As iPhones have grown increasingly larger over the years—especially the “Pro Max” and “Plus” models—using them with a single hand has become difficult for many users. To solve this, Apple introduced a feature called “Reachability.” When activated, it pulls the entire top half of the screen down towards the bottom, allowing your thumb to easily tap back buttons or search bars that would otherwise be out of reach. While helpful for some, other users find themselves accidentally triggering this feature constantly by brushing against the bottom edge of the screen, causing frustrating interruptions. If you never use Reachability, you can easily turn it off.
How to Disable Reachability in Settings
Because Reachability is designed to help users interact with the device physically, Apple houses this setting within the Accessibility menu.
- Unlock your iPhone and open the Settings app.
- Scroll down the main menu and tap on Accessibility.
- Under the section labelled “Physical and Motor,” locate and tap on Touch.
- Look near the very top of the next screen. You will see the option for Reachability.
- Tap the toggle switch next to Reachability to turn it off (the switch will turn from green to grey).
Once disabled, accidentally swiping down on the bottom edge of your screen (or double-tapping the home button on older models) will no longer cause the screen to suddenly drop down.
Why Do People Turn It Off?
If you are using a newer iPhone with Face ID (which lacks a physical home button), Reachability is triggered by performing a short swipe down on the very bottom edge of the screen (the “Home bar”).
This gesture is incredibly easy to execute by mistake when you are scrolling through a long web page, swiping through photos, or playing a game that requires tapping near the bottom of the display. Disabling the feature completely eliminates these accidental screen shifts, providing a smoother, uninterrupted user experience for those who prefer using two hands to navigate their larger devices.