How to Use Volume Buttons to Take Photos on iPhone

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

Did you know you can use your iPhone's volume buttons to snap photos? Learning how to get the best angle for a photo on an iPhone can be tricky. Using the iPhone volume buttons can make it easier to take a picture when holding the iPhone at an awkward angle. Here's a quick tip on how to take a photo with your iPhone's volume buttons.

Why You'll Love This Tip

  • Snap a selfie at a less awkward angle for your wrist.
  • Get the feel of an old-fashioned point-and-shoot camera with a physical shutter button.

How to Take a Photo Using the iPhone Volume Buttons

This trick is super simple, but you might not have realized that the iPhone side buttons work with your camera. For more cool tips about how to use your iPhone or other Apple devices, sign up for our free Tip of the Day! Also, if you're an iPhone photography enthusiast, you might want to check out our guide covering the icons on your iPhone camera and how to make the most use of these features. To use the side buttons to take pictures on your iPhone:

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  1. Open the Camera app.

    Open the Camera app.
  2. Select which Camera option you want to use.

    Select which Camera option you want to use.
  3. The volume buttons are located on the side of your iPhone. When you're ready to take a photo (or start one of the video options), press either the volume up or volume down button. 

    The volume buttons are the second (up) and third (down) buttons on the left edge of your iPhone. When you're ready to take a photo (or start one of the video options), press either the up or down button. 

Now you can snap photos using the volume buttons. You can hold your phone either vertically or horizontally, whichever works best for you. Enjoy taking selfies without any more awkward finger stretching!

FAQ

  • Can I lighten or darken a photo before I take the shot? Yes, there's an easy way to adjust exposure on an iPhone camera. This allows you to make the darks even darker and the lights even lighter right from the Camera app, before you even take the photo.
  • Why are all my photos blurry? Some recent models have trouble with the iPhone camera shaking or not focusing, which results in blurry photos. This is typically caused by the advanced Autofocus camera setting (which you can easily disable).
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Author Details

Hallei Halter's picture

Author Details

Hallei Halter

Hallei is a 2018 graduate of Maharishi University of Management with a BFA in Creative & Professional Writing. She's currently working on a novel about people using witchcraft to clean their houses.