How to change advanced camera settings on your iPad

You can manually adjust the focus and exposure, adjust the volume of the shutter sound, and change other settings on your iPad camera.

Before you take a photo, the camera automatically sets the focus and exposure, and face detection then balances the exposure across many faces. You can lock your own settings with AE/AF Lock, and a grid can help you straighten and compose your shot.

Here’s how to change advanced camera settings on your iPad.

Adjust the focus and exposure

Before you take a photo, the iPad camera automatically sets the focus and exposure, and face detection balances the exposure across many faces. To manually adjust the focus and exposure, follow these steps:

1. Open Camera on your iPad.
2. Tap the screen to show the automatic focus area and exposure setting (in yellow).
3. Tap where you want to move the focus area.
4. Next to the focus area, drag the Adjust Exposure button up or down to adjust the exposure.

   To lock your manual focus and exposure settings for upcoming shots, touch and hold the focus area until you see AE/AF Lock; tap the screen to unlock settings.

Use a grid to straighten your shot

To display a grid on the camera screen that can help you straighten and compose your shot, go to Settings > Camera, then turn on Grid.

The editing tools in the Photos app let you further align shots and adjust horizontal and vertical perspective after you take a photo. See our article, Straighten or tilt a photo or video, for details.

Save camera settings

1. Open Settings, tap Camera, and then tap Preserve Settings.
2. Turn on any of the following:
   • Live Photo: Save the Live Photo setting. This setting is on by default.

     See Take a Live Photo.

   • Camera Mode: Save the last camera mode you used, such as Video or Pano.

     See Switch between camera modes.

Adjust the shutter volume

1. Open Camera on your iPad.
2. Open Control Center and drag the volume slider up or down to change the shutter volume.
3. Tap the screen outside of Control Center to go back to Camera.

   Note: The shutter doesn’t make a sound if Live Photos is turned on.

   Note: In some countries and regions, you can’t mute the shutter sound.

Turn Scene Detection off and on

Scene Detection, on supported models, can recognize what you’re photographing and apply a tailored look that brings out the best qualities in the scene.

Scene Detection is on by default. To turn off Scene Detection, go to Settings > Camera, then turn off Scene Detection.

Turn Lens Correction off and on

For more natural-looking results, the Lens Correction setting on supported models adjusts photos you take with the front camera or Ultra Wide camera.

Lens Correction is on by default. To turn off Lens Correction, go to Settings > Camera, then turn off Lens Correction.

Stop saving photos taken in Messages

Photos you take in the Messages app are automatically saved to your library in the Photos app.

To turn this feature off, go to Settings > Camera, then turn off Save Captures to Photo Library.