Quick Tip: You Can Use Volume Buttons on your iPhone to Take Selfies and More

Have you ever been in a position where you want to capture a selfie, but your hand is in an awkward position to tap the capture button? This can also be a challenge for those with smaller hands or fingers. Fortunately, there is a solution – using the volume buttons as a shortcut to easily take photos.

You can efficiently use your iPhone’s volume buttons to capture a regular photo, selfie, or record a video. Additionally, these buttons can be utilized to take burst photos. Although the volume shortcuts may appear simple, they have various functions associated with them. To avoid any confusion, continue reading to understand more about these actions.

Easily Take Photos and Videos on iPhone Using Volume Buttons

While the volume button shortcut is a convenient option for capturing photos on an iPhone, it is not the only method available. Siri can also be used to take photos or record videos, and the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can also serve this purpose. However, using the volume shortcut remains the most efficient and simple way to capture the perfect shot. Here’s a guide on how to use this feature on your iPhone to take stunning photos.

Just a quick note before we proceed, there are two types of actions that can be used with the volume buttons: single-press or quick-press, and long-press. Let’s examine each action individually.

Individual Tap Actions

One of the most interesting hidden features of the iPhone is the ability to take photos by using the volume button. However, it is important to note that in order for this shortcut to work, you must first change the camera mode within the camera app. For example, if you are in portrait mode, pressing the volume buttons will capture a portrait photo, and the same applies to other camera modes.

All iPhones support the use of single or quick presses of the volume buttons for quick accessibility.

• To take a photo, simply press the volume up or down while in Photo Mode.
• Recording: Press the volume up or down to begin recording. Press the button again to end recording.
• Portrait: To capture a portrait shot, simply press the volume up or down button.
• Panorama: To capture a Panorama photo, simply press either the volume up or down button to start the recording. Press the button again to stop and save the photo.
• To capture slow-motion videos, simply press the volume up or down button to begin recording and press the same button again to stop recording.
• To begin recording, simply press the volume up or down button. To end the recording, press the same button again.

Customizable Long Press Actions

Long-pressing the volume button will function in a significantly different manner. Additionally, the feature can only be accessed on iPhones Xs, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and newer models with iOS 14 or newer. The following describes the functionality of long-press actions.

• To activate the video mode, simply press and hold either the volume up or down button. Release the button to stop recording the video.
• To record slow-motion video, press and hold the volume up or down button. Release the button when you want to stop recording.
• To capture a panorama shot, press and hold either the volume up or down button, and release the button to stop recording.

You may be wondering why I didn’t mention photo mode. This is because of the burst mode, also known as sports mode, which is designed for capturing fast-paced events such as F1 racing. With burst mode, you can instantly capture multiple photos, giving you the option to select the best shot afterwards.

To activate burst mode for volume buttons on your iPhone, follow these steps.

To activate the Use Volume Up for Burst feature, navigate to Settings > Camera, and toggle the option on.

Whenever in Photo mode, continuously press and hold the volume up or down button to capture multiple photos until the button is released.

Therefore, this concludes all the necessary information regarding the volume button shortcuts for iPhone cameras. If you found this article helpful, consider sharing it with your friends.