Remove Camera Icon From iPhone Lock Screen: How-To

Updated 7 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

The camera icon on the iPhone lock screen can be removed by disabling the Lock Screen Camera feature in the Settings app, though the exact steps depend on your iOS version. On newer versions of iOS, you can turn off the camera shortcut entirely, while on older versions you may need to use a Screen Time workaround to hide it.

Why the Camera Icon Appears on Your Lock Screen

The camera icon on the lock screen is a quick-launch shortcut designed by Apple to let you open the camera without unlocking your phone. It appears in the bottom-right corner of the lock screen on most iPhone models, and on iPhones with Face ID, you can also swipe left from the right edge of the screen to open the camera directly. This feature has existed in some form since iOS 5, but the ability to remove it has changed significantly over the years.

On iPhones with a Home button (iPhone SE, iPhone 8 and earlier), the camera icon sits in the bottom-right corner. On Face ID iPhones (iPhone X and later), the icon is also in the bottom-right corner, but the swipe gesture is the primary way to launch the camera. Many users want to remove the icon because they accidentally open the camera when picking up the phone, or because they prefer a cleaner lock screen appearance.

How to Remove the Camera Icon on iOS 16 and Later

Starting with iOS 16, Apple introduced a dedicated toggle to control the lock screen camera. This is the simplest and most reliable method for most users:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap Camera.
Look for the section labeled Lock Screen.
Toggle off the switch next to Lock Screen Camera.

Once you turn this off, the camera icon will disappear from your lock screen, and the swipe-left gesture will also be disabled. This setting is available on all iPhones running iOS 16 or later, including the iPhone X and newer models. If you have an iPhone with a Home button, the setting works the same way, but the icon will no longer appear in the corner.

If you later want to restore the camera shortcut, simply go back to Settings > Camera and toggle the switch back on.

Removing the Camera Icon on iOS 15 and Older

If your iPhone runs iOS 15 or an earlier version, there is no direct toggle to remove the camera icon. Apple did not provide a built-in setting for this until iOS 16. However, there is a workaround using Screen Time that can hide the camera app entirely, which also removes the lock screen icon:

Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enable the toggle at the top if it isn’t already on.
Tap Allowed Apps.
Toggle off Camera.

When you disable the Camera app this way, the app icon disappears from the home screen and the lock screen shortcut is removed. To re-enable it, follow the same steps and toggle Camera back on. Note that this method completely hides the camera app, so you won’t be able to use the camera at all until you re-enable it. This workaround works on iOS 12 through iOS 15, and it also works on iOS 16 and later if you prefer to hide the app entirely rather than just the lock screen shortcut.

What Happens When You Remove the Icon

Removing the lock screen camera icon only affects the shortcut on the lock screen. It does not delete the Camera app or disable the camera hardware. You can still access the camera normally by tapping the Camera app icon on your home screen or in the App Library. On iPhones with Face ID, you can also add the Camera app to your Control Center for quick access, or use a back-tap shortcut if you want a faster way to open the camera without the lock screen icon.

One thing to note: on iOS 16 and later, even with the lock screen camera toggle off, you can still access the camera from the lock screen by swiping left on the lock screen if you have the camera widget or if you use the flashlight shortcut. The toggle only removes the icon and the swipe gesture, but other shortcuts may still work depending on your settings.

Common Problems and Troubleshooting

Some users report that the camera icon remains on the lock screen even after following the steps above. Here are the most common causes and fixes:

iOS version: The toggle in Settings > Camera only exists on iOS 16 or later. If you don’t see it, check your iOS version in Settings > General > About. If you’re on iOS 15 or older, use the Screen Time method instead.
Screen Time restrictions: If you previously disabled the Camera app using Screen Time, the lock screen icon might still appear on some iOS versions. Re-enable the camera in Screen Time, then disable the lock screen toggle in Camera settings.
Restart needed: After changing the setting, restart your iPhone to ensure the change takes effect. Press and hold the side button and either volume button, then slide to power off.
Lock screen customization: On iOS 16 and later, if you have multiple lock screens, the camera toggle applies to all of them. There is no per-lock-screen setting for the camera icon.

If none of these fixes work, check whether you have any configuration profiles installed that might be enforcing restrictions. Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management to see if any profiles are present.

Alternative Ways to Hide or Replace the Camera Shortcut

If you don’t want to remove the camera icon entirely but want to change how it looks or behaves, there are a few alternatives:

Use a different lock screen widget: On iOS 16 and later, you can customize your lock screen by adding widgets. You can add a Camera widget that opens the camera, but you can also add other widgets like Calendar or Weather, which can make the lock screen feel less cluttered.
Use Back Tap: If you have an iPhone with Face ID, you can set up Back Tap in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. You can assign a double or triple tap on the back of the phone to open the camera. This gives you a quick camera shortcut without the lock screen icon.
Use Control Center: Add the Camera control to Control Center by going to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls. Then you can open the camera by swiping down from the top-right corner (Face ID models) or swiping up from the bottom (Home button models).
Use the App Library: The Camera app is always available in the App Library, so you can delete it from your home screen and access it by swiping left on your home screen until you reach the App Library.

These alternatives let you keep a quick camera shortcut while removing the lock screen icon, which can be useful if you find the icon distracting but still want fast camera access.

Does Removing the Icon Affect Camera Functionality?

No, removing the lock screen camera icon does not affect the camera’s functionality in any way. The camera hardware, the Camera app, and all camera features such as Portrait mode, video recording, and photo editing remain fully operational. The only change is that you cannot launch the camera directly from the lock screen using the icon or the swipe gesture. You can still open the camera from the home screen, Control Center, or by asking Siri to open the Camera app.

For users who use the camera frequently, removing the lock screen shortcut might feel like an inconvenience at first. However, most people find that using Control Center or Back Tap is just as fast, and the cleaner lock screen is worth the trade-off. If you change your mind later, you can re-enable the lock screen camera in just a few taps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove the camera icon on an iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation)?
Yes. The iPhone SE runs iOS 16 or later, so you can go to Settings > Camera and toggle off Lock Screen Camera. The icon will disappear from the bottom-right corner of the lock screen.

Will removing the camera icon also disable the swipe-left gesture?
On iOS 16 and later, yes. Turning off Lock Screen Camera disables both the icon and the swipe-left-from-right-edge gesture. On iOS 15 and earlier, the Screen Time method removes the icon and the swipe gesture as well.

Is there a way to remove the camera icon without disabling the camera app?
Yes, on iOS 16 and later, the Lock Screen Camera toggle only removes the lock screen shortcut. The Camera app remains fully available on the home screen and in Control Center. On iOS 15 and earlier, the only method is the Screen Time workaround, which hides the entire Camera app.

Why is there no Lock Screen Camera toggle in my Settings?
This toggle only appears on iOS 16 or later. If you’re running iOS 15 or older, you won’t see it. Check your iOS version in Settings > General > About, and if needed, update to iOS 16 or later to get the dedicated toggle.

Does removing the camera icon improve battery life or privacy?
No. The lock screen camera icon is purely a visual shortcut and has no impact on battery life or privacy. The camera is not active until you open it, and the icon itself does not consume power or access the camera hardware.

Can I remove the camera icon from the lock screen on an iPad?
Yes, the same settings apply to iPads running iPadOS 16 or later. Go to Settings > Camera and toggle off Lock Screen Camera. On older versions, use the Screen Time method.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.