iPhone camera grid and level: where to find them and how to use them

How do I turn on the grid on iPhone?

Open the Settings app, scroll to Camera and switch on Grid. Open the Camera app, and a 3 by 3 grid of thin lines appears over the preview. It does not show up in the saved photo. The iPhone User Guide from Apple describes the Camera settings for your iOS version, and the options can vary by model.

The grid is an aid for composition. It is built on the idea in the Wikipedia article on the rule of thirds. For a longer guide, see rule of thirds on iPhone.

How do I turn on the level?

On iOS 17 and later, the same Camera settings screen has a Level switch. With it on, the Camera app shows a short line in the middle of the screen that moves as you tilt the phone. When the phone is straight, the line aligns and turns yellow. If you point the phone straight down at a table, it shows a crosshair for flat lay shots. If you do not see the option, update iOS or check the guide for your model.

1. Open Settings and tap Camera.
2. Switch on Grid.
3. Switch on Level if your iOS version shows it.
4. Open the Camera app and check that the lines appear.
5. Keep your phone steady and watch the line turn yellow before you shoot.

What is the grid for?

To place the subject and to line up edges. Put a person on one of the vertical lines, or center them with equal space on each side. Put the horizon on the top or bottom horizontal line, not through the middle. Line up a wall, a door frame or a table edge with a grid line to check it is straight.

What is the level for?

To fix tilts. A tilted horizon is the most common mistake in phone photos, and it is more obvious on the sea, a skyline or a street. The level warns you before you press the shutter. For photos of people, it also keeps the vertical lines of walls and doors upright, which makes the frame look steady.

How does this compare with the Posepass camera?

Posepass has its own level, which reads the phone's tilt and turns green within 2 degrees, and a thirds grid you can switch on or off in a Guides sheet. It adds a horizon line, head and feet lines taken from the pose, and a ghost outline of the pose. The camera also asks for motion access only for the level. See the camera guides. The iPhone grid and level are still the right tool if you already know the pose.

Why does the horizon still look tilted?

The level shows the phone's tilt, not the world. Some horizons are not flat, such as a hill or a street that slopes. If the level is yellow and the picture still looks off, trust the scene and nudge the phone until the main line feels right. Wide lenses make tilts more obvious, so check the edges. You can fix small tilts later with the crop and straighten tools in the Photos app.

Does the grid change the photo?

No. The grid and the level are overlays on the screen and do not appear in the saved image. You can leave them on all the time. If they distract you, turn them off in Settings.

What is the quickest routine for a straight photo of someone?

Turn on the grid and level, hold the phone at the right height, place the person on a line, wait for the level to turn yellow and shoot a burst. Check feet, head space and horizon on the first frame. The shot check in Posepass walks through these items after each shot.

What about the timer and tripod?

If the phone rests on a ledge, the level helps you aim it. Check it before you start the timer, since a tilted phone gives a tilted photo ten seconds later. The iPhone timer offers 3 and 10 seconds. See solo photo poses for a full routine.

How do I use the grid for different photos?

The grid helps in different ways depending on the subject.

• A single person: stand them on a vertical line with a little more space in the direction they face.
• Two people: put the pair between the two vertical lines, with heads near the top line.
• A landscape or beach: put the horizon on the lower horizontal line and let the sky fill the rest.
• A building: line up the walls with vertical grid lines to avoid leaning edges.
• A flat lay: use the center square for the main item, and keep table edges parallel to the grid.

How do I check that people are not cut off?

Look at the lower and upper rows of the grid. The top line should sit near the eyes or just above the head for a close portrait, and the bottom line should be above the shoes for a full-length frame. If a joint such as a wrist, knee or ankle sits on the frame edge, shift the phone slightly. The Posepass shot check has a row for this, called nothing cut at the joints.

What if the level is not showing?

First, check that you have updated iOS, since the Level option arrived with iOS 17. Then confirm the switch in Settings > Camera is on. If it still does not show, restart the Camera app or the phone. For older systems, Posepass has its own level in the live camera.

What are common grid and level mistakes?

Four habits get in the way.

• Treating the grid as a law. It is a starting point, and a centered subject is fine.
• Trusting the level while the phone is moving. Hold still for a moment before you press.
• Ignoring the edges. Check that no hand, foot or sign touches the frame border.
• Tilting the phone up or down for height. Move your body instead, because tilting the phone makes verticals lean.

Should beginners leave them on?

Yes. Both are quiet on the screen, and they train your eye. After a few weeks you will see tilts and off-center subjects before the level warns you. At that point you can switch them off if you find them distracting. In Posepass the Guides sheet lets you do the same: thirds, horizon line, head and feet lines and level can each be switched on and off, and beginners may want thirds and level on.