Code found in the iOS 26.2 beta 1 indicates Apple may let users customise the functionality of the power button.
Apple’s iOS 26.2 might let users customise the power button controls.
According to Macworld, the latest beta includes code that hints at a potential new feature allowing users to change the functionality of the side (power) button.
This comes after the introduction of the customisable Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro, which let users map the button to features like turning on the flashlight, opening the camera and enabling a Focus mode.
The customisable side button, which is still in early stages of testing, would let users assign new actions to the button, such as opening apps or triggering specific functions instead of just locking the iPhone, opening Apple Wallet or waking Siri.
This customisation could be especially important in light of recent regulatory changes in the European Union, where increased focus on user choice and interoperability has influenced Apple’s design decisions.
While this side button customisation feature isn’t functional yet in iOS 26.2 beta 1, internal references indicate that it could become a fully realised feature soon.
Elsewhere in the beta, Apple has introduced a Liquid Glass slider for more customisable lock screen aesthetics, a revamped Sleep Score on the Apple Watch, and AirPods Live Translation in the EU.
Other additions in the beta include a revamped Reminders app, letting users to set an alarm for when a reminder is due, an updated Podcasts app and a better Passwords management system for websites.
If approved and refined in future versions, the customisable side button could provide a significant step toward more personalised user experiences within Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple ‘may let users customise power button controls in iOS 26.2’
