If you find Haptic Touch on your iPhone a bit sluggish, you’re not alone. Apple replaced 3D Touch with Haptic Touch in 2018, and while it works well, the default long-press speed can feel slower—especially for users who remember the snappy response of older models.
Luckily, iOS 17 and newer allow you to speed up Haptic Touch for a faster, more fluid user experience.
Why Haptic Touch Feels Slower Than 3D Touch
3D Touch, introduced in 2015, offered pressure-sensitive interactions. You could press lightly to “peek” or harder to “pop” into content. Apple dropped this feature starting with the iPhone XR and replaced it with Haptic Touch, which relies on a long press with no pressure sensitivity.
While simpler, Haptic Touch defaults to a slower response time, frustrating users who prefer quick interactions.
The Solution: Change Haptic Touch Speed
Apple added an option in iOS 17+ to adjust how quickly Haptic Touch responds. Here’s how to make long-press faster on iPhone:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Under “Physical and Motor,” select Touch.
- Tap Haptic Touch.
- Choose from three speeds:
- Fast – shortest delay
- Default – medium speed
- Slow – longest delay
You’ll see a preview flower icon to test each speed setting live. Selecting Fast greatly improves menu response, closely mimicking the original 3D Touch experience.
Benefits of Faster Haptic Touch
- Quicker app menus when long-pressing icons
- Faster interactions with Safari links, photos, and more
- Improved efficiency for power users and multitaskers
- Feels more responsive, especially on newer iPhones
Which Devices Support Haptic Touch Speed Adjustment?
This feature works on iPhones running iOS 17 or later, including:
- iPhone SE (2nd gen and newer)
- iPhone XR and newer
- iPhone 11–16 series
- All Pro, Plus, and Max variants
Older models with 3D Touch don’t need this tweak—they already offer fast pressure-based gestures.
Why Did Apple Remove 3D Touch?
There’s no official reason, but experts suggest Apple removed 3D Touch to:
- Simplify gesture learning across iPhone and iPad
- Make room for larger batteries and thinner displays
- Eliminate the complex capacitive pressure layer beneath the screen
Although 3D Touch fans miss its depth, adjusting Haptic Touch speed brings back some of that snappy feel.
Conclusion
Tired of long presses lagging behind your fingers? You can speed up Haptic Touch in just a few taps, giving your iPhone that snappy, responsive feel reminiscent of the 3D Touch days.
It’s a simple tweak that makes a big difference—especially if you use your phone for fast multitasking.
