In iOS 27 you choose which controls sit above the camera frame. Tap the Camera Controls button, tap Edit, then tap any tool to pin it there, and tap Reset to Essentials when you want the original layout back.
Out of the box, only Flash and Live Photo appear above the frame. Apple lists the change in its “What’s new in iOS 27” guide: “Pin the camera tools you use most often right above the camera frame for easy access when capturing photos and videos.” If you set a timer for every group shot or nudge exposure on most photos, pinning saves a trip into the menu each time.
Pin a tool above the frame
- Open Camera.
- Tap the Camera Controls button. In Photo mode, Apple’s guide shows it in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap Edit to reveal the tools.
- Tap a tool in the menu to add it above the camera frame.
- Tap Done, then swipe down on the tool menu to close it.
To remove a tool, go back to the editing view and tap the Minus button next to it.
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Tools worth pinning
The menu varies by iPhone model, but these everyday tools are the ones most worth keeping one tap away:
- Exposure: drag the slider to brighten or darken the shot.
- Timer: choose 3, 5 or 10 seconds, tap the Shutter button and get in the frame.
- Aspect: switch between 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9.
- Styles: swipe through Photographic Styles, or Filter on iPhone 12 models and earlier.
- Flash: tap to switch between Auto, On and Off.
To keep the Flash button on the camera screen at all times, Apple points to a separate switch: Settings > Camera > Indicators, then turn on Flash.
Extra tools on iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro models have more to pin. Apple’s guide says Lens Aperture, Shutter Speed, White Balance and Histogram can all go above the camera frame, and its iPhone 18 Pro page sells the same idea: “bring your most-used settings to the top for quicker access.” Our variable aperture explainer covers what the Main camera’s four f-stops do.
Focus can go there too. Tap it, pick Ultra Wide, Main or Telephoto if you want to lock a camera, and Apple says that choice stays selected for your next shots. Drag the slider to set the focus distance, or tap A to return to automatic focus. Focus isn’t available in every camera mode.
Start over with Reset to Essentials
A crowded bar is harder to read at a glance. To clear it, tap the Camera Controls button, tap Edit, then tap Reset to Essentials, which Apple says takes you back “to the default tools.” Tap Done to finish.
Pinning a tool doesn’t save its setting
A pinned tool keeps the control in reach, but not necessarily its value. Apple says exposure, for example, stays locked only until the next time you open Camera. To carry settings over, go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and turn on switches such as Exposure Adjustment, Photographic Style, Night Mode or, on iPhone 18 Pro models, Lens Aperture.
The bar is also separate from the overlay you get by lightly double-pressing Camera Control on iPhones that have it.
