iOS 14 Photos and Camera: QuickTake Shortcut, Photo Captions, Mirrored Selfies, and More

iOS 14's biggest changes focus on the Home Screen, the App Library, redesigned compact interface for phone calls and Siri, Picture in Picture, the Translate app, and updated privacy protections, but Apple also improved many of its existing apps to add new features and functionality.

ios14 and photos feature
The Photos and Camera apps didn't get new designs, but received some notable changes like captions, navigation improvements, new shortcuts for capturing images, and more, with all of the new additions to the two apps outlined in the guide below.

Camera Performance and Shooting Speed

Apple in iOS 14 added speed and efficiency improvements to the Camera app. You can capture photos up to 90 percent faster, at up to four frames per second. The time it takes to get your first shot after opening the app is now 25 percent faster, and capturing portraits is 15 percent faster shot to shot.

ios14prioritizefastershooting
There's also a new "Prioritize Faster Shooting" toggle in the Camera section of the Settings app that adapts image quality when rapidly pressing the shutter so you can make sure you're not missing a shot due to processing times.

Expanded QuickTake Video Support

QuickTake in iOS 14 is now available on the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max. Previously, it was limited to the ‌iPhone‌ 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and SE (2020). QuickTake lets you hold down on the shutter button when in photo mode to capture a video without having to swipe over to video mode.

camera

Volume Up/Down Burst Mode and QuickTake

It's long been possible to press the volume buttons to snap a photo when the Camera app is open, but this shortcut functionality is expanded in iOS 14. If you long press on the Volume Up button you can take a series of photos in quick succession, which is known as Burst Mode.

If you press and hold the Volume Down button you can activate QuickTake to capture video without having to take the time to go into video mode.

Video Mode Toggles

In the upper right corner of the Camera app, there are details on video quality and frames per second when in video mode. In iOS 14, you can tap in that corner to change the video mode rather than having to open up the Settings app to do so. This works in video mode and Slo-Mo mode.

cameratoggles
This was previously available on the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and 11 Pro, and in iOS 14 has expanded to all iPhones.

Exposure Adjustment and Night Mode Improvements

In the Camera section of the Settings app, if you tap on "Preserve Settings," you'll find a new toggle for "Exposure Adjustment." Exposure Adjustment preserves any tweaks you've made to exposure rather than resetting it from shot to shot so you can continue to take photos with your preferred exposure settings.

ios14preservesettings
Toggling on Exposure Adjustment also ensures that the exposure adjustment indicator remains visible.

Apple is improving Night Mode for the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro, and when you take a ‌Night Mode‌ shot, the camera uses the gyroscope to offer up a guidance indicator to help you hold the ‌iPhone‌ steady. There's also a new option to cancel mid-capture rather than having to wait for the capture to finish.

Selfie Mirroring

When taking a selfie with an ‌iPhone‌ using the Camera app, it flips the image so that it's the opposite of the mirror image that's shown in the preview, which can be confusing. Because most social networking apps use mirrored selfies, many people are more accustomed to mirroring functionality than the flipped selfies that the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ uses.

ios14mirrorfrontcamera
In iOS 14, you can use the new "Mirror Front Camera" toggle to cause the Camera app to take mirror image selfies where the finished product looks like the image preview. To enable the feature, open up the Settings app, select Camera, and toggle on "Mirror Front Camera."

Photo Captions and Filtering

The ‌Photos‌ app in iOS 14 supports captions so you can add additional context to your photos with the information you add synced across iOS and Mac.

ios14photoscaptions2
To add a caption to an image in the ‌Photos‌ app, just swipe up on any single photo you're looking at to see additional details and then tap on "Add a Caption" and type in whatever you want.

ios14filters
In the "All ‌Photos‌" view, there's a "Filter" option where you can choose to display favorite photos, edited photos, all photos, or all videos. To get to the Filter options, tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Filter." You can also choose to change the Aspect Ratio Grid to show the photo sizes or stick with the square version.

Album Sorting and Hidden Album

In any album in the ‌Photos‌ app, you can tap the three dots in the right hand corner of the display to get to sorting and filtering options. Filter options work like above, but the sort option lets you sort by oldest photos or newest photos to make it easier to find what you're looking for.

ios14albumsorting
As for the Hidden album, there's a new option to hide it from the Albums list. In the ‌Photos‌ section of the Settings app, toggle on "Hidden Album." The album won't be available in the ‌Photos‌ app, but you'll still see it when you use the image picker in other apps.

photoshiddenalbum

Streamlined Navigation

Pinch gestures to zoom in and out now work in the Albums, Favorites, Media Types, and Shared Albums sections of the ‌Photos‌ app, so you can easily zoom in and out to see everything in a given location. In iOS 13, the pinch zoom gesture to see more photos or photos that are larger was limited to the main ‌Photos‌ section.

ios14albumgestures

Memories and Live Photos Improvements

Apple in iOS 14 improved the Memories feature to show more relevant photos and videos, and there are a greater number of music tracks available to watch with photo slideshows. Apple says that the framing has also been improved when switching between horizontal and portrait orientations for better transitions.

ios14memories

Redesigned Image Picker

Throughout iOS 14, there's a new image picker wherever you use iOS to insert a photo into another app. The new version lets you select from albums or search for people, places, or photo contents, which makes it easier to find the exact photo you want to use.

ios14photospicker

Better Zoom

In iOS 14 you can use the pinch to zoom feature to zoom much further into photos than was possible in iOS 13, so you can see more of the detail in a photo.

ios14zoomphotos

Limited Photos Permissions

Apps that ask permission to access photos can now be provided with access to a limited number of images if you don't want to give blanket permission for an app to access your entire camera roll.

ios14limitedphotosaccess
With the limited photos option, you can continually update the photos that are shared with the app, selecting just a couple at a time that you want to upload or edit.

ios14selectedphotos
You will be asked about limited photos access whenever an app wants permission to use photos, and you can control which apps have access to all of your photos, limited photos, or no photos in the Privacy section of the Settings app under "‌Photos‌."

Guide Feedback

Have questions about the Camera and ‌Photos‌ features in iOS 14, know of something we left out, or or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here. If you want to know more about what's coming in iOS 14, make sure to check out our iOS 14 roundup.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...

Top Rated Comments

Futurix Avatar
63 months ago

So, let me get this straight... people actually want their selfies to be backwards ie a mirror image? Really?! Hunh...
I think they just want their selfies to match what is shown on the screen when they take them.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Treq Avatar
63 months ago
So, let me get this straight... people actually want their selfies to be backwards ie a mirror image? Really?! Hunh...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
noraa Avatar
63 months ago

won't they really add night mode support for other models ugh, the sensor different between the xs and 11 is not that big at all, it's pure software
Software and, more importantly, the increased machine learning capabilities of the A13 compared to the A12. Overall, the A13 wasn’t a drastic upgrade to the A12, but the neural engine did receive a pretty sizable upgrade.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alpi123 Avatar
63 months ago
won't they really add night mode support for other models ugh, the sensor different between the xs and 11 is not that big at all, it's pure software
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J___o___h___n Avatar
63 months ago
I’ve never used the QuickTake thingy except by accident. It’s just not intuitive.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
63 months ago

I’ve never used the QuickTake thingy except by accident. It’s just not intuitive.
Just for once I wish Apple would give me a choice. Seriously. Let me decide whether I want video or photo burst. Spoiler: It definitely won't be video.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)