Camera and media capture
Preserve Settings
Most people call this the camera remembering what you last used.
Preserve Settings decides whether the Camera reopens in the mode, filter and Live Photo state you last used, or resets to its defaults.
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 18 and later
- Settings
- Apps
- Camera
- Preserve Settings
What it does
Separate switches cover camera mode, creative controls such as filters and aspect ratio, exposure adjustment, Live Photo and macro control. Each can be preserved or reset independently.
What changes
When it is on
The camera reopens exactly as you left it.
When it is off
The camera resets to photo mode with default settings every time.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- Live Photos stays off if you turned it off.
- Video mode is ready if that is what you always use.
Good reasons to turn it off
- A forgotten filter ruins the next photo you take.
- Resetting to a known state is predictable.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
No real change
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
Depends how you use it
Out of the box: Most switches off, so the camera resets.
Where this setting used to live
Apple moves settings between releases. This is every location we have on file.
-
iOS 18 and later
Settings > Apps > Camera > Preserve Settings
-
iOS 13 to iOS 17
Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings
Questions people actually ask
- Why does Live Photos keep turning back on?
- Preserve Settings does not include Live Photo by default. Turn on that switch and the camera remembers your choice.
If it is not working
- To stop Live Photos turning itself back on, turn on the Live Photo switch here.
- Exposure Adjustment is preserved separately and is easy to leave at a bad value.