Control Center is designed to let you quickly access and manage the frequently used features. Hence, you don’t have to dive deep to find the features you need to use time and time again. Whether you wish to customize the AirDrop, switch Wi-Fi networks, manage the Focus profiles, or tweak the screen recorder, this time-saving feature has got you fully covered.
Sadly, the iPhone control center is not working for many users after the iOS 18 software update. If this handy feature is malfunctioning on your iOS device as well, follow along to fix it for good.
Best Tips & Tricks Fix iPhone Control Center Not Working (2024)
So, what might have broken the control center on your iPhone? Having gone through this annoyance a few times, I can feel the agony that takes center stage when it becomes dysfunctional.
As for the reasons that cause the iPhone’s control center to be dysfunctional, it could be owing to many factors including the worn-out screen protector, little-known restrictions, or software-related glitches. Taking all these culprits in mind, let’s try the viable tips and tricks to troubleshoot the issue!
1. Learn How to Access the Control Center
If you are new to iOS, it would be better to master the control center’s gesture beforehand.
- Note that on iPhone with the Face ID, you need to swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to access the Control Center.
- On the iPhone with the Home Button, you need to swipe up from the bottom bezel of the screen to access the Control Centre.
2. Perfectly Customize the Control Center
iOS offers the desired freedom to let you fine-tune the Control Center to your heart’s liking. If you haven’t customized it, now is the time to get it done.
- To get going, swipe down from the upper right corner of the screen -> “+” button at the top left to activate the editing mode.
- Now, you can rearrange the icons by using the drag-and-drop gesture.
- To remove a useless icon, hit the “-” minus button at the top of an icon.
- To adjust the size of a control center icon, use the handle to increase/decrease the icon size.
- To add a new icon, tap the “Add a control” button and select the desired control from the Lock Screen controls gallery.
To find out more about how customizing the Control Center icon works in iOS 18, check out this video:
3. Ensure That the Control Center Can Be Accessed from Within Apps
Another important thing that you should do without fail is to make sure that the Control Center is allowed to work inside apps.
- Navigate to the Settings app -> Control Center -> Be sure that the switch next to “Access Within Apps” is turned on.
4. Update Apps
If the Control Center doesn’t work inside some apps, the problem could be with those apps. Hopefully, updating the problematic apps can help you bring the ill-functioning control center back on track.
- On your iOS device, fire up the App Store -> tap on your profile photo at the top-right corner of the screen.
- Now, you can update each app individually or update all apps at once.
5. Make Sure the Control Center Can Work on the Lock Screen
Be sure that you can access and use the Control Center on your iPhone Lock Screen. If its access has been disabled on the Lock Screen, swiping down from the upper-right corner of the screen won’t do anything.
- To get it done, head over to the Settings app -> Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode.
- Under the “Allow Access When Locked” section, ensure that the switch next to the Control Center is enabled.
6. Reboot Your iPhone
Up next, it’s time to reboot the iPhone. If the Control Center is not working due to a minor software glitch, restarting the device can help you fix the problem.
- Just press and hold the volume up button and the power button at once -> Drag the power off slider -> allow your iPhone to shut down peacefully.
- Now, wait for a few seconds and then press the power button to turn on the iPhone.
- Once your device has rebooted, check if the Control Center has begun to work as usual. If it has, you have won the battle!
7. Remove the Screen Protector
Some poor-quality screen guards tend to lose touch sensitivity when they get old. When it happens, touch gestures like long-press and swipe-down don’t work as smoothly.
- Remove the screen guard from your iPhone and then swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen or swipe up from the bottom of the display to figure out if the Control Center has kicked in.
8. Turn OFF VoiceOver
Designed for visually impaired people, VoiceOver is a gesture-based screen reader. With audible descriptions, it helps users find out what’s on the screen. When this Accessibility feature is active, many gestures do not work. Hence, turn off VoiceOver on your iPhone.
- To get it done, head into the Settings app on your iPhone -> Accessibility -> VoiceOver and then turn off the toggle.
9. Hard Reset Your iPhone
The reason why I keep going back to “Hard reset” aka force restart/reset is that it has been a savior.
- To force reset your iPhone, press and release the volume up button. Press and let go of the volume down button.
- Now, press and hold the side button (also known as the power button) until the Apple logo comes up on the screen.
10. Update Your iPhone
Finally, it’s time to go for the software update as there is a high chance that the control center issue could be due to a software bug. Thus, updating the device is the best way to go in this situation.
- To do so, open Settings -> General -> Software Update.
11. Factory Reset Your iPhone
If Control Center has continued to misbehave on your iPhone, it makes sense to go for the factory reset, given how effective it is in terms of resolving common issues. But before you proceed, know that it will remove all the custom settings and return them all to the default state. Fret not, factory reset doesn’t kill any media and data.
- On your iPhone, open the Settings app -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset All Settings.
That’s pretty much it! I know the control center has come back to form on your iPhone and so has your swipe-down gesture. Now that you have overcome the hurdle, feel free to share your two cents and the tip that has got the job done for you.
Read more: 17 Best Tips to Use Apple Journal App on iPhone Like a Pro
