iPhone 15 Pro's Action Button to Support Translate App Later This Year

The new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with a customizable Action button that replaces the traditional mute switch on previous iPhones. By default, the button is set to toggle between Ring and Silent modes, but it can also be assigned to a different action for quick access to the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos, and more.

iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate
One of the options for the Action button will be the Translate app, allowing you to quickly start translating between two languages without having to open the app. However, fine print on Apple's website says the Translate option will not be available for the Action button until later this year, suggesting that it will be enabled in a future iOS 17 update.

A recap of the other options that will be available for the Action button immediately:

  • Ring/Silent
  • Focus
  • Camera
  • Flashlight
  • Voice Memos
  • Magnifier
  • Shortcuts
  • Accessibility

You must press and hold the Action button to launch the assigned action.

iPhone 15 models can be pre-ordered starting Friday, September 15 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and will launch on Friday, September 22.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

shapesinaframe Avatar
32 months ago
needs more options for clicks same as home button eg:
[LIST=1]
* single click
* double click
* triple click
* long press

no doubt they'll make it possible, but lock it out by hardware revision over the course of 4 years of iterations.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kerr Avatar
32 months ago
With the power button, I can single click to turn the screen off, double click to open the Wallet app or triple click to select one of three Accessibility shortcuts. The action button should be able to do the same and it's disappointing that it can only do one thing.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
poorcody Avatar
32 months ago

I winder if it would be possible to make an app that pops up when the action button is used that allows you to run actions or launch apps or whatever, just a more configurable dock of sorts.
You can definitely do that -- in fact I do it on my Apple Watch. Just have the Action Button open the Shortcuts App (you can even make a Shortcut to open the Shortcuts App if needed). In that app, you can create Shortcuts that do anything you want (e.g. start the Camera in Movie mode), and arrange them in any order you want on the "home" screen when Shortcuts opens. So everything is a click of the Action button and one tap away. That's my plan for it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tweaknmod Avatar
32 months ago
Call me old fashioned, or just old, but I really dislike when companies announce software features before they’re ready, while still positioning them to be part of the OS launch.

This isn’t part of iOS 17 - it might be part of a future update, which is not the same thing.

Now get off my lawn.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
syklee26 Avatar
32 months ago
This will be awesome when I talk to Scottish friends!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hch720 Avatar
32 months ago

needs more options for clicks same as home button eg:
[LIST=1]
* single click
* double click
* triple click
* long press

no doubt they'll make it possible, but lock it out by hardware revision over the course of 4 years of iterations.
Exactly what ive been saying. Power button does all these and more. Maybe we'll see it in iOS 18.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)