The iPhone Headphone Mic Buttons

The iPhone iPod app is obviously great because it holds your music collection. I have got the home button set so that if I push it twice quickly it loads the iPod app, or pops up a small notification window for quick back, play/pause and skip options (you can set your home button preferences in Settings).

NEED TO BUY? Purchase your Apple Earphones with Remote & Mic from Amazon.com.

iphone-headphones

NEED TO BUY? Purchase your Apple Earphones with Remote & Mic from Amazon.com.

When I first saw the little mic on the iPhone headphones I didn’t think much of it, but then I realised that it was a button and learnt how it works. If you are listening to a lot of music you really have to plug them in and start using them.

One Click

If you push it once it will start or stop the music you are playing in the iPod app.

Two Clicks

Pushing the button twice will skip you to the next song.

Three Clicks

The triple-click will take you back to the start of the song, or play the previous song.

Ringing Phone

If the phone is ringing and you push the button it will pick up the phone, then you can push again to hang up when you are done. If it starts ringing while you are playing music it will automatically pause it and then afterwards start playing it from the same spot when you hang up. Now that’s cool.

Are there any other button tricks we should know about?

12,828 people have read this since it was posted January 2009. Keep reading?

ross hill photo avatar

I'm Ross Hill (ross@rosshill.com.au). Join 4,275 people following @rosshill on Twitter.

I organize Mindful* and light up Yammer enterprise social networks across Asia Pacific.

You might like to subscribe to my premium newsletter called Field Notes ($5/mo).