How to Control Camera Macro Mode in iOS 15

When Apple released the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max running iOS 15, the devices introduced macro photography via the Ultra Wide lens, but lacked manual controls for switching lenses. Subsequent software updates, specifically iOS 15.1 and iOS 15.2, addressed user feedback by introducing dedicated controls that allow users to disable automatic lens switching and manually toggle Macro Mode directly within the Camera app.

The Initial Limitation in iOS 15.0

At launch, the camera automatically switched from the primary Wide lens to the Ultra Wide lens whenever the phone was brought within a few centimeters of an object. While effective for close-ups, this automatic transition caused an abrupt, jarring visual shift in the viewfinder, frustrating users who wanted to shoot standard close-up shots without switching lenses.

iOS 15.1: The Auto Macro Settings Toggle

Apple introduced the first control in iOS 15.1 by adding an Auto Macro toggle in the main device settings.

  • Located under Settings > Camera > Auto Macro, this setting allowed users to turn off automatic switching entirely.
  • When toggled off, the camera stayed on the primary lens and would not automatically engage the Ultra Wide camera for macro capture, preventing the unwanted lens-jumping effect.

iOS 15.2: The In-App Viewfinder Control

While iOS 15.1 stopped the jarring automatic switches, turning macro mode back on required diving back into the Settings menu. Apple resolved this in iOS 15.2 by introducing a dynamic on-screen button within the Camera app.

  • The Flower Icon: When the camera gets close to an object, a small yellow flower icon appears in the lower-left corner of the viewfinder (or upper-left in landscape orientation).
  • Manual Control: Tapping the flower icon disables macro mode (the icon turns gray with a slash), keeping the shot on the main wide lens. Tapping it again re-enables macro mode.
  • Preserve Settings: In Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings, Apple also added an option to remember the status of Auto Macro so the preference persists between camera sessions.

How to Configure Macro Mode Controls

To get full manual control over macro photography on a compatible iPhone running iOS 15.2 or later:

  1. Open Settings and tap Camera.
  2. Scroll to the bottom and ensure Auto Macro is toggled on (enabling this setting ensures the on-screen flower icon appears when close to subjects).
  3. Open the Camera app and bring the lens close to a subject.
  4. Tap the flower icon directly on the screen to switch between macro mode and the standard camera lens as needed.