How to take a photo or video with both iPhone cameras at once
You want one shot with both sides in it: the scene, and your face while you take it. Every iPhone since 2018 has the hardware for this. Whether you need an app depends on two things: do you want a photo or a video, and how old is your phone.
Short answer: for a video on an iPhone 16 or newer, the built-in Camera app has a Dual Capture mode and you may not need anything else (how it works and where it stops). For a photo on any iPhone, or a video on an iPhone 15 or older, you need an app. This guide covers the app route with Selfie, which we make.
Which iPhones can do it
Any iPhone that runs iOS 17. That is the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR from 2018 and everything after, including the SE second generation and later. The iPhone X, 8 and earlier cannot, on any iOS version, because the chip cannot run two cameras at once.
Taking a dual photo
- Install Selfie (iOS 17 or later) and open it. Dual mode is the default.
- Frame the scene with the back camera. Your front camera appears in a small window.
- Move the small window to the corner you want, or tap to swap which camera is the big one.
- If you want a look, pick one of the 48 camera presets. They render live on both cameras.
- Tap the shutter. Both cameras fire at the same instant and the result saves to Photos as one image.
That last point is the difference from apps that take the back photo first and the front photo a moment later. Here both are exposed together, so your face matches the moment.
Recording a dual video with sound
- In Selfie, switch to video.
- Frame the scene and place the small window as above. Presets do not apply to video; the recording is clean.
- Tap record. Both cameras and the microphone are captured together, one audio track, one file.
- Recording stops at 60 seconds. Tap stop earlier if you want a shorter clip.
- The video saves to Photos. From there it shares like any other video, and Selfie can send it to Instagram Stories or Reels directly.
Both views come from one capture session, so they are in sync. There is nothing to line up afterwards.
What people record this way
- Concerts: the stage plus your reaction when the song lands. (more)
- Reactions: unboxings, tastings, watch-alongs, in one take. (more)
- Travel: the street you are walking down plus your commentary. (more)
- Kids and pets: the chaos on one camera, your face on the other. (more)
What it costs
Selfie is free to download and the first capture is free. After that it is a subscription, sold through the App Store, with a free trial when one is offered. Saving to Photos adds no watermark; sharing straight to Instagram from the app adds a small one.
Common questions
Do I need an app if I have an iPhone 16 or newer? For video, not necessarily: Camera's Dual Capture mode records both cameras. For a photo, yes, on every iPhone. The full picture.
Why is there no 0.5x in dual mode? The ultra-wide lens is not available while both cameras run. Dual mode in Selfie uses 1x to 5x on the back camera. (more)
Is the quality worse than the normal camera? Both cameras capture at their normal photo quality. The small window is smaller in the finished image, but it is a real exposure, not a screen grab.
Does it record audio? Yes. The microphone records with the video, as one audio track in the combined file.
How long can a video be? Up to 60 seconds per recording.
Does it drain the battery? Two cameras use more power than one, in any app including Apple's. For normal use it does not matter; on long recordings the phone will get warm.