IPHONE
How to turn on the camera grid and level on an iPhone
In short
Open Settings, tap Camera, and under Composition switch on Grid and Level. The camera screen then shows a grid and a level that help you straighten and compose the shot. On our iPhone both were off at first.
A crooked horizon is the most common flaw in a phone photo. The iPhone camera can show a grid and a level on the camera screen to help you straighten and compose your shot. The switches are in the Settings app, under Camera.
3 of 3 steps show a real screenshot from our iPhone 17e.
Steps
- 1
Open Settings and tap Camera
Scroll down the main Settings list and tap Camera.
On our iPhone, Camera sits between Appearance and Control Centre.
- 2
Switch on Grid
Grid is the first switch under the heading Composition, below Show Detected Text.
On our iPhone the Composition group has three switches: Grid, Level and Mirror Front Camera.
- 3
Switch on Level
Level is the row below Grid. You can switch on one of them or both.
If you do not see this option
- You cannot find Grid and Level. They are under the Composition heading, below Show Detected Text, on the Camera page (step 2 picture). Apple also says you can search for a setting from the search field in Settings; on our iPhone the Search field is at the bottom of the main Settings list. Sources: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot, Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot, Change advanced camera settings on iPhone, Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 16), Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 17)
- You looked for the switches in the Camera app. Apple says to go to the Settings app, tap Camera, then turn on Grid and Level. They are not in the Camera app itself. Sources: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot, Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot, Change advanced camera settings on iPhone, Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 16), Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 17)
- There is a Grid switch but no Level switch. Apple's guide for iOS 16 mentions only a Grid switch under Settings, Camera. Its guide for iOS 17 says to turn on Grid and Level. Sources: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot, Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot, Change advanced camera settings on iPhone, Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 16), Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 17)
If this does not work
- A photo still comes out crooked. Apple says the editing tools in Photos can align the shot afterwards and adjust horizontal and vertical perspective.
- The camera screen shows more than the photo. Apple says that on supported models the preview shows content outside the frame, from a wider lens, and that View Outside the Frame is on at first. To turn it off, go to Settings, Camera and switch off View Outside the Frame. On our iPhone 17e there is no View Outside the Frame row under Composition.
Good to know
Open the Camera app afterwards to see them on the camera screen. To get the grid off again, go back to Settings, Camera and switch Grid off.
About this guide
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Camera
- Real screenshots
- 3 of 3 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 5 official, linked below
The screenshots are from our iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, in dark mode. On our iPhone, Grid and Level were both off before we started.
What changed: every screenshot is now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.
Sources
- Apple Support: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Change advanced camera settings on iPhone
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 16)
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (iOS 17)
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