iPad: Using the camera
Use the camera on your iPad to take great pictures, conveniently.
Learn how to quickly access your iPad’s built-in camera and how to take a photo and use it as a background image. You’ll also learn how to take a selfie, how to delete a photo, and how to edit a photo and send it to a friend.
Before you begin
The camera on an iPad works whichever way you hold your tablet, and in this course the tablet is being used in portrait mode.
The demonstrations also use an iPad without a physical Home button. If your tablet is different, some of the steps might vary a little, but you can still follow along.
Before you start, make sure the iPad is switched on, and fully charged. Your operating software should also be up to date.
Opening the camera from the Lock screen
While the iPad shows the Lock screen, swipe left to open the Camera app.
- The iPad is still locked, but you can take photos.
- You can view the photos you’ve just taken, but not the camera roll.
- No other features can be used until you unlock the iPad.
- While the Camera app is active, the camera is on, and the screen shows what the camera can see.
- The camera does not record video or take a picture until you tap the Capture button.
How to take a photo
When the Camera app is open, the iPad is ready to take a photo or video.
- Swipe up and down through the modes shown under the Capture button to the right of the preview area, to take different types of photos and video.
- Tap the Capture button to take a photo.
- This photo is saved to the Photos app.
- View the last photo by tapping the square underneath the Capture button.
How to use a photo as your iPad background
This requires the iPad to be unlocked. If the Camera app is open, swipe up to return to the Lock screen and then unlock using your passcode.
- Open the Settings app from the Home screen.
- Scroll the Settings menu to find Wallpaper and tap.
- Tap Choose a New Wallpaper.
- The Recent option on this page shows the last few photos taken on your iPad.
- Tap and drag a photo to position it on the screen and tap Set.
- You can just Set the Lock Screen, Set the Home Screen, or Set Both.
- Return to the Home screen to see the new background.
How to take a selfie
From the Home screen, open the Camera app. Note you can access the camera via the Camera icon in the Control Centre. Open the Control Centre by swiping down from the top right of the screen.
- Tap the Switch Camera button above the Capture button on the right, to change from the rear camera to the front camera.
- Tap the Capture button to take a selfie. Remember to look at the camera at the top of the iPad (when held in portrait mode), rather than the screen itself.
How to view and delete selfies in the Photos app
Open the Photos app from the Home screen. The Photos app presents photos in different ways, but the All Photos view shows all photos in a grid with the newest photos at the bottom.
- Tap a selfie to view it in full screen mode.
- Swipe left or right to see the previous or next photo.
- To get rid of a photo you don’t like, tap the Delete button in the top right of the screen and confirm you want to Delete Photo.
How to edit photos in the Photos app
Open the Photos app and choose a photo to edit. Each time you want to edit a photo, you need to first tap Edit in the top right corner, to make some editing controls appear.
- On the left of the photo, the Crop button lets you trim a photo to a size you prefer.
- In Crop mode, move the white lines to change the edges of the photo.
- Tap Cancel and then Discard Changes to undo any editing changes.
- Tap Done to save the edited photo in place of the original.
- On a previously edited photo, tap Revert and then Revert to Original to undo all the edits.
How to share a photo with a friend
You can send a photo directly to a friend using the Share menu, which appears when a photo is showing full screen in the Photos app. Tap the Share icon to open the Share pop-up panel.
- The Share panel has several options. Tap the Messages icon to use the Messages app to send the photo.
- The New Message pop-up panel appears, with the photo already loaded.
- Type a recipient name in the To field, then tap near the photo to add a message.
- Tap the Send arrow when you are ready. The Messages app will close, and the Photos app will reappear.