Taking photos with your iPhone is usually a seamless experience, but the loud, artificial “click” of the camera shutter can sometimes be incredibly disruptive. If you are trying to capture a photo in a quiet library, during a wedding ceremony, or while your baby or pet is sleeping, that sudden noise can ruin the moment.
Unlike many Android devices, Apple does not provide a dedicated “Camera Sound” toggle switch anywhere in the iOS Settings app. However, silencing your iPhone camera is still incredibly easy once you know the workarounds. Here are the three best methods to turn off the camera shutter sound on any iPhone.
Method 1: Use the Physical Ring/Silent Switch
The most reliable way to mute the camera shutter is to simply mute your entire phone using the physical switch on the side of the device.
- Locate the Ring/Silent switch on the top-left side of your iPhone (just above the volume buttons).
- Push the switch backwards (towards the back of the phone).
- You will see a small sliver of orange appear on the switch itself, and your screen will briefly display a notification saying “Silent Mode On.”
- Open your Camera app and take a photo. It will now be completely silent.
Note for iPhone 15 Pro (and newer) users: If you have an Action Button instead of a switch, press and hold the Action Button until you feel a haptic vibration and see the “Silent Mode” icon in the Dynamic Island.
Method 2: Turn on Live Photos
If you prefer to leave your phone’s ringer on but still want silent photos, you can utilise Apple’s “Live Photos” feature. Because a Live Photo records 1.5 seconds of video and audio before and after you press the button, iOS automatically disables the artificial shutter sound so it does not ruin the recording.
- Open the Camera app.
- Ensure you are in the standard “Photo” mode.
- Look at the top-right corner of the screen for the Live Photos icon (it looks like three concentric circles).
- Tap the icon. If it turns yellow and a “Live” badge appears at the top of the screen, the feature is active.
- Take your photo. You will only hear a very faint, short blip indicating the start of the recording, rather than the loud shutter click.
Method 3: Manually Turn Down the Volume
If you do not want to use Live Photos and your Silent switch is broken, you can manually reduce the system volume to zero.
- Open the Camera app.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Centre (or swipe up from the bottom if you have an older iPhone with a Home button).
- Find the Volume slider (the one with the speaker icon).
- Drag the slider all the way to the bottom until the icon shows a speaker with a line through it.
- Swipe back to the camera and take your photo silently.
Important Exception: Phones Sold in Japan and South Korea
If you have tried all three methods above and your iPhone continues to make a loud shutter noise, you likely have a device that was originally manufactured for sale in Japan or South Korea.
Due to strict privacy laws designed to prevent inappropriate, non-consensual photography in public spaces, smartphones sold in these countries are legally required to hardcode the camera shutter sound. It cannot be disabled by the user, even if the phone is on silent mode or if you have since moved to a different country.
If you own one of these regional models, the only native workaround is to take a video instead of a photo, or use a third-party camera app from the App Store that allows silent capture.
