The iPhone 16 lineup of phones got some big camera upgrades, but even if you don’t plan on upgrading, iOS 18 still gives all iPhone users who can download it access to a bunch of cool new camera features. Sure, the iPhone 16’s Camera Control button gets the spotlight, but older iPhones still get new Portrait Mode features, improved camera timers, the ability to pause video recording, and more. Here are the best new camera features coming to iOS 18.
iOS 18 – All the new camera and photo features
When Apple launched the iPhone X in 2017 without a home button, many thought it signaled the end of buttons on the iPhone. Seven years later, that appears to be untrue. Last year, the iPhone 15 Pro series gained the Action Button, and now all iPhone 16 series phones get the same button, as well as a new Camera Control button. As the name suggests, Camera Control lets you quickly launch the Camera app and take a photo or video, plus adjust zoom, exposure, and other settings. It's a significant addition that underscores the importance of the camera on your iPhone, and it's seamlessly integrated into iOS 18. This Apple Support page explains how to get the most out of it.
Yes, iOS 18 finally lets you pause videos while recording. This makes recording videos a lot more convenient. When you’re recording a video in iOS 18, you’ll now see a pause button in the bottom left corner of the Camera app. Press this button to pause the recording and resume when you’re ready. This makes recording vlogs, TikTok videos, and Instagram Reels a lot easier. I can’t believe it’s taken this long for this feature to arrive!
I love using the camera timer to take group photos, but I’ve always felt like the default options are a bit limiting. Up until iOS 17, you could only set a timer for three or 10 seconds. The former was too short, and the latter forced everyone to wait a little too long. iOS 18 fixes that by adding a five-second timer that you can use with both the front and rear cameras.
