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You may not be a hotshot director like Steven Spielberg or James Cameron, but that doesn’t mean you’re not capable of producing a great looking video. The iPhone can produce professional videos that you can be proud to show to your family, send to your friends, or even post online.
Any iPhone from the past several years offers basic video-recording options, though the premium Pro and Pro Max editions up the game with advanced video features. You can shoot a video at different resolutions and frame rates, including 720p at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 30 or 60fps, and 4K at 24, 30, or 60fps. You’re able to shoot video using the rear and front camera, with the former offering several zoom presets, depending on your model. Your phone can also shoot in Slo-Mo mode to slow down the action and in Time-Lapse mode to speed up long videos.
Want to get started? First, update your phone to the newest iOS version so you get all the latest camera options. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if the OS is up to date or get a prompt to install the latest update. Now you're ready to start filming.
How to Use iPhone's Video Mode
To start capturing video, open the Camera app and set the mode to Video. Pinch and separate your fingers on the screen to zoom in and out or tap one of the numbered presets toward the bottom of the screen to zoom in or out to a specific angle. Tap the Rotation icon to switch between the rear and front camera.
If you plan to shoot with your phone's ultra wide camera, you may want to open Settings > Camera and enable Lens Correction at the bottom of the page. This will attempt to correct any distortion that appears in a video shot with the ultra wide or front cameras.
Depending on your iPhone model, you will find various controls at the top or bottom of your screen. From this menu, you can set the flash on or off, or even set it to automatic so that it will turn on if there’s not enough natural light available. You may also be able to adjust an exposure control. Tap the icon and move the slider to lighten or darken the exposure.
There should also be an indicator showing the current resolution and frame rate. On newer model iPhones, you can change both items by tapping on that control to switch between, for example, 4K and HD and 30 and 60 frames per second. Older models require you to open the Camera Settings in order to change these values.
Before filming, you may want to change some composition elements of your shot. Open Settings > Camera and enable Grid to see a grid appear on the camera screen to help with lining up your shots. Turn on Mirror Front Camera to take a video selfie as the camera sees it and not reversed.
To shoot your video, tap the red shutter button. Tap it again to stop. You can then tap the thumbnail icon in the lower left and hit the Play button to view the video. When done, tap the left arrow at the top to return to your camera. It's that simple; though there are several different video modes that can improve the quality of your video.
Open Settings > Camera > Record Video to adjust the default resolution and frame rate from 720p at 30fps, 1080p at 30fps or 60fps, as well as 4K at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps. Enabling the HDR video option here lets you record in full high-dynamic range with Dolby Vision.
The Auto FPS option can automatically reduce the frame rate to better capture low-light scenes. You can turn this feature off, set it to 30fps, or make it 30 and 60fps.
Action Mode
Introduced with the iPhone 14 lineup, Action Mode stabilizes the camera for smoother videos, which can be especially handy if you’re moving around with your phone trying to capture a lot of action. Tap the Action button (it looks like a person running) and set the mode to On so you can better stabilize the video. With this mode on, you should notice your recorded video is smoother than it would be without Action Mode.
If you're filming in low light, head to Settings > Camera > Record Video and enable Action Mode Lower Light to reduce stabilization in order to attain increased light in low-light scenes.
Cinematic Mode
First made available with the iPhone 13 line, Cinematic Mode applies the same depth-of-field effect that you see in many motion pictures by keeping the subject of the video sharp and in focus while blurring the background or surrounding area. To use this feature, switch from Video to Cinematic.
When you position the camera to emphasize a particular subject, the surrounding area should then become slightly out of focus, like you're in Portrait Mode when taking a still picture. As you change the emphasis to another part of the scene, the focus should shift to the new subject.
You can manually adjust the area of focus or allow the mode to automatically change as it detects a new subject in the frame. Tap the F stop icon and move the slider left or right. In Cinematic mode, you can also tweak the flash, exposure, resolution, and frame rate.
If you plan to shoot in Cinematic Mode (or in regular video mode in 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 240fps, or HDR video) open Settings > Camera > Record Video and make sure High Efficiency is enabled. You should also ensure that Enhanced Stabilization is enabled. Tap Record Cinematic to set the recording at 1080p at 30fps, 4K at 24fps, or 4K at 30fps.
Slow-Mo Mode
If you set the camera mode to Slo-Mo, you can take slow motion video. In this mode, you can zoom in and out like normal and even use the mode on the front or back cameras. Tap the Shutter button to start and stop the video. You can also zoom in and out while recording.
On iPhones from the past few years, tap the number in the upper right to switch the frame rate for Slow-Mo between 120 and 240 frames per second. You can also head to Settings > Camera > Record Slo-Mo and set the resolution and frame rate to 1080p at 120fps or 1080p at 240fps.
Time-Lapse Mode
Tap the option for Time-Lapse to shoot videos that speed up the action when you play them back. For example, capture clouds rolling in, the construction of a building, or a drive on a winding road. You’ll want to keep the phone steady and supported, so a tripod or gimbal may be best for longer captures.
In Time-Lapse mode, you can zoom in or out with the rear cameras, adjust the Exposure scale, and even switch between the front and rear cameras. Just tap the Shutter button to start the recording, then tap it again when you've captured the moment.
Macro Control
Macro video recording is an exclusive feature to the iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, allowing you to shoot small and up-close objects. When macro control is available, a yellow flower icon appears on the left.
Tap this icon to turn the mode on and off, and see the difference with and without macro control. If you don’t see the macro icon on the screen when trying to snap a small object up close, go to Settings > Camera and turn on the Macro Control switch.
QuickTake Mode
You can quickly capture video in Photo mode without having to switch to Video mode thanks to the QuickTake feature. While in Photo mode, press and hold the shutter button to instantly start taking video. To free up your finger without stopping the video, slide the shutter button to the right and then release it.
Apple ProRes
Found on the Pro and Pro Max models of the iPhone 13 and 14 lines, Apple ProRes is a higher quality (though much larger) video file format designed for editing in professional, industry-standard video editors such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Avid Media Composer.
If you want to film in the Apple ProRes format, and have the storage space to hold these much larger files, head to Settings > Camera > Formats, and turn on Apple ProRes to start capturing high quality video for professional editing.
Preserve Default Camera Settings
If you find yourself frequently changing the camera settings, you can make those changes permanent. Open Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings so your camera will retain the last setting you chose for different features, such as camera mode, creative controls, exposure, night mode, portrait zoom, action mode, and Live Photo.
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