What Do iPhone Camera App Icons and Symbols Mean (Full Guide)

The iPhone’s camera app is filled with all sorts of icons and symbols that activate different photography and videography features. To be honest, the Camera app UI can be overwhelming with so many icons scattered across. You’ve probably looked at your screen and wondered, ‘What does that little thing even do?’ Well, you’re not the only one! We’re here to make sense of it all. We’ll show you what each icon and symbol means in the iPhone Camera app. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

iPhone Camera Home Screen Icons Meaning – Photo Mode

The iPhone’s camera app opens in the Photo screen where you’ll see many icons at the top and bottom of your screen. Let’s break down what each of them means:

Flash (lightning bolt in a circle) Icon: Tap this to turn the flash on or off. A line strikes through it when turned off and the background turns yellow when it’s on.
Night Photography (crescent moon with lines) Icon: This helps you take brighter photos when it’s dark by keeping the shutter open longer. It’ll be yellow when it’s on, and you’ll see a timer showing how long the shutter will stay open.
Menu (up arrow) Icon: Tap this to open a menu with more camera options and features.
Format Types (JPEG MAX) Icon: This shows the format for your photos. You can change this in your phone’s Settings including RAW Max, JPEG (most compatible), or HEIF.
Live Photo (two circles with a dotted circle) Icon: This captures a short video with your photo. You can tap and hold your image to watch the video.
Photographic Styles (square with dots) Icon: This lets you apply different styles to your photos.
Focus (yellow square) Icon: This will show you where your camera focus is. You can tap anywhere to change the focus.
Exposure (sun) Icon: Slide this up or down to make your photo brighter or darker.
Macro (lotus flower in a yellow circle) Icon: This lets you take close-up photos when you keep your phone closer to the subject.
Switch Lens (numbers) Icon: Tap this icon to switch between lenses and zoom in or out.
Recent Image (small image thumbnail) Icon: This shows the last photo you took. You can tap it to see all your recent photos.
Capture Button (big white circle inside a circle) Icon: This is the icon you press to take a photo.
Reverse Camera (two arrows in a circle) Icon: You can tap this icon to switch between your front and back cameras.

Expanded Camera Menu Icons Meaning (Above Capture Button)

When you tap that little up arrow (number 3) at the top of your iPhone camera screen, you’ll see a whole new row of icons pop up, giving you even more control over your photos. Let’s take a look at what they mean:

Photographic Styles (three stacked squares) Icon: Tapping this lets you customize the look of your photos even further. You’ll get options to adjust the tone and warmth of each style.
Aspect Ratio (4:3) Icon: That’s your aspect ratio. It’s the shape of your photo. Tapping this lets you choose different aspect ratios, so you can decide if you want a wider shot, a square photo, or something else.
Exposure (plus/minus in a circle) Icon: You’ve probably seen the sun icon for exposure. Well, this plus/minus icon does the same thing, but in a slightly different way. Tapping this lets you fine-tune the exposure of your photo, making it brighter or darker.
Timer (clock) Icon: Tapping this icon lets you set a timer, so you’ve got a few seconds to get into position before the camera snaps the photo. It’s perfect for group shots or selfies where you want to be in the action.
Filters (three overlapping circles) Icon: Tapping this icon lets you choose from a selection of pre-made filters. It includes filters like vintage, vivid, black and white, and more.

Video Mode Icons Meaning

Now, let’s head over to video mode. You’ll notice some new icons here that give you control over how your videos look and feel. Let’s break them down:

Action Mode (person running with lines) Icon: This icon turns on Action mode on tapping, which helps you capture super smooth videos, even when you’re moving around a lot.
HD Icon: Just like with photos, you can choose the quality of your videos. This HD icon lets you switch between different resolutions, so you can decide how crisp and detailed you want your footage to be.
60/30/24 (FPS) Icon: See those numbers? Those are your frames per second or FPS. It’s basically how many individual pictures are taken each second to create your video. Higher FPS means smoother footage.
Pause (two vertical lines) Icon: Tapping this icon stops the recording temporarily, so you can gather your thoughts or change locations. Tap it again to resume recording right where you left off.
Recording (red square inside a circle) Icon: This is your visual cue that the camera is actively recording. When you see that red square, you know you’re capturing video. It’s a simple but essential indicator.
Capture Photo (white circle) Icon: You can take still photos while you’re recording with this white circle. Just tap it, and your iPhone will snap a photo without interrupting your video recording.

Cinematic Mode Icons Meaning

Cinematic mode is where your iPhone shines when it comes to video. It lets you create videos with a depth effect, just like in the movies. Here’s what those icons mean:

Subject Tracking (yellow frame) Icon: This yellow frame is your iPhone’s way of tracking the subject of the video. It’s especially smart at detecting people, but you can also tap on other objects to make them the focus. The frame will follow the subject as they move, keeping them sharp while blurring the background.
Depth Effect (“f” in a circle) Icon: This little “f” icon is for controlling the depth of Cinematic mode. Tap it, and you can adjust the depth of field, which is basically how much the background is blurred.

Portrait Mode Icons Meaning

Portrait mode is your go-to for capturing stunning portraits with a blurred background that makes your subject pop. Here’s how those symbols work:

Adjust Intensity (circle in a hexagon): This little hexagon icon lets you fine-tune the intensity of the portrait effect. Tap it, and you can adjust how much the effect is required, giving you complete control over the look of your portrait.
Portrait Lighting Styles (black balls in circles) Icon: These black balls represent different portrait lighting styles. Tapping on them lets you switch between various lighting effects, like Studio Light, Contour Light, and more. The style you’re currently using will be highlighted with a cube around it, so you always know which effect is active.

Panorama Mode Icon Meaning

Panorama mode is perfect when you want to capture a wide, sweeping view of a landscape or cityscape. Here’s how it works:

Direction Arrow (right arrow) Icon: When you’re in Panorama mode, you’ll see a white arrow pointing to the right. This arrow shows you the direction you need to move your iPhone to capture the panorama.
Level Guide (yellow line): To make sure your panorama turns out perfectly level, you’ll see a yellow line running across the screen. This line acts as a guide, helping you keep your iPhone steady and level as you move. Try to keep the line as straight as possible, and your panorama will look like it was taken with a professional camera.

Tip: Remember the message at the bottom of the screen: “Move iPhone continuously when taking a Panorama.” Smooth, continuous movement is key to getting a great panorama shot!

Shared Library Icon

You might have noticed this icon at the top of your camera screen if iCloud is enabled. Here’s what it means:

Shared Library (two people in a circle) Icon: Tapping this icon turns on the shared library feature. Once it’s active, any photos or videos you capture can be viewed by everyone who’s part of your shared library. It’s like having a communal photo album that everyone can contribute to. You can turn this feature on in Settings > iCloud > Shared Library.

And there you have it, folks! If you’re curious about the symbols and icons in other apps, be sure to check out our other icon guides too. We’ve got you covered!