sodcalculator

10 Tech How-To

How to Bring Back Slide to Unlock on iOS 10

Guide 10-16460 · Updated · Step by step

If you’ve updated to iOS 10, you’ve probably noticed that the iconic “slide to unlock” is gone, replaced by “Press Home to Unlock.” While Apple removed the old gesture for security and usability reasons, you can still get a similar swipe-to-unlock feel using a built-in accessibility feature. This guide shows you exactly how to enable it on your iPhone or iPad running iOS 10, with step-by-step instructions, common pitfalls, and troubleshooting tips.

What You’ll Need

  • An iPhone or iPad running iOS 10 (any version, including 10.0 through 10.3.3)
  • Your device’s passcode or Touch ID (to change accessibility settings if you have restrictions enabled)
  • About 2 minutes of time

Step-by-Step

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS 10 device. It’s the gray gear icon on your home screen.
  2. Scroll down and tap “General.” This is usually the third group of settings, below “Do Not Disturb” and above “Control Center.”
  3. Tap “Accessibility.” It’s near the middle of the General settings list, with a blue circle icon.
  4. Scroll down to the “Interaction” section and tap “Home Button.”
  5. Enable the “Rest Finger to Open” toggle. Switch it to the green ON position. This is the key setting that brings back a swipe-like unlock.
  6. Lock your device by pressing the side (or top) power button, then wake it by pressing the Home button or the power button.
  7. Place your finger on the Touch ID sensor (if your device has it) or simply swipe your finger across the screen. You’ll see the lock screen, and instead of needing to press the Home button, your device will unlock as soon as your finger rests on the sensor—similar to the old slide-to-unlock feel.
  8. If you don’t have Touch ID (e.g., iPhone 5 or earlier), you can still get a swipe-like action by using “Assistive Touch” (see Tips below) or by simply accepting that you’ll need to press Home. However, the “Rest Finger to Open” option is the closest built-in equivalent.

That’s it! Your device now unlocks with a simple touch, eliminating the extra press of the Home button. It’s not exactly the old “slide” animation, but it’s the closest Apple allows on iOS 10.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting to enable “Rest Finger to Open” – Many people only look for a “Slide to Unlock” toggle and miss this option. It’s specifically under Home Button settings.
  • Expecting the exact old animation – iOS 10 removed the “slide to unlock” text and animation completely. You cannot bring back the exact visual slider without jailbreaking. The “Rest Finger” feature only mimics the gesture by unlocking on touch.
  • Not pressing Home to wake the screen first – “Rest Finger to Open” only works after the screen is awake. If you just tap the screen, it won’t unlock. You still need to wake the screen with the Home button, power button, or raise-to-wake (on supported devices).
  • Disabling Touch ID for unlocking – If you have Touch ID turned off for “iPhone Unlock” (in Settings > Touch ID & Passcode), “Rest Finger to Open” won’t work because the device won’t read your fingerprint. Make sure Touch ID is enabled for unlocking.
  • Using a device without Touch ID – This setting has no effect on devices without Touch ID (iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPad Air 1, etc.). You’ll need to use Assistive Touch or just press Home.

Tips

  • Use “Raise to Wake” (on iPhone 6s and later) to wake the screen without pressing any button. Then just rest your finger on the Home button to unlock. This feels very close to the old slide gesture.
  • If you want a literal swipe action, you can enable “Assistive Touch” (Settings > General > Accessibility > Assistive Touch) and create a custom gesture that mimics a slide. But it’s clunky and not recommended for daily use.
  • Consider a jailbreak if you absolutely must have the original “slide to unlock” text and animation. Tweak like “SlideToUnlock10” can restore it, but jailbreaking carries security risks and voids warranty—proceed at your own risk.
  • Set a shorter auto-lock time (Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock) to avoid having to re-enter your passcode frequently, making the unlock process faster.
  • Keep Touch ID clean – A dirty or sweaty finger can cause Touch ID to fail, forcing you to enter your passcode. Wipe the Home button and your finger regularly.

Troubleshooting

“Rest Finger to Open” is grayed out or won’t turn on. This happens if you have “Restrictions” enabled and have disabled Touch ID for unlocking. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions, enter your passcode, and make sure “Touch ID” is allowed. Also, check that you have a passcode set (Settings > Touch ID & Passcode).

I enabled it, but my phone still requires a Home button press. First, confirm that your device has Touch ID (iPhone 5s or later, iPad Air 2 or later). If it does, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and ensure “iPhone Unlock” (or “iPad Unlock”) is toggled on. If it’s off, turn it on. Then lock and wake your device, and rest your finger on the Home button—don’t press it.

It works sometimes but not always. This is usually due to Touch ID not recognizing your fingerprint. Try re-registering your fingerprints in Settings > Touch ID & Passcode. Also, make sure your finger and the Home button are dry and clean.

I don’t have Touch ID at all. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in way to get a swipe-to-unlock on non-Touch ID devices running iOS 10. You can try the Assistive Touch custom gesture method, but it’s not a true unlock—it just simulates a swipe. The only real solution is to jailbreak.

After updating to iOS 10.3.3, the setting disappeared? It should still be there. If not, try restarting your device (hold power button, then swipe to power off, then turn back on). If it still doesn’t appear, check for a newer iOS 10 update (though 10.3.3 is the last one).

My phone unlocks too quickly now—I can’t see notifications. That’s a common side effect. To see notifications without unlocking, use “Raise to Wake” and then swipe down from the top to see Notification Center, or just glance at the lock screen before touching the Home button. You can also disable “Rest Finger to Open” when you want to read notifications carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the exact “slide to unlock” text back? No, not without jailbreaking. Apple removed it entirely in iOS 10. The “Rest Finger to Open” feature only mimics the gesture, not the visual text.

Does this work on iPad? Yes, on iPads with Touch ID (iPad Air 2, iPad Pro, iPad 5th gen). Older iPads without Touch ID won’t have this option.

Will this drain my battery? No, “Rest Finger to Open” uses the same Touch ID sensor that’s already active. It has no noticeable impact on battery life.

Is there any security risk? No. Your device still requires your fingerprint or passcode. It just removes the extra Home button press.

I’m on iOS 11 or later—does this still work? No, this guide is specifically for iOS 10. In iOS 11 and later, the “Rest Finger to Open” option was removed. You can’t bring back slide-to-unlock on newer iOS versions without jailbreaking.

What if I don’t want to use Touch ID at all? Then you’ll have to press the Home button every time. There’s no way to get a swipe gesture without Touch ID on iOS 10.

Related

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →