You’re staring at your iPhone. You just hit "Get" on a new app, and suddenly, a little prompt pops up on the side of the screen telling you to "Double Click to Install." It’s annoying. It’s confusing. Most people end up tapping the screen like a woodpecker, getting frustrated when nothing happens.
Honestly, it’s one of the clunkiest bits of user interface design Apple has ever shipped, yet it’s there for a very specific, high-stakes reason.
If you’ve ever felt like your phone was mocking you because you couldn't figure out where to click, you aren't alone. We’re talking about the physical side button—the Sleep/Wake button—not the glass display. This tiny distinction is the difference between a seamless download and five minutes of swearing at a $1,000 piece of titanium.
The UX Disaster of Double Click to Install
Apple prides itself on "it just works," but this feature is a rare moment where "it just works" feels like "it just doesn't." When the prompt appears, the animation usually points toward the physical side button. However, because the text is on the screen, our lizard brains tell us to touch the screen.
We’ve been trained for a decade that the screen is the interface. Breaking that habit is hard.
Why did they do this? It boils down to one word: Security.
Before Face ID, we had Touch ID. You’d put your thumb on the home button, and the purchase was authorized. It was a physical action that required intent. When Apple moved to the "all-screen" design with the iPhone X, they needed a way to make sure a stray glance at your phone didn't accidentally drain your bank account on a $99 in-app purchase.
If Face ID just scanned your face and instantly "clicked" buy, you’d be buying stuff by mistake every time you checked a notification. The double click to install prompt acts as a physical "intent" check. It’s the digital version of signing a receipt. You have to consciously reach for that side button and click it twice to prove you actually want the app.
How to actually make it work every time
If you're struggling, the trick is speed and placement. You need to click that side button (the long one on the right side of the phone) twice in rapid succession. If you go too slow, the phone just thinks you're trying to lock it. If you go too fast or with uneven pressure, it might ignore the second click.
Sometimes, the software just hangs. It’s rare, but it happens. If the prompt is there and your clicks aren't registering, it’s usually because a background process is hogging the processor, or you’ve got a bulky case that’s preventing the button from fully depressing.
When the Side Button Fails: Accessibility Hacks
What if your side button is broken? Or what if you have a condition like arthritis that makes rapid double-clicking a nightmare?
Most people don't know that you can actually turn this off, but it comes with a trade-off. You can use "AssistiveTouch" to bypass the physical button requirement.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch. If you scroll all the way to the bottom, you’ll see an option for "Confirm with AssistiveTouch." When you toggle this on, you'll use an on-screen menu to authorize downloads instead of the side button. It’s a lifesaver for anyone with mobility issues, though it does add an extra step to every download.
Another route is using the "Standard" accessibility features. In the Face ID & Passcode settings, you can technically disable Face ID for the App Store. This reverts the phone back to asking for your Apple ID password every single time you download something. It’s tedious. It’s like living in 2012 again. But for some, typing a password is way less frustrating than fighting with a physical button.
The "Double Click" on Mac and iPad
It’s not just an iPhone thing anymore. If you’re using a newer iPad Pro or iPad Air with the Touch ID sensor in the top button, you’ll see similar prompts. On the Mac, specifically with Apple Silicon and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, the "double click" is replaced by a double tap on the fingerprint sensor.
The logic remains the same: Apple wants a physical "handshake" between the user and the hardware before any transaction occurs.
Common Errors and "Unable to Complete" Bugs
Sometimes you do everything right. You click perfectly. You see the spinning wheel. And then... "Unable to complete purchase."
This usually isn't a button problem; it’s a payment method problem. Even for free apps, Apple requires a valid payment method on file in many regions. If your credit card is expired, the double click to install animation will play, you'll click, Face ID will trigger, and then it will fail.
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Check your "Payment & Shipping" in your Apple ID settings. If there’s a red "Verification Required" message, your side button clicks won't matter until that's cleared up.
Another weird glitch happens with "Screen Time" restrictions. If you have "Installing Apps" set to "Don't Allow" in the Content & Privacy Restrictions, the "Get" button might still appear, but the double-click prompt will simply vanish into thin air after you click it once. It’s a loop of UI confusion.
Why this feature isn't going away
You might hate it, but the security community generally loves it. By forcing a hardware interaction, Apple creates a "Trusted Signal."
Malware can't easily "fake" a physical button press. If a malicious app tried to trick you into buying a subscription, it could theoretically spoof a face scan if you were already looking at the phone, but it can't reach out and physically click that button for you. That physical gap is the strongest wall in your phone's security architecture.
It’s the same reason your Mac asks you to double-click the side button on your Apple Watch to authorize a password entry. It’s proximity plus physical action.
Speeding up the process
If you find the animation too slow, there isn't a "speed up" setting, but ensuring your Face ID is optimized helps. If the phone is struggling to recognize you while you're clicking, the whole process feels janky.
- Ensure "Require Attention for Face ID" is on for security, but know it makes the angle more sensitive.
- Clean the "Notch" or "Dynamic Island" area. Skin oils on the infrared camera make the handshake take longer.
- Don't cover the screen with your palm while reaching for the side button.
Actionable Steps for a Better Experience
To master the double-click or circumvent it when it’s failing you, follow these specific paths:
- The Quick Fix: If the prompt doesn't register your clicks, remove your phone case and try again. Many third-party cases are too stiff for the rapid-fire double-press required for the App Store.
- The "I Hate Buttons" Fix: Enable AssistiveTouch in the Accessibility menu. Once "Confirm with AssistiveTouch" is active, you’ll use the on-screen "software" button to authorize downloads.
- The Security Reset: If Face ID is failing during the double-click, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and toggle "iTunes & App Store" off and then back on. This refreshes the link between the biometric hardware and the store software.
- The Password Alternative: If you want to stop the double-clicking entirely, disable Face ID for the App Store. Be prepared to type your Apple ID password for every single app, which is a high price to pay for avoiding a button press.
The double click to install prompt is a classic example of security winning over convenience. It’s a hurdle, but it’s the one thing standing between your wallet and accidental "one-tap" purchases you didn't actually want. Once you stop tapping the screen and start clicking the side button, the frustration usually disappears.