iOS 26 Will Tell You When Your iPhone Lens Is Dirty

You know the feeling. You open the Camera app, frame the perfect shot, and later realize the photo looks hazy or smudged. Nine times out of ten, the culprit is a dirty lens. Apple knows this too, and with iOS 26, your iPhone will now tell you when it’s time to give that lens a quick wipe. Apple calls this new feature Lens Cleaning Hints.

What Is Lens Cleaning Hints?

Apple has added a small but thoughtful feature in iOS 26 called Lens Cleaning Hints. Whenever your camera is active, iOS quietly monitors the incoming light.

If it notices reduced clarity, like when fingerprints, grease, or dust are blocking the lens, it shows a gentle alert suggesting you clean your camera.

It’s not intrusive, just a quick nudge to help you avoid disappointing shots.

How to Turn Lens Cleaning Hints On or Off on iPhone

The feature is expected to be on by default for supported iPhones. Still, Apple gives you control:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Camera.
3. Look for Lens Cleaning Hints and toggle it on or off.
   

When triggered, you’ll see a short message inside the Camera app, like “Clean Back Camera.” You can dismiss it with a tap if you don’t want the reminder.

Which iPhones Support It?

Here’s where it gets interesting. While iOS 26 supports iPhones as old as the iPhone 11, early testing suggests Lens Cleaning Hints works only on iPhone 15 and later.

Some users even report it’s limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, hinting it might rely on Apple’s AI-powered Apple Intelligence features.

Since Apple hasn’t confirmed the full compatibility list yet, the safest bet is to check if the option appears in your Camera settings after updating.

Why Apple Didn’t Announce It

This feature never made it into Apple’s big WWDC keynote. Instead, it was buried in a slide of “36 features we didn’t have time to talk about.”

That doesn’t make it less useful. It’s one of those subtle touches that may not sound exciting but can save you from the frustration of ruined photos.

Think about it: a reminder before you snap an important memory could make all the difference.

More Camera Updates in iOS 26

Lens Cleaning Hints is just one part of Apple’s Camera overhaul in iOS 26:

• Redesigned Camera app: A minimalist look that hides controls until you swipe up.
• Quick settings in-app: Change photo formats or video resolution without diving into Settings.
• Camera Control upgrades: On newer iPhones, shortcuts for zoom, exposure, and depth are more intuitive.

Together, these updates show Apple is finally tackling long-standing frustrations and polishing the details of how people actually use their iPhones every day.

When Can You Try It?

Currently, Lens Cleaning Hints is part of the iOS 26 beta, with the full release expected this September. If you’re curious, you can try it early by installing the currently available Public beta. But unless you’re comfortable with bugs and glitches, you might want to wait for the stable version to hit your iPhone.