive replacement and law suit.

Let Apple worry about the law suits. Now your opinions are just Not typical.
1. Slide to unlock requires 2 step to unlock the phone. With Touch ID, who needs to slide? Just press the finger on Home button to wake and unlock at the same time.
2. Home button has been used since the first iPhone. No one complainsed of its longevity.
3. 3.5mm port needs to go sooner or later...no big deal!

fallenjt · October 1, 2016 12:20AM

stuke said:

I'm not happy with it. Slide to unlock was great. Now I have to look for a small text change in the top telling me my touch id has unlocked the phone, then press again. I've has iOS 10 since launch and I'm still thinking about this change every time I unlock my iPhones (one for work, one for personal). It really is not a breakthrough other than in Apple's mind for how it thinks you want (and of course how they want to implement) future features to work. These things perplex me. Why not simply make it a user feature in Settings? Change is hard and always overcome; but, when it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Read the damn article, would you?

larrya · October 1, 2016 12:54AM

Setting doesn't seem to affect my iPad Air 2.

iOS 10 tips: Revert Touch ID from 'press home to wake' back to rest to wake

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