This article explains what macro mode is on the iPhone, how it impacts the iPhone Camera app, and how to control that feature to use it only when you want.

What to Know

  • To stop the iPhone from automatically switching to the macro mode, go to Settings > Camera > move Auto Macro slider to off/white.To manually take a macro photo, move the iPhone close to object > in the Camera app, tap .5x, move the wheel to .9x, and take the picture.In iOS 15.2 and up, the Camera app includes a macro mode toggle directly in the app.

How Do I Stop My iPhone Camera From Flipping?

If you’ve tried to take a photo of a relatively nearby object with your iPhone 13 Pro series phone, you may have noticed a subtle switch or flip of the image you see onscreen before taking the photo. That flip is the iPhone automatically switching from standard to macro photo mode.

The instructions in this article apply only to the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max since they’re the only iPhone models with a macro mode. The instructions also apply only to iOS 15.1 and higher.

Macro mode is a feature that takes better photos of objects very close to the iPhone camera. The iPhone detects how close the thing is and automatically switches to macro mode to take the best possible shot. However, you may prefer to have control over the macro mode.

How Do I Turn off Macro Mode on My iPhone?

Want to stop your iPhone from automatically switching to macro mode when an object is near your iPhone? It’s as easy as changing a setting. Just follow these steps:

  • Tap Settings.
  • Tap Camera.
  • Move Auto Macro slider to off/white. With this done, automatic macro mode is disable.
  • You can still take macro photos manually. Check out the last section of this article for instructions.

Is There a Macro Setting on iPhone Camera?

You won’t find a macro setting or button labeled “macro” in the pre-installed iPhone Camera app. The only way to control whether the macro mode is automatically applied is to use the steps in the last section.

Tap Settings.

Tap Camera.

Move Auto Macro slider to off/white. With this done, automatic macro mode is disable.

You can still take macro photos manually. Check out the last section of this article for instructions.

But if there’s no macro button, does that mean that turning off the Auto Macro setting stops you from taking macro photos on the iPhone? Nope! There’s a manual way to do it.

How Do I Enable Macro Mode on My iPhone?

If you’ve disabled the Auto Macro feature of the iPhone Camera app but still want to get the high-quality, up-close detail offered by macro mode, follow these steps:

In iOS 15.2 and higher, an actual “macro” button is available right in the Camera app interface to give you quick control over the feature.

  • Open the Camera app, get the thing you want to take a photo of in your viewfinder, and move the iPhone very close to the subject.
  • Tap and hold the .5x button and move the wheel to the .9x magnification.
  • If the photo isn’t entirely in focus, slowly move your iPhone back until the image is in focus (or tap the screen for autofocus).
  • Press the white shutter button to take the photo.

Open the Camera app, get the thing you want to take a photo of in your viewfinder, and move the iPhone very close to the subject.

Tap and hold the .5x button and move the wheel to the .9x magnification.

If the photo isn’t entirely in focus, slowly move your iPhone back until the image is in focus (or tap the screen for autofocus).

Press the white shutter button to take the photo.

  • How do I turn on night mode on an iPhone camera?
  • To use night mode on an iPhone camera, you don’t have to do anything. Night mode on the iPhone works automatically when the camera detects a low-light environment. Check the night mode icon on the top left of the display to see if the feature is working.
  • How do I turn off night mode on an iPhone camera?
  • To turn off night mode on an iPhone for an individual photo, tap the night mode icon on the top left of the display. Night mode will be disabled for that picture. To turn off the feature entirely (iOS 15 and later), go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and toggle on Night Mode. Now, if you turn off night mode in an individual picture, night mode will stay off.
  • What is live mode on an iPhone camera?
  • When you take an iPhone live photo, the iPhone records the 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture, so you get a little snippet of the action. Live photos are taken the same way as traditional photos. Afterward, you can add effects and share the live photo with friends.

To use night mode on an iPhone camera, you don’t have to do anything. Night mode on the iPhone works automatically when the camera detects a low-light environment. Check the night mode icon on the top left of the display to see if the feature is working.

To turn off night mode on an iPhone for an individual photo, tap the night mode icon on the top left of the display. Night mode will be disabled for that picture. To turn off the feature entirely (iOS 15 and later), go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and toggle on Night Mode. Now, if you turn off night mode in an individual picture, night mode will stay off.

When you take an iPhone live photo, the iPhone records the 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture, so you get a little snippet of the action. Live photos are taken the same way as traditional photos. Afterward, you can add effects and share the live photo with friends.

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