How to Set a Camera Timer on Your IPhone

If you want to take a group photo but don’t have a stranger around to take it (or you don’t want to hand them your expensive new smartphone ), you can use your iPhone’s camera timer to get the job done. This option is a little tricky to find, so I’ll tell you how to find it and how to turn it off when you’re done.

Why use a camera timer

The camera timer is useful for more than just group shots. Photographers sometimes use a three-second delay to make sure the frame is positioned correctly before taking the photo, since pressing the shutter button can disrupt it. It’s also a really useful tool for getting great shots when the weather is too cold and it’s hard to keep your hands steady. The timer allows you to quickly place your phone on any surface and take photos instead.

How to Use the Camera Timer on Your iPhone

Follow these steps to set up a selfie timer or rear camera timer on your iPhone:

1. When you open the Camera app on your iPhone, you’ll see an up arrow icon at the top of the screen, just below the notch. Click the up arrow button.

2. You’ll notice that the icon is now facing downwards, and that a row of options (large white circle) has opened between the viewfinder and the shutter button.

3. In this row of tools, click the “Clock” button on the far right.

4. You will now see four options: Off Timer, 3 Seconds, 5 Seconds, and 10 Seconds. This allows you to either disable the camera’s timer or add a delay of three, five, or 10 seconds between pressing the shutter button and when the photo is taken. Tap any of the three timer options.

5. When you’re ready to take a photo, press the shutter button and you’ll notice that your iPhone now waits before taking the photo.

When you turn on the camera’s timer, you will see a countdown in the viewfinder and the flash will blink in sync with the countdown. This allows you to follow the countdown even if you are using the rear camera to capture the image.

How to turn off the camera timer on your iPhone

Once you set the camera timer, it will run until you manually turn it off. This delay is useful for some photos, but for most it is annoying. Here’s how to turn off the camera timer on your iPhone:

1. Open your iPhone’s Camera app.

2. Tap the up arrow icon under the notch. A series of camera tools will open below the viewfinder.

3. Tap the Clock icon, which is located on the right in the row of tools.

4. Select Off .

5. Alternatively, you can tap the timer icon in the top right corner of the screen, which only appears when the camera timer is on. It displays the duration of the timer: 3s, 5s or 10s.

6. This will open a timer option under the viewfinder. Click Turn Off to turn off the timer.

The camera timer will be disabled until you enable it again.

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