Change the default Camera App on an iPhone
As a Boston Photographer, I prefer to use Halide but rarely open it because the Camera app icon on the lock screen is more convenient.
In iOS 13, Apple opened the iPhone so users could select many default apps for things like email and browsers. But unfortunately, they don’t allow you to choose your default Camera app yet.
With the updates to the Shortcuts app in iOS 14 and especially iOS 14.1, we can seamlessly make any app our default Camera App. Clicking on the Camera icon on iPhone Lock Screen or Dashboard can now open the app of your choice.
Step-by-step instructions to change the default Camera App on your iPhone
Open the “Shortcuts” App
It is used to automate actions on your phone
Select “Automation”
It is at the bottom of the screen
Tap the + sign
This starts the process of adding a new Automation
Tap “Create Personal Automation.”
Scroll down a little and select “App”
This will allow us to trigger the automation by opening the Camera App
Choose “Camera”
This will make opening the “Camera” app the trigger to our shortcut.
Select “Add Action”
When the shortcut is activated it will trigger these actions.
Select “Scripting”
It sounds scary but we will be triggering a very simple script.
Select “Open App”
The script will be to open an alternative Camera app.
Select “Choose” and find the alternative default camera app.
I chose Halide because it gives a lot of control, but any Camera app will work.
Voila! You are done. Now when you hit any of the Camera icons your new default camera App will open up!
I personally turn off the “Ask Before Running” because I want to be a transition as smooth as possible.
But you may want to be asked before opening your default Camera App, especially if you sometimes want to shoot video in the normal iOS Camera App.
