Lock in your look with Photographic Styles
With Photographic Styles on iPhone 13, iPhone SE (3rd generation), and later, you can personalize the look of your images in the Camera app. Choose a preset — Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm, or Cool — and if you want, fine-tune it even further by adjusting the Tone and Warmth settings. Set your style once to use your preferred style setting every time you take a photo in Photo mode.
Set up a Photographic Style
When you open the Camera app for the first time, tap Set Up to choose your Photographic Style. Swipe through the different styles and tap Use [Style Name] on the preset that you like.
Make sure to set your style before you start taking photos — you can't add your Photographic Style to a photo after you've already taken it.
Change your Photographic Style
Want to change the Photographic Style that you set? Just open the Camera app, tap the arrow , and tap Photographic Styles
. Standard is the default, balanced style that's true to life and can't be customized, but you can swipe left to view other preset styles that are customizable. Tap Customize
to adjust the Tone and Warmth of the style that you've chosen.
Capture close-ups with macro photos and video
iPhone 13 Pro and later iPhone Pro models include macro photography, using the new Ultra Wide camera with advanced lens and auto-focus system for stunning close-ups with sharp focus as close as 2 centimeters. iPhone 13 Pro and later iPhone Pro models can also shoot macro videos, including slow-motion and time-lapse.
Shooting macro in Photo and Video modes is automatic — just move your iPhone close to the subject and the camera will automatically switch to the Ultra Wide camera if it's not selected, while maintaining your framing. To shoot macro slow-motion or time-lapse videos, select the Ultra Wide camera (.5x) and move close to the subject.
You might see the Camera app transition to the Ultra Wide camera as you move your iPhone close to or away from a subject. You can control automatic macro switching by going to Settings > Camera, then turning on Macro Control. With Macro Control on, your Camera app displays a macro button when your iPhone is within macro distance of a subject. Tap the macro button to turn off automatic macro switching, and tap it again to turn automatic macro switching back on.
If you turn on Macro Control, automatic macro switching is enabled the next time you use the camera within macro distance. If you want to maintain your Macro Control setting between camera sessions, go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and turn on Macro Control.
Grab a video with QuickTake
You can use QuickTake to record videos without switching out of photo mode. QuickTake is available on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and later.
Hold the shutter to take a video
When you open the Camera app, you see the default photo mode. Tap the Shutter button to take a photo. Then tap the arrow
to adjust options, like flash, Live Photos, timer, and more.
If you want to capture a QuickTake video, just press and hold the Shutter button .* Release the button to stop recording.
With iOS 14 and later, you can hold one of the Volume buttons to capture a QuickTake video. If you have Use Volume Up for Burst enabled, you can use the Volume down button to capture a QuickTake video.
Slide to the right to lock recording
To keep recording video without having to hold the button, slide the Shutter button to the right, then release it. When video recording is locked, a Shutter button appears to the right. Tap the Shutter button
to take a still photo during video recording. When you're ready to stop recording, tap the record button.
Slide to the left for burst mode
Slide the Shutter button to the left and hold it to take a burst of photos, then release it to stop.
With iOS 14 and later, you can capture photos in burst mode by pressing the Volume up button. Just go to Settings > Camera and turn on Use Volume Up for Burst.
* To take videos with customizable resolution, stereo audio, and audio zoom, switch to Video mode.
Capture steadier video with Action mode
With Action mode on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, you can capture smooth hand-held video even when you’re moving around a lot.
- Open the Camera app and swipe to Video mode.
- Tap the
button to turn on Action mode.
- Tap the Shutter button and record your video.
Action mode works best with lots of light, and the Camera will show "More light required" if things are too dark. You can change your settings to use Action mode in lower light.
- In the Settings app, tap Camera.
- Tap Record Video.
- Turn on Action Mode Lower Light.
Action mode can capture video at either 1080p or 2.8k resolution up to 60 frames per second. It supports Dolby Vision HDR or, on iPhone 14 Pro models, Apple ProRes video formats.
Adjust your focus and exposure
Before you take a photo, the camera automatically sets the focus and exposure, and face detection balances the exposure across many faces. You can use Exposure Compensation Control to precisely set and lock the exposure for upcoming shots.
Just tap the arrow , then tap
and adjust your exposure level. The exposure locks until the next time you open the Camera app.
Exposure Compensation Control is available on iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and later with iOS 14 or later.
Take a mirrored selfie
With iOS 14 and later, you can take a mirrored selfie that captures the shot as you see it in the camera frame. To turn Mirror Front Camera on, go to Settings > Camera, then turn on the setting.
The Mirror Front Camera for photo and video is available on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and later with iOS 14 or later. If you have an iPhone 6s to iPhone X, the setting is called Mirror Front Photos and captures photos only.
Capture photos even faster
You can use Prioritize Faster Shooting to modify how images are processed, allowing you to capture more photos when you rapidly tap the Shutter button . To turn this off, go to Settings > Camera, and turn off Prioritize Faster Shooting.
Prioritize Faster Shooting is available on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and later with iOS 14 or later.
Enhance your selfies and Ultra Wide photos
With Lens Correction, when you take a selfie with the front-facing camera or a photo with the Ultra Wide (0.5x) lens, it automatically enhances the photos to make them appear more natural. To turn this off, go to Settings > Camera, and turn off Lens Correction.
Lens Correction is available on iPhone 12 models and later.
Do more with the camera on your iPhone
- Need to capture photos in low-lighting conditions? Learn how to use Night Mode on supported iPhone models.
- Use Live Photos to capture moments with movement and sound.
- Take photos in Apple ProRAW for greater creative control when you edit photos.
- Toggle the Shared Libraries icon
on and off to take pictures that you automatically share with select contacts.