6 Best iPhone Camera Shutter Button Tricks & Secrets 2022

There are several hidden ways to use the Shutter button. I’ll teach you how to take Burst mode photos, capture photos while recording videos, and use the phone’s volume buttons to take photos and videos. Finally, I’ll tell you how to turn off that shutter sound so that you don’t annoy bystanders or scare your pets or wildlife models.

Jump To:

• Basics First: Tap Shutter Button to Take a Photo or Video
• Tap & Hold It to Record Video in Photo Mode
• Swipe Right to Record Video in Photo Mode
• Swipe Left to Take Photos in Burst Mode
• Take Photos While Recording Videos with the Smaller Shutter Button
• Use iPhone Volume Buttons Instead
• The Workaround to Mute the iPhone Camera Shutter Sound

Basics First: Tap the Shutter Button to Take a Photo or Video

When you open the Camera app, the default is Photo mode. You can tap on the round, white Shutter button to take a picture. You can swipe left or right to other modes and tap the Shutter button to take a photo or start recording video in that particular mode.

Keep reading to learn several other ways to use the shutter button within the default Photo mode!

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1. Tap & Hold the Shutter Button to Record Video in Photo Mode

Even while in the default Photo mode, you will begin taking a video if you tap and hold the Shutter button. The moment you release it, you will end the recording:

1. Open the Camera app.
   
   
2. Make sure you are in Photo mode.
   
   
3. Tap and hold the shutter button.
   
   
4. To stop recording, release the Shutter button.

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2. Swipe Right from the Shutter Button to Record Video in Photo Mode

Another way is to swipe right. While in Photo mode, swipe right from the Shutter button to begin recording a video:

1. While in Photo mode, swipe your finger from left to right over the Shutter button. If you are holding your phone in landscape orientation, swipe in the direction of the Side Button.
   
   
2. You will notice a smaller Shutter button appear to the right of the red video recording button. If you tap the smaller Shutter button, you will take a photo while recording the video. There won’t be a sound or any indication that the photo was taken. 
   
   
3. Tap the red stop button again to stop recording.
   
   

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3. Swipe Left from the Shutter Button to Take Photos in Burst Mode

While in the default Photo mode, if you tap the Shutter button and swipe left (or in the direction of the volume up and down buttons if you are holding your phone in landscape orientation), you will begin shooting Burst mode photos. When you release your finger, your phone will stop taking photos.

The number you see on the Shutter button tells you how many photos have been taken. During Burst mode, your phone will take ten photos per second. Most iPhones will capture up to 600 photos per Burst mode session. However, some older models like the iPhone 7 have been reported to go up to 999 by Reddit users. 

Pro Tip: This can be useful if you are trying to capture the perfect action shot. I’ve used Burst mode to photograph a surfer catching a wave, a dog chasing a ball, and a butterfly landing on a flower. Viewing Burst mode photos is a little different because they all show up under one image in the Photos App. They look like a stack of photos. Read more about using Burst mode here!

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4. Take Photos While Recording Videos with the Smaller Shutter Button

When you record videos in Video or Slo-mo modes, you will see a smaller Shutter button appear while the video is being recorded. Tapping it will take a photo. Please keep in mind that there won’t be a shutter sound or any visible indication that a photo was taken, so you may want to tap it twice to make sure you captured the photo.

Pro Tip: Photos captured while recording videos will be in the same ratio as the video. By default, videos are 16:9 while photos are 4:3, although your settings may be different. You can read more about photo and video ratios here.

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5. Use iPhone Volume Buttons as the Shutter Button

Sometimes the perfect shot requires a specific grip that makes tapping the shutter button difficult. Luckily, you can take photos and videos with the volume up and down buttons!

1. Open the Camera app and press either the volume up, volume down, or both at once to take a photo.
   
   
2. Hold one or both in to start filming a video, but keep in mind that releasing will end the video.

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6. The Workaround to Mute the iPhone Camera Shutter Sound

The shutter sound makes taking photos with the iPhone sound more professional, and it is a great indicator that the photo was taken. However, it can also get annoying and can quickly become a distraction. To take photos more discreetly, you can turn off the shutter sound. There is no setting or toggle to turn off the sound, so you have to get creative. If your phone is on silent or the volume is turned completely down, there won’t be a shutter sound. Another trick is to turn on the Live Photo feature. To do this: 

1. Open the Camera app and make sure you are in Photo mode.
   
   
2. Look at the Live Photo icon. If there's a slash through it, it is disabled.
   
   
3. Tap to enable Live Photos.
   
   

Pro Tip: This method only works for the default Photo mode. If you take portrait photos, you will still hear the shutter unless you turn down the volume on your iPhone or silence it completely.

You can also turn Live Photos on permanently by toggling it on in Preserve Settings. Don't forget that Live Photos can be saved as still photos, turned into videos, or looped.

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I hope these Shutter button iPhone tips and tricks will make your photo and video experience better and more enjoyable! Please let us know which trick you found most useful in the comment section below.