Alternative to double tap gesture

By Kelsey Nicolay, 8 October, 2016

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello,
I currently use an ipad mini 4, but a family member let me borrow their phood so I could practice answering and making calls using Voiceover. They have an iphone 6s. Sometimes the double tap gesture works for m"* sometimes not. I can get the two finger double tap to answer a call, but it does not seem to work when hanging up a call. Therefore, is there an alternative to double tapping the screen? If so, what is it and does it work for gestures that require two or more fingers? I have the same trouble on the ipad; sometimes double tap works, sometimes not. Is it semething I am doing wrong? Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Options

Comments

By Fatima.Hamoud10 on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

Try the following steps:
1. Reset both the iPad and iPhone. Nothing will be lost.
2. Restart VoiceOver if necessary.
3. Try performing other functions such as opening an app and typing on the keyboard.
4. Try calling the phone number from your iPad (if it is in your contacts).
5. Try double tapping the answer button and when you end the call, double tap the end call button.
6. On the iPhone, FaceTime your iPad and perform the double tap jestures you use to answer and end the FaceTime call. Remember, one finger double tap to answer and hang up.
Hope this helps.

By david s on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

Hello,

This is a common problem and it has happened to most of the folks here in applevis. This occurs because VoiceOver has lost it’s focus on an object.

The next time you can’t answer or end a call with two finger double tap, perform a single finger swipe left or right. When you hear VoiceOver , perform the two finger double tap.

HTH and good luck.

By Paul on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

The best alternative for tapping for answering and hanging up is to use a headset with the appropriate controls, either bluetooth or wired. The Apple earpods that come with a new iPhone are a good starting point, the center button pressed once answers or hangs up a call.

By Brian Tew on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

Yes double tap fails often for me on facebook and elsewhere.
v O seems to be focussed properly, but it will not activate the link or button.
Sometimes I can make it work by double tap and hold followed immediately by another double tap.

By Dawn 👩🏻‍🦯 on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

Hello there!

Here's something you may not have heard about yet. Well actually two things.

1. If you don't have Siri inabled on the iphone & ipad you need to turn this on. This is a nifty little trick that I kind of came up with on my own when I first got the ipad. This could work if Vo. starts acting a little goofy for example, if he/she depending on what voice you have, starts blirting out random things while using dictation (yes that happened to me!)
What you do is just hold your home button down, wait for Siri to wake up & say `voiceover off` release & wait until she says she's turned it off.
Wait a few seconds & DO NOT touch the screen when doing this! Then repeat the process outlined abouve but instead say `voiceover on` release & wait until you get confirmation that she turned it on, press the home button to go back to your original screen & wala.

2. As for the tapping, I have a little suggestion on that one to. Not sure how this would work on a 2 finger double tap & I'd appreciate other users commenting as I have noj tried it with that kind of gesture before. But i know with absolute certainty that it works with a 1 finger double tap. It's called selective tapping if I can recall & memory serves me right. What it is basically is that you put your finger on the button (in your case it'd be the answer or end call buttons), hold it & use your other finger & tap once on any other part of the screen. I've tried it with apps, & it works beautifully. You won't accidentally activate another button as long as you keep your one finger on the button you want to activate. What I do is use my pointer finger to just place on the item, & my middle finger to tap another area on the screen. And u don't need to use 3d touch. Just rest the finger on the screen.

Also, don't worry about vo. settings being lost when resetting it. Your voice & preferences will stay the same.

Good luck & hofe this helps.

By Toonhead on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

Hi. There's no need to reset your iDevice, there's absolutely nothing in the world wrong with it. here's a trick that not many people have been able to figure out. When you answer a call, the button you double-tap to answer the call then turns into the end call button. so, if you take the phone away from your ear you can use VoiceOver to focus on that button and when you're done, simply double-tap, and end the call just like that. if that doesn't work for you, the apple ear pods do work quite well for this. You just have to try different things and work out what's best for you. but I seriously hope you didn't go through all that, there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of your iDevices.

By Jeff on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

First, I think what Dawn describes in the previous comment is called split-tapping. I don't think it will replace the 2-finger double tap, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

My experience with hanging up calls is that for the 2-finger double tap to work, the phone must be removed from your ear and switched to speaker mode, an automatic function when Voiceover is enabled. Note that it takes the phone a second or two to switch to speaker mode and if you tap too soon, it won't work, making the procedure seem inconsistent. I suspect (but I'm not sure) that the screen is essentially locked when it's against your face during a call. If this is the case, it probably doesn't recognize the taps. Once you remove the phone from your ear and it switches to speaker mode, the screen is again active and it will recognize the 2-finger double tap. Give this a try and see how it works for you. It's worked pretty consistently for me.

By mastodont on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

the screen is locked when the phone is close to your ear and the screen doesn't unlock sometimes when you put your phone away from your ear. the solution I found to work best is to turn of automatic speaker selection so this way the phone will remain on the ear piece. I've turned this option off and ending and answering a call works on the first try now. this option is available in IOS 10 only.

By Maldalain on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

What about pressing the power button while you're still having the earpiece on your ear? As far as I remember when I had iPhone I was hanging up my calls by pressing the power button while I am holding the phone next to my ear.

By mastodont on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - 08:30

that works too, you have to press the power button two times in quick succession and the call will end.