The iPhone Pro Action button may not survive to 2027. A Weibo leaker says Apple will remove it from next year’s Pro models and fold its job into Camera Control. Nothing here is confirmed by Apple, so treat it as a rumor for now.
Here are the facts worth knowing before you start worrying about your Shortcuts setup.
- Source: a leaker called Instant Digital on Weibo, reported by 9to5Mac on November 6, 2026.
- Affects the iPhone Pro models tied to the 2027 20th-anniversary redesign.
- Camera Control stays, with a long press said to take over Action button duties.
- Apple has not announced or confirmed any of this.
If you rely on the button today, nothing changes on your current phone.
What the iPhone Pro Action button leak actually claims
According to 9to5Mac, the leak says the Action button will be removed from next year’s iPhone Pro lineup. The post on Weibo comes from Instant Digital, a Chinese leaker who has been right often, though not every time.
Camera Control would remain. A standard press would still open the Camera app, per the leaker. A long press would offer the kind of customizable shortcut the Action button gives you now.
The same leaker made a similar button claim in October 2025, per MacRumors. Repeating a claim is not proof, but it does suggest this is not a one-off guess.
The 9to5Mac report also points back to earlier rumors about the same phone: a quad-curved display that wraps around all four edges, a larger screen, and a redesign compared to the iPhone X in 2017. Those came from separate reports, not this Weibo post.
How a long press on Camera Control could replace it
The idea is simple. One button, two jobs. Tap it to shoot, hold it to run whatever you picked in Settings, like the flashlight, a Focus mode, or a Shortcut.
That would free up a side of the phone and cut a hole in the frame. It also fits a clean, borderless design, where fewer openings are easier to engineer.
One caveat: earlier claims, covered by MacRumors, said Apple is testing solid-state haptic buttons for this phone. The same report notes that solid-state iPhone buttons have been rumored since 2022 and have been shelved before. The two rumors may or may not fit together.
iPhone Pro buttons: today versus the rumor
This table compares what you have now with what the leak describes. The right-hand column is rumor only.
| Button | On iPhone Pro today | Rumored for 2027 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Action button | Customizable, one press or hold | Removed |
| Camera Control | Press to open the Camera app | Standard press opens Camera; long press does Action-style tasks |
| Volume and Side buttons | Physical buttons | Not covered in this leak; separate rumors mention haptic versions |
The table shows why this is a trade, not just a loss. You keep a shortcut button, but you lose the dedicated one.
Why Apple already seems to be heading this way
9to5Mac says Apple appears to be merging the two buttons, and expects that pattern to continue. The iPhone Duo already shipped without an Action button, and some users were disappointed.
If you own that phone, our guide to what Apple has confirmed about iPhone Duo screen cracking covers a different problem, but it shows how closely people watch that hardware.
Should you worry if you use the Action button?
Not yet. The phone is more than ten months away, and plans change. Still, a few habits make a future switch painless.
Think about how you use it. If your Action button only toggles silent mode or the flashlight, a long press could do that job without much fuss. If you run multi-step Shortcuts from it every day, the change matters more, because holding a button is less comfortable than pressing it once.
Here is what to do now if you lean on the button.
- Keep your useful tasks saved as Shortcuts, so you can move them to another trigger later.
- Try a long press on Camera Control for the same jobs, if your phone allows it.
- Wait for Apple to say something before buying or skipping a phone over this.
Shortcuts are portable, buttons are not. That is the whole point.
If Apple’s hardware plans for touch interest you more, see our look at the OLED MacBook Pro with touch features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the iPhone Action button really being removed?
It is a rumor. A leaker on Weibo says it will go from 2027 iPhone Pro models, but Apple has not confirmed anything.
What would replace the Action button?
Camera Control, according to the leak. A standard press would open the Camera app and a long press would run an Action-style task.
Which iPhones would be affected?
Only the Pro models tied to the 2027 20th-anniversary redesign, per the leak. Current iPhones keep their buttons.
When will the next iPhone Pro launch?
Apple has not said. The phone is presumed to arrive in fall 2027, based on the 20th-anniversary timing.
Our take
A smart merge could work, since most people use only one of these two buttons often. But a long press is slower than a dedicated switch, and power users will notice. Don’t change any plans yet, and wait for Apple’s own word before judging.
Leave a Reply