“Slide to Unlock” is no more in iOS 10; it’s now “Press Home to Open”. You can still get it back if you wish so.
iOS 10 is a pretty big release, particularly in terms of the user behaviors it aims to change. For example, 3D Touch now works and is useful in more parts of the system, and notifications, widgets and shortcuts work differently on the lock screen.
One big change is how Apple has replaced the iconic “Slide to Unlock” gesture with “Press Home to Open”.
Now, instead of swiping right to unlock your iPhone, you are required to press the Home button to get to the home screen. This works great on iPhones with Touch ID – iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6s – but for the iPhone 5 and the iPads that lack Touch ID, it may feel like an annoyance. This is especially true for older iPhones with wonky home buttons.
There is a way to get “Slide to Unlock” back in iOS 10, but it isn’t completely straightforward. There’s no Settings toggle.
Instead, you need to take an unencrypted backup of your iPhone in iTunes. Install a third-party app called iBackupBot [iCopyBot website], and manually edit a plist property. It’s not for the average user, certainly.
Guide: Replace Press Home To Open With Slide To Unlock In iOS 10
UPDATE: The following guide no longer applies to iOS 10. Sometime after we published this, Apple patched the loophole. Now, you are forced to stick with Press Home to Open. Sorry!
Assuming you’ve taken an unencrypted backup of your iPhone, and have downloaded and installed iBackupBot…
Step 1: Launch iBackupBot.
Step 2: Select your backup.
Step 3: Go down to System Files > Home Domain > Library > Preferences from the sidebar.
Step 4: You’ll see a property list i.e. plist file here called com.apple.springboard.plist. Open it.
Step 5: Add the following property after the header, and save the file.
<key>SBEnableDashBoard</key>
<false/>
Step 6: Exit iBackupBot.
Step 7: Restore the same backup from iTunes onto your iPhone to install iOS 10.
Please note that as of typing this guide has only been tested working on iOS 10 Beta 1. Apple may or may not plug this innocent little hole in later betas. I personally think Apple should plug it in order to maintain consistency across all iOS devices.