Open Control Center from the top-right corner
On most iPhones, Control Center opens from the top-right corner of the screen. Swipe down from that corner with one finger, and the Control Center panel slides down from the top. This works on iPhone X and newer models, which don't have a home button.
The swipe needs to start in the very corner of the screen — not just near it. If you swipe from the middle of the top edge, nothing happens. Aim for the small triangle where the top and right edges meet.
Control Center stays open until you swipe it away or tap elsewhere on the screen. You can also close it by swiping up from the bottom, though swiping down again is faster.
Open Control Center from the bottom on older iPhones
If you have an iPhone 8 or earlier — any model with a home button — Control Center opens from the bottom of the screen instead. Swipe up from the very bottom edge with one finger, and the panel slides up from below.
Like the top-right swipe, this needs to start at the actual edge of the screen. Swiping from the middle of the bottom won't work. The gesture is the same motion you use to go back to the home screen, but you stop partway through instead of swiping all the way up.
On these older models, Control Center closes the same way it opens — swipe down, or tap the screen elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone X and newer, swipe down from the top-right corner where the edges meet to open Control Center.
- On iPhone 8 and earlier, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to open Control Center.
- The swipe must start at the actual edge of the screen, not in the middle of the top or bottom.
- Control Center closes when you swipe it away or tap anywhere else on the screen.
- You can adjust brightness, volume, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other settings directly from Control Center without opening Settings.
What you can do in Control Center
Once Control Center is open, you see quick toggles for common settings. The top row usually shows airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data. Below that are brightness and volume sliders that you can drag left or right to adjust.
Depending on your iPhone model and what you've set up, you might also see toggles for Do Not Disturb, Low Power Mode, Dark Mode, and Screen Recording. If you've added apps to Control Center through Settings, their icons appear here too.
Pressing and holding on certain tiles — like the Wi-Fi icon or the Bluetooth icon — opens a small menu with more options. For example, holding Wi-Fi lets you turn it off, connect to a specific network, or turn on Wi-Fi calling without leaving Control Center.
Add or remove controls from Control Center
Control Center shows different tiles depending on what you've chosen. To change which controls appear, open the Settings app, tap Control Center, then tap the green plus button next to any control you want to add. Tap the red minus button next to controls you want to remove.
The order of controls matters if you have many of them. In Settings, you can drag the three horizontal lines next to each control to rearrange them. Controls you use most often should go near the top, since they appear first when you open Control Center.
Some controls come built in and can't be removed — like airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Do Not Disturb. You can only add or remove the optional ones.
Troubleshooting if Control Center won't open
If swiping from the corner or bottom doesn't work, make sure you're swiping from the actual edge of the screen. Many people swipe from slightly inside the screen and miss the gesture zone. Try again with your finger starting exactly where the edges meet.
If you're in an app that uses the top-right corner — like a game or full-screen video — Control Center might not respond. Close the app first or go back to the home screen, then try opening Control Center again.
Restarting your iPhone fixes most gesture problems. Hold the power button and volume button together until the power-off slider appears, then slide it to turn off the phone. Wait a few seconds, then hold the power button again to turn it back on.
Control Center on iPad and Mac
iPad uses the same gesture as newer iPhones — swipe down from the top-right corner. The Control Center panel looks similar and contains the same types of controls, though the layout might be slightly different depending on your iPad model.
On Mac, Control Center appears as an icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar. Click it to open a panel with the same controls. The gesture-based opening doesn't apply to Mac because it uses a mouse or trackpad instead of touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize which controls show up in Control Center?
Yes. Open Settings, go to Control Center, and tap the green plus button next to any control you want to add. Tap the red minus button to remove controls. You can also drag the three lines next to each control to change the order they appear in.
Why does Control Center open when I try to swipe down from the top?
If you're swiping from the very top edge of the screen, you're opening the notification center instead of Control Center. On newer iPhones, swipe specifically from the top-right corner, not the top-left or top-middle. The top-left corner opens notifications.
Does Control Center work the same way on all iPhones?
No. iPhones with a home button (iPhone 8 and earlier) open Control Center from the bottom. iPhones without a home button (iPhone X and newer) open it from the top-right corner. The controls inside are similar, but the swipe location is different.
Can I add third-party apps to Control Center?
Some apps let you add their controls to Control Center, but not all. Open Settings, go to Control Center, and look for the app name in the list. If it's there, tap the green plus button to add it. If the app doesn't appear, it doesn't support Control Center integration.