IPHONE
How to keep your camera settings on an iPhone (Preserve Settings)
In short
Open Settings, Apps, Camera, Preserve Settings and turn on what the Camera should remember, such as Camera Mode or Night Mode. Otherwise the Camera resets them each time. On our iPhone 17e only Portrait Zoom and Live Photo were on.
4 of 4 steps show a real screenshot from our iPhone 17e. Each step was checked against the maker's own instructions, linked at the end.
Steps
- 1
Tap Preserve Settings
Open Settings, Apps, Camera. Preserve Settings is below Record Video, Record Slo-mo, Record Sound and Formats.
- 2
Keep the last mode
Camera Mode keeps the last mode, such as Video, rather than going back to Photo. It was off on ours, as were Creative Controls and Depth Control.
- 3
Keep Night mode and exposure
Further down: Exposure Adjustment keeps the exposure adjustment and always shows the exposure indicator, and Night Mode keeps your Night mode setting rather than resetting it to Auto. Both were off.
- 4
Keep Live Photo off
Live Photo keeps the Live Photo setting rather than turning it back on. With this switch on, turning Live Photo off in the Camera stays off. Portrait Zoom and Live Photo were on on ours.
If you do not see this option
- Fewer switches than Apple lists? Apple lists switches such as Photographic Style, Macro Control and ProRAW for some models. Our 17e had Camera Mode, Creative Controls, Depth Control, Exposure Adjustment, Night Mode, Portrait Zoom, Resolution Control and Live Photo. Source: Save camera settings on iPhone
- Looking for a shutter sound switch? Our 17e had none in Camera settings; Sounds & Haptics only mentions the camera shutter in its note on system sounds.
If this does not work
- The Camera still opens in Photo? Turn on Camera Mode in Preserve Settings.
- Live Photo keeps coming back? Turn on the Live Photo switch here, then turn Live Photo off once in the Camera.
- Night mode keeps switching back to Auto? That is the default. Apple says the Night Mode switch saves your Night mode setting rather than resetting it to Auto, so turn it on if you want your last choice kept.
- Portrait photos open at a different zoom? Portrait Zoom keeps the zoom you last used in Portrait mode instead of going back to the default lens. Apple says it is on by default on supported models, so check it has not been turned off.
- Settings do not stick in another camera app? Preserve Settings is part of Apple's Camera app only. Apps from the App Store that take photos keep their own settings, so look inside that app instead.
Good to know
More Camera settings: turn on the grid and level and turn off lens correction. If the Camera fails: iPhone camera or flash not working.
Preserve Settings changes only how the Camera opens. Photos you have already taken are not affected, and nothing changes in the Photos app. To undo it, return to Settings, Apps, Camera, Preserve Settings and turn a switch off. The Camera then goes back to its default for that item, such as Photo mode or Night mode on Auto, the next time it opens.
Live Photos take up more space than still photos because each one includes a short moment of video. If you keep Live Photo off with the switch here, new photos are stills. You can still turn Live Photo on in the Camera for a single shot when you want one.
About this guide
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Apps › Camera › Preserve Settings
- Real screenshots
- 4 of 4 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Spotted a mistake? Menus change with updates, and we want every step to match your screen. Email us about this page or use the contact form. We read every report, and fixes are listed on What changed.
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