Apple has redesigned the Camera app controls in iOS 27, giving photographers faster access to tools that help with composition, exposure, and depth. The update builds on the simplified interface introduced with iOS 26 while making important settings easier to reach during a shoot.
The first iOS 27 developer beta includes quicker access to depth, grid, and level controls. Apple has also integrated a new Siri mode directly into the Camera app, allowing users to start a visual search without leaving the viewfinder.
Camera Controls Are Easier to Reach
The iPhone Camera app has always offered useful photography tools, although several controls were hidden behind additional menus. Changing a setting during a fast-moving shoot often required users to pause, open the controls panel, and locate the correct option.
In iOS 27, the updated controls place important tools closer to the main shooting interface. Photographers can quickly enable the grid, check whether the iPhone is level, or adjust depth settings without moving far from the viewfinder.
This arrangement gives the Camera app a workflow closer to a dedicated camera, where frequently used controls remain within easy reach. It also leaves more of the screen available for framing the subject.
Better Tools for Composition
The new grid and level options help users create more balanced photographs. A grid makes it easier to apply the rule of thirds, position the horizon correctly, and maintain consistent framing across several shots.
The level tool provides visual guidance when the iPhone is tilted. It is useful for architecture, landscapes, overhead food photography, document capture, and product images, where even a small angle can make lines look uneven.
Depth controls also give Portrait mode users more influence over background blur. Adjusting depth before taking a photograph helps users decide how clearly the background should appear around the subject.
Siri Mode Joins the Camera Interface
Siri mode replaces the more separate Visual Intelligence experience and now appears as another mode inside the Camera app. Users can point the camera at an object and ask Siri for information directly from the viewfinder.
For example, Siri can identify an object, explain what appears in front of the camera, or help users act on visible information. If the user decides to take a regular photograph instead, they can swipe back to Photo mode without leaving the app.
This integration also improves Camera Control on supported iPhones because accidentally holding the button for too long no longer sends users into a disconnected Visual Intelligence interface.
It Still Is Not a Complete Manual Camera
The redesign improves access to photographic tools, although Apple has not announced full manual controls for shutter speed, ISO, white balance, or focus. Earlier reports described a customizable widget system with advanced controls, but Apple did not present that broader system during its WWDC 2026 keynote.
Professional photographers will still need third-party apps when they want complete control over image capture. However, iOS 27 makes Apple’s Camera app more practical for people who care about framing, depth, and consistent composition.
The update is currently available as a developer beta, with Apple planning the public release of iOS 27 for this fall.
