Ever since the introduction of full-screen displays on the iPhone X, the bottom two corners of the iPhone Lock Screen have been permanently anchored to two static utilities: the Torch (Flashlight) on the left and the Camera on the right. In iOS 18, Apple completely unlocked these controls, allowing users to remove, swap, or customise the bottom shortcut buttons with dozens of native system tools, accessibility actions, third-party apps, or automated Siri Shortcuts.
This tutorial explains how to customise the Lock Screen shortcut buttons on iPhone in iOS 18, remove accidental flashlight triggers, replace buttons with custom utilities, and configure automated Shortcuts.
Requirements for Lock Screen Button Customisation
To customise the Lock Screen shortcuts, verify your device meets the following criteria:
- An iPhone compatible with iOS 18 or newer (iPhone XS/XR and newer models).
- Device updated to iOS 18 (check Settings > General > Software Update).
Accessing the Lock Screen Customisation Interface
You can edit your Lock Screen buttons directly from the locked or wake display without opening the Settings app.
- Wake your iPhone and unlock it using Face ID or Touch ID, but do not swipe up to the Home Screen.
- Press and hold any empty area of the Lock Screen wallpaper until the carousel editor activates.
- Tap the Customise button at the bottom of the active Lock Screen card.
- Select Lock Screen on the left side of the screen prompt.
- You will notice small grey minus badges (—) hovering over the bottom-left Torch icon and bottom-right Camera icon.
Removing Default Icons and Adding New Controls
You can clear an icon completely to prevent accidental pocket presses, or replace it with a more useful everyday shortcut.
- Tap the minus (—) badge on either the Torch or Camera button. The icon vanishes, replaced by a circular dotted outline with a plus (+) sign.
- If you prefer a clean, minimalist Lock Screen with no buttons at all, you can leave the placeholder blank.
- To assign a new control, tap the dotted + (Add) circle.
- The Controls Gallery sheet opens, categorised by system functions and installed third-party apps.
- Select your desired tool from the list (such as Calculator, Timer, Translate, Dark Mode, Shazam / Music Recognition, or Magnifier).
- Repeat the process for the opposite button if you wish to swap both controls.
- Tap Done in the upper-right corner of the screen to save your configuration.
| Available Control | Functional Capability | Ideal Daily Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Calculator | Instant access to arithmetic calculations and unit conversions. | Quick tip calculations, shopping expense tallying. |
| Timer / Stopwatch | One-tap countdown launcher. | Cooking, workout intervals, focus sprints. |
| Translate | Opens instant voice and text speech translation. | International travel, multilingual customer service. |
| Recognise Music (Shazam) | Listens and identifies background audio tracks in seconds. | Discovering songs playing on radio or in public venues. |
| Shortcut (App / Action) | Launches any bespoke workflow or third-party application. | Opening Spotify, smart home lighting, Google Maps. |
Pro Tip: Launching Third-Party Apps via Shortcuts
If an app does not provide a native Control Centre widget, select Shortcut from the controls gallery, choose Open App, and select your favourite program (such as WhatsApp, Spotify, or Google Chrome). You can now open that application straight from your Lock Screen.
How to Activate Customised Lock Screen Buttons
To prevent accidental triggers when pulling your iPhone out of a pocket or bag, Lock Screen shortcut buttons require a deliberate interaction:
- Press and Hold: Firmly press and hold the button for a brief half-second until you feel a tactile haptic pulse and see the circular border expand.
- Quick Tap Safeguard: Simply brushing or lightly tapping the icon will not trigger the action.
- Swipe to Camera Still Exists: Even if you remove the Camera button from the bottom corner, you can still swipe left across the Lock Screen wallpaper to open the Camera instantly.
Troubleshooting Lock Screen Button Customisation
If button customisation behaves erratically or changes fail to save:
- Wallpaper Carousel Reset: If your changes do not persist, ensure you tap Done in the top-right corner, followed by tapping the wallpaper thumbnail once more to exit the carousel editor.
- Face ID Authentication Required: Certain sensitive shortcuts (such as opening specific apps or banking workflows via Shortcuts) will prompt for Face ID or passcode authentication before displaying on screen.
- Focus Mode Wallpaper Links: If your buttons revert to Flashlight and Camera at certain hours of the day, verify whether you have linked a specific Focus mode to an older, uncustomised Lock Screen layout.