If Santa left you a brand new iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro under the tree, you're in luck. We don't know which device you come from, but we do know that with this new generation you have a great new feature: the famous camera buttonwhich has been talked about a lot for months for better and for worse.
If you like start exploiting its featureswe will tell you how to do it, because in the end it is an interesting shortcut for the camera. Of course, if this doesn't convince you, you won't have to use it. In fact, it's possible to turn it off and press it a little less than clicking any other empty part of the iPhone.
What exactly does this button do?
The new button, literally called “camera control” by Apple, has two aspects: activate the camera quickly and also make adjustments before taking the photo thanks to the haptic functions it has.
And, beyond being actionable, it is sensitive to pressure, interpreting at any time whether you press harder or less hard, but also whether you make the gesture of sliding your finger up or down.
That's all it allows you to do:
- Open the camera.
- Increase or decrease the exposure.
- Increase or decrease the depth effect in portraits.
- Zoom in or out.
- Switch between front, main, ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras.
- Switch between different preset photo styles.
- Change the tone of the photo.
Needless to say in any case, even if it is interesting as a shortcut, It doesn't offer anything that isn't already available in the touch interface itself from the native camera app.
How to change mode in camera control
Here is the main headache facing the new button. It's not complicated to use, but it does require an initial learning curve to master. It all depends on how you press it, since as we explained previously, it supports several levels of pressure that we will summarize as “full” (when you press hard all the way down) and “medium” (when the pressure is not strong and remains in the medium term).
- To open the camera All you have to do is press the button all the way. If the iPhone is already unlocked, a single tap will do the trick, while if it's locked, you'll have to tap twice.
- To switch between modes You must have the camera app open (whether with the button or not) and do a medium press to open the menu and slide your finger up and down to choose the mode you want to control with the button. Once on it, use medium pressure again.
- To use the functions what the button does, like zoom in or out, all you have to do in the Camera app is do that swipe gesture without actually pressing it.
Additional camera button settings and how to disable them
Besides what is mentioned above, you can change some button presets by entering Settings > Applications > Camera > Camera control. You will find these options there:
- Gentle pressure: what we called “mid press” and which involves being able to turn the control preview or exposure lock on or off when you press like this.
- Opening the room: You can choose whether you want to open the camera with two taps or just one tap as standard. In any case, if the device is locked, it will always open with two keys.
- Choose what you want to open: Beyond opening the “Camera” app, you can make this button open another app or tool such as code scanner, magnifying glass, and even Instagram.
- Disable button: If you want to disable the button completely, in the previous setting you need to choose Noneso that no matter how much you press the button, it will be inert and not open anything.
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