How do I change the exposure of a photo from the Photos app?

To change the exposure of a photo, go to the Photos app → Select an image → Tap Edit → Choose exposure icon (±) → Adjust the slider → Tap Done.

Can I adjust exposure while recording a video on my iPhone?

Yes, you can adjust the exposure while recording a video on your iPhone. Simply tap the screen where you want to focus and swipe up or down on the sun icon to adjust the exposure.

Will adjusting exposure affect other camera settings like focus or white balance?

No, changing exposure will not affect camera settings like focus or white balance. However, it may affect the overall brightness or darkness of the image, so you may need to adjust different settings to compensate.

iPhone Camera Exposure: How to Brighten or Darken Photos

Ava Biswas·Last Updated: March 9, 2026

Adjust iPhone exposure with a quick tap and slide to brighten or darken your shot for clearer, balanced photos in any lighting.

How to adjust exposure in the iphone camera app

Adjusting exposure on your iPhone camera is one of the easiest ways to fix photos that look too bright or too dark. The Camera app gives you quick manual controls that let you fine-tune brightness before you take the shot. Whether you’re shooting in harsh sunlight, indoor low light, or want more detail in your subject, a simple press-and-slide gesture helps you set the right exposure instantly.

This guide walks you through the steps, explains what exposure actually does, and shows how to use it for sharper, clearer photos in any lighting.

Why Should You Adjust Camera Exposure on the iPhone?

Exposure is the amount of light entering the camera lens when you take a photo and shouldn’t be confused with a long-exposure image. It determines the brightness or darkness of the final image. So, the exposure feature is useful when capturing scenes with high contrast ranges, such as a bright sky and a darker landscape.

By adjusting the exposure, you can balance light levels to ensure the sky and landscape are properly exposed. Additionally, you can use exposure to highlight a specific subject by illuminating it with more light.

When using the exposure compensation, you must ensure your iPhone is stable while capturing images. For video recordings, I recommend using a tripod for better stability.

How to Change Exposure in the iPhone Camera App

Launch the Camera app.
Select Photo mode → Tap the up arrow at the top.
Tap the exposure icon (±) → Adjust the slider.

Lock Camera Exposure on iPhone

Open Camera → Frame a person or an object you want to capture.
Tap the screen to focus on the person or object.
To lock the focus, press and hold the screen.
You will notice the AE/AF LOCK at the top with a flash of the yellow box.
Now adjust the camera exposure by swiping the sun icon upwards to make it brighter or downwards to make it darker.

How to Preserve iPhone Camera Exposure Settings

Adjusting exposure each time you capture pictures in different lighting conditions is daunting. So, I prefer to preserve the settings. To do so,

Go to Settings → Select Camera.
Tap Preserve Settings.
Toggle on Exposure Adjustment.

Wrapping up…

The iPhone Camera is among the most valued features. It offers simple-to-use controls, like the exposure function, to make your images stand out. With this in mind, I hope the above steps helped you to effortlessly utilize the exposure feature on your iPhone’s camera.