Apple’s first foldable iPhone has a small usability trick that could make everyday interactions less frustrating, particularly for left-handed users. Instead of reaching for the top-right corner to open Control Center, iPhone Duo owners can simply tap the Battery, Wi-Fi, and Cellular icon on the screen.

The shortcut was highlighted by Apple-focused creator Stephen Robles in a video posted on X on October 23, following the phone’s launch. It offers a more convenient alternative to the traditional swipe gesture on a device whose wider design can make reaching the upper corners more difficult.

A simple shortcut solves an iPhone Duo usability problem

On conventional iPhones, Control Center opens when you swipe down from the top-right corner of the display. The gesture is familiar, but it can become awkward on a larger device, especially when using it with one hand.

That problem is particularly noticeable on the iPhone Duo. Its wider form factor makes the upper-right corner harder to reach when holding the phone in the left hand, even when the device is folded.

Apple appears to have accounted for this with an alternative entry point. Tapping the Battery, Wi-Fi, and Cellular icon opens Control Center directly, eliminating the need to stretch a thumb toward the top edge.

The feature is especially useful because it doesn’t require users to change their grip or learn an entirely new gesture. The familiar connectivity indicator doubles as a shortcut to the system controls many people access throughout the day.

Live Activities can make the shortcut even easier to reach

There is another useful detail to the implementation. As Robles demonstrates, when a Live Activity is running, the icon can appear farther down the screen, putting the Control Center shortcut within easier reach.

That placement could make a meaningful difference during everyday use. Rather than adjusting how they hold the phone every time they need to change brightness, enable a connectivity setting, or access another Control Center option, users can tap a more accessible on-screen control.

It’s a small interaction, but those details matter on a foldable device. A larger display and a wider chassis can provide more room for apps and multitasking, yet they can also introduce ergonomic compromises that conventional smartphone designs don’t have to contend with in quite the same way.

Apple’s foldable needs more than a bigger screen

The iPhone Duo’s Control Center shortcut is a good example of how software can help address the physical limitations of new hardware. Foldable phones aren’t simply traditional smartphones with larger displays; their dimensions and changing form factors can affect how people interact with familiar features.

Apple’s approach here is refreshingly straightforward. Instead of requiring users to master a complicated gesture or navigate through Settings, it places an alternative shortcut directly in the interface.

The feature may be easy to overlook, but it addresses a practical complaint about reaching Control Center on the iPhone Duo. For left-handed users in particular, knowing that a simple tap can replace an awkward swipe could make the phone more comfortable to use.