Modern iPhones (iPhone 13 Pro and newer) feature an incredible Macro photography mode that allows you to capture extreme close-ups of flowers, insects, and everyday objects. By default, the iPhone’s camera software automatically switches to the ultra-wide lens to engage Macro mode whenever you move the phone very close to a subject.
However, this automatic switching can be frustrating. You might be trying to take a standard close-up shot, only to have the viewfinder suddenly jitter, change perspective, and alter the lighting as the phone forcefully switches lenses.
If you want to maintain control over your photography, you can stop this automatic switching and instead add a manual toggle button to the camera screen.
How to Enable Macro Control
To stop the automatic lens jumping, you need to enable a setting called “Macro Control.”
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Camera.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the Camera settings page.
- Toggle the switch for Macro Control to the On (green) position.
How to Use the Manual Macro Toggle
Now that Macro Control is enabled, your iPhone will still attempt to detect when you are close to a subject, but it will give you the power to instantly disable it.
- Open the Camera app.
- Move your phone very close to an object.
- When the camera detects the close-up, a small yellow icon containing a flower symbol will appear in the bottom corner of your viewfinder.
- Tap the yellow flower icon. It will turn gray with a slash through it, indicating that Macro mode is disabled. Your camera will immediately switch back to the primary lens.
If you want to re-enable Macro mode for that specific shot, simply tap the gray flower icon again.
How to Preserve Your Macro Settings
By default, if you disable Macro mode using the flower icon and then close the Camera app, the iPhone will forget your preference and automatically try to use Macro mode the next time you open the app.
To force the iPhone to remember that you turned it off:
- Go back to Settings > Camera.
- Tap on Preserve Settings.
- Toggle the switch for Macro Control to the On position.
Now, if you tap the flower icon to disable Macro mode, it will stay disabled until you manually decide to use it again.