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How to Open the Camera From the iPhone Lock Screen

Swipe left on the iPhone Lock Screen to open Camera without unlocking the phone. Supported models may also offer a Lock Screen Camera button.
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Wake your iPhone to the Lock Screen, then swipe left to open Camera. Swipe left—not up to unlock—and you can get to the camera without unlocking the phone.

Open Camera with a swipe

  1. Wake the iPhone so the Lock Screen appears.
  2. Swipe left across the Lock Screen. Apple’s Lock Screen guide gives the instruction: “Open Camera: Swipe left.” Apple’s Lock Screen guide.

On supported models, you can instead touch and hold the Camera button on the Lock Screen, then lift your finger. The button may not be available on every iPhone.

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Other ways to launch Camera

If the swipe is inconvenient, Apple also lists these ways to open Camera:

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  • Tap Camera on the Home Screen.
  • Open Camera from Control Center.
  • Ask Siri to open Camera.
  • Use Camera Control on models that support it.
  • Use the Action button if your model supports it and you have assigned Camera to it.

See Apple’s instructions for opening Camera for the available routes and model-dependent controls.

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What happens after Camera opens

Apple says Camera automatically focuses and adjusts exposure after it opens. Starting Camera from the Lock Screen provides access to the camera, not general access to the iPhone’s private contents. For camera basics, see Apple’s iPhone camera guide.

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