If you don’t have an Apple Watch, this is another way you can control your iPhone’s camera.
When Apple released iOS 26 last September, it added some new AirPods features. One of them was the camera remote. As you can probably guess from the name, this allows you to use your AirPods as a wireless shutter release for your iPhone.
This is useful if you don’t have an Apple Watch and therefore can’t access the dedicated Camera Remote app. Instead of placing your iPhone on a surface, setting a 10-second timer, and running back to take a selfie, you can click your AirPods to turn on the camera whenever you’re ready. If this sounds useful, here’s how to configure your AirPods for camera control.
What you’ll need to control your iPhone camera with AirPods
Unfortunately, older models of AirPods, like the original Pro releases, do not support the camera remote.
How to Enable Camera Remote
- open settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on your name AirPods. If they don’t appear, open your AirPods case.
- Scroll down and find camera control Section.
- tap camera remote Select either field and press once Or Press and hold.
Now, with Camera Remote enabled, whenever the Camera app is open on your iPhone, you can take a photo or start and stop recording a video by pressing the stem or Digital Crown of your AirPods or AirPods Max. It’s worth pointing out here that (at least one) of your AirPods need to be in your ear for this to work. If they’re just sitting on your desk or in your palm, you won’t be able to control your camera with them.
Note that if you enable the setting, you won’t be able to use your AirPods to wake up Siri or switch between listening modes while the camera app is open on your phone. As Apple explains in the Settings app: “When using AirPods for camera actions, if you select Press Once, media control gestures will be unavailable, and if you select Press and Hold, Listening Mode and Siri gestures will be unavailable.”
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