What to Know

Use the Apple Shortcuts app to quickly create a shortcut so you can combine two photos on an iPhone or iPad, side-by-side.
Then, you can use this shortcut anytime you want to combine two photos for memes or before-and-after comparisons!

Have you ever wondered how to make a side-by-side photo on an iPhone or iPad without a third-party app? The easiest way to put two pictures side by side on your iPhone is by creating a shortcut in the Shortcuts app. Then, you can select the images you want to combine. Let's go over how to do side by side photos on an iPhone.

How to Make a Side-by-Side Photo iPhone Shortcut

While apps (like Canva) can put two photos side-by-side, using the Shortcuts app on your iPhone can do the job without requiring you to purchase a third-party app. If you don't have the Apple Shortcuts app already installed on your iPhone, you can download it for free from the App Store. Here's how to create a side-by-side photos shortcut:

Open the Shortcuts app.
Tap the Plus sign to create a shortcut.
Tap the Search Bar at the bottom of the screen. Search for and tap Select Photos.
Tap the blue arrow next to Select Photos.
Toggle on Select Multiple.
Search again and tap Combine Images.
In the Combined Images section, make sure the mode field is set to Horizontally. If not, tap on Horizontally to change it.
Tap on the arrow next to Horizontally to adjust how much space you want between the photos. If you don't want any spacing, you can skip this step.
Search for and tap Save to Photos.
Tap Save to Photos at the top of your screen.
Tap Rename, then tap the field at the top of the screen to rename your shortcut. In this example I've named is Side by Side Photo.
In the same menu, tap Add to Home Screen to make the shortcut available as an icon on the Home Screen.
You can customize the icon picture and then tap Add. Your shortcut will then appear on your Home Screen.

Now you're ready to combine pictures to show a before-and-after photo of yourself, or even a side-by-side photo of a home renovation.

Use the Shortcut to Put 2 Pictures Side-by-Side on iPhone

Now that you've set up a shortcut for combining photos, here's how to use it to merge two photos together on your iPhone:

Open the split screen photo iPhone shortcut that you've created and added to your Home screen.
Tap the two photos you want to combine. You can use the Photo search function to find the photos. Tap Add to create the combined image.
Open the Photos app. Your combined photo will appear as the most recent image in your Photo Library, and you can tap on your combined photo to view it.

Now you're ready to combine photos on your iPhone for memes, before-and-after shots, and photo collages. If you enjoyed this photos tip, check out our article covering how to set an iPhone camera timer to boost your photography skills!

FAQ

How do I put two pictures together on my iPhone wallpaper? Once you've created a side-by-side image, you can change the background on your iPhone by opening the Settings app, tapping Wallpaper, and selecting Add New Wallpaper. Then, select the side-by-side photo to use it as your phone background. In this case, you may want to combine the photos vertically.
How do I put pictures side by side on iPad? The steps for creating a side-by-side photo are the same for your iPad and iPhone. Follow the steps above to create a shortcut, then select the photos you want to combine.
How can I make a photo collage on my iPhone? We recommend using the Canva app if you want to create complex photo collage layouts on your iPhone. This third-party app offers a lot of layout flexibility and is easy to use.
Can you shorten a live photo? Yes, by tapping edit in the Photos app, you can shorten, rotate, and crop a live photo just as you would edit a still frame. Here's how to crop a live photo on your iPhone.

Top image credit: Chingraph / Shutterstock.com