iOS 10: How to Use Your iPhone as a Magnifying Lens

iOS 10 magnifying lens feature in action

If you really stretch the whole “the best camera is the one you have with you” thing, you can say the same about magnifying lenses, too. Since your iPhone is always with you—hence, the best camera line—why not use it as a magnifying lens, too? That’s exactly what you can do in iOS 10.

iOS 10 magnifying lens settings
iOS 10’s magnifier settings are in Accessibility

To enable the magnifying lens feature in iOS 10, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Magnifier on your iPhone. Once it’s enabled just triple-click your Home button to turn the rear-facing camera into a magnifying lens.

iOS 10 magnifying lens setting in Accessibility
iOS 10’s Magnifier setting turns your iPhone camera into a magnifying lens

When your iPhone is in magnify mode you can zoom in and apply filters to make the little things you need to see easier to pick out. When you’re done, tap the Home button again.

iOS 10 magnifying lens feature in action
Now your iPhone camera is a digital magnifying lens

This isn’t the same as using the Zoom feature in Apple’s camera app, and instead is more like a macro shot. It’s handy for reading small type or seeing fine details, and it saves you from having to carry a magnifying lens around.

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