With iOS 26.1, Apple finally fixes one of the biggest annoyances for iPhone users: the accidental activation of the Camera app from the Lock screen. Starting with this update, you can completely disable the left swipe gesture to open the camera. This prevents you from accidentally taking photos when you take your iPhone out of your pocket or want to wake up the screen.
Thanks to a simple setting, you can now manage the swipes on the Lock screen of both iPhone and iPad and disable the opening of the camera. We explain how to do this.
Open camera from lock screen
Apple has added a long-awaited setting in the Camera settings in iOS 26.1: ‘Swipe on Lock screen to open camera’. This switch finally gives users control over the swipe gesture that has been standard on every iPhone and iPad for years.
By swiping from right to left across the lock screen, it is possible to directly open the camera. This of course ensures that you can quickly take a photo or video, but at the same time it also brought with it a number of annoyances. Many users accidentally opened the camera this way.
This feature remains enabled by default after installing iOS 26.1, so users who like this shortcut don’t need to do anything. However, for those who suffer from accidental camera activations, it is a very welcome addition.
Disable camera open swipe gesture
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad
- Navigate to ‘Camera’
- Turn off the ‘Swipe on lock screen to open camera’ option
- The swiping gesture will be disabled immediately
Alternative to open camera
The left swipe gesture on the Lock screen has been around since the early versions of iOS. Originally this was the fastest way to open the camera, but over the years several alternatives have been added:
- iPhone X and newer: Dedicated camera button on the lock screen
- iPhone 15 Pro and newer: Action button that can be linked to the camera
- iPhone Air, iPhone 16 and newer: Camera control on the side of the device
You can also open the camera app via the control panel by adding a shortcut to the overview. This way you can also place widgets on the lock screen that give access to the camera. Finally, you can also ask Siri to open the camera app.