Engadget Guide Shows How to Customize iPhone Camera Control

By default, Camera Control is designed for one-handed photography. A single click launches the Camera app. Swiping moves through tools such as exposure or zoom while the app is open. A second click takes an image, a long press captures video and a double-click launches Visual Intelligence, which uses the camera to ask Siri questions about the surroundings.

To change those behaviors, users can go to Settings > Camera > Camera Control, according to the guide. That opens a pane with options including two main sections, Launch Camera and Controls, along with smaller tweaks. In Launch Camera, tapping Camera lets users choose which supported app opens when the button is pressed. The Camera app is enabled by default, but other options may include Instagram, Code Scanner for QR codes and Magnifier for digital magnification. Other third-party apps may appear as well, and some may be grayed out until they are fully supported.

The Controls section includes Camera Adjustments, which the guide says makes Camera Control more useful. When the Camera app is active, light presses or swipes on the button can be used to explore camera options and adjustments. The Customize option lets users choose which gestures Camera Control supports in that mode, including light presses and swipes. It also lets them enable or disable six adjustments: Zoom, Exposure, Depth, Cameras, Styles and Tone. Users can tap to turn an adjustment on or off, or press and hold the three-line icon beside each item to reorder it. During photography, swiping on Camera Control then moves through those adjustments in the chosen order.

Additional Camera Control options cover click behavior and accidental activation. The guide says Single Click or Double Click can be selected, with Double Click described as potentially best for avoiding accidental camera activations. Require Screen On, when enabled, prevents accidental Camera activation while the iPhone is locked. Lock Focus and Exposure keeps focus and exposure as long as the user continues touching the button. Launch Visual Intelligence, when active, lets a long press on the Camera button open Visual Intelligence for asking Siri about the surroundings.

More customizations are available in Settings > Accessibility > Camera Control. There, the button can be disabled completely, and users can define the force and speed required for it to respond to a press, choosing among Default, Slow and Slower. The Engadget guide said its author found that setting button behaviors to Slow helped stop accidental Camera openings when handling the phone, and trimming camera adjustments to Zoom, Exposure and Styles helped focus on the image rather than controls that are not frequently used.

Engadget said the purpose of Camera Control is to let users configure it to support their workflow while making it easier to take photos and videos and use Visual Intelligence with one hand.