The physical Camera Control button on the side of the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, or 16 Pro Max is great for launching Apple’s Camera app and adjusting settings like exposure, depth, and zoom with press and swipe gestures. But it’s not just for the Camera app. Camera Control also works with supported third-party camera apps, allowing you to quickly snap photos, record videos, modify settings, and more.
Apple provides app developers with resources to configure Camera Control interactions in their apps, enabling custom overlays with adjustment sliders and tool pickers. With Camera Control support, a camera app can let you perform basic actions like zooming or changing exposure, as well as advanced tasks such as switching cameras, adjusting ƒ-stops, and fine-tuning white balance.
Developers can also configure their apps to launch from anywhere with Camera Control, even from the Lock Screen, with the LockedCameraCapture framework. If an app already has controls for Control Center, the Lock Screen, and the Action button, it’s closer to supporting Camera Control. If not, it takes a little bit more work for developers to implement.
“Due to Apple’s arbitrary Camera Control requirements, you are not able to simply launch an app using the Camera Control,” says mood.camera’s developer. “Instead, a stripped-down version of the app is required to be built so it can be launched while the device is locked.”
While not every third-party camera app developer is ready to support the Camera Control on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, some have already updated their apps to support app launches and/or settings configuration via Camera Control. Here’s a list of all the compatible apps so far:
List of Camera Apps That Support Camera Control
Apps with an asterisk (*) require a subscription to utilize Camera Control features. A number sign (#) represents subscription-based apps with free trials available, while an exclamation point (!) indicates apps with use restrictions without a subscription or purchase. You’ll see a caret (^) if an app has more advanced, non-Camera Control features you can buy via an in-app purchase.
- Blackmagic Camera (free): Launch the app, start and stop recording, and adjust zoom, exposure bias, ISO, LUT picker, manual focus, zebra, and focus peak.
- Camera (preinstalled): Launch the app, capture a photo or start and stop recording, and adjust exposure, depth, zoom, camera lens, photograph style, and tone.
- Code Scanner (preinstalled): Launch the app and adjust zoom.
- CropCamera – Viewfinder ($1.99): Capture a photo.
- Detail: Camera & Video Editor (free^): Start and stop recording and adjust the camera lens, layout, and shape.
- Final Cut Camera (free): Start and stop recording.
- Halide Mark II – Pro Camera (free*#): Launch the app, capture a photo, adjust exposure value (EV) and focus, and lock adjustments.
- Hipstamatic® (free^): Capture a photo and adjust the camera lens modes.
- Hydra 2 › AI Camera: RAW + HDR (free^): Launch the app, capture a photo, and adjust exposure control, grid display, timer, orientation lock, and color rendition.
- Instagram (free): Launch the app and capture a photo.
- Leica LUX | Pro Photo Capture (free^): Capture a photo.
- Lock Launcher – Screen Widgets (free#^): Launch the app into Quick Camera mode or perform an action such as opening an app, running a shortcut, visiting a webpage, or triggering a URL scheme.
- Magnifier (preinstalled): Launch the app, capture a photo, and adjust zoom, contrast, brightness, and filter.
- mood.camera (free*#): Adjust exposure and zoom.
- M=Camera (free#^): Capture a photo.
- Obscura — Pro Camera (free^): Launch the app, capture a photo, and adjust exposure, zoom, filter*, focus, and format.
- OK Video – Clips Camera (free^): Launch the app, start and stop recording, and adjust zoom.
- OldRoll – Vintage Film Camera (free#!^): Capture a photo, start and stop recording, and adjust the camera lens, zoom, and exposure value (EV).
- Photon Camera (free*#): Launch the app and adjust focus, exposure (shutter speed and ISO), and white balance (temperature and tint).
- Pro Camera by Moment ($8.99^): Launch the app, capture a photo, and adjust shutter speed, ISO, exposure value (EV), focus, zoom, and white balance.
- ProCam – Pro Camera ($9.99^): Adjust zoom, exposure, and focus.
- ProCamera. Professional Camera ($24.99^): Launch the app and adjust the camera lens, EV (exposure compensation), and zoom.
- Protake – Mobile Cinema Camera (free^): Launch the app, start and stop recording, and adjust zoom and exposure.
- REC – Pro Video Camera (free*#): Start and stop recording.
- Slow Shutter Cam ($2.99): Adjust shutter speed, ISO, and digital zoom.
- Snapchat (free): Launch the app, capture a photo, and start and stop recording
- SpatialCamera ($3.99): Unclear.
- Spatialify ($2.99): Launch the app and switch between spatial camera modes.
- Super 16 | 16mm Film Camera (free^): Capture a photo and start and stop recording.
- Zerocam | Anti-AI Camera (free!): Adjust the camera lens and open the Zerocam | Mono app.
- Zerocam | Mono (free!): Adjust the camera lens and open the Zerocam | Mono app.
Just updated your iPhone to iOS 18? You’ll find a ton of hot new features for some of your most-used Apple apps. Dive in and see for yourself: