Action Mode has been available for iPhone users since the release of the iPhone 14. Apple uses a combination of hardware and software tricks to make sure the image recorded is always steady. Along with stabilizing footage, there’s a whole new use case that Apple showed off for this feature. The company shared a video called “No Frame Missed,” which tells the story of a father who has Parkinson’s but continues to record videos with shaky hands, thanks to the iPhone’s Action Mode.
This feature lets you capture smooth handheld videos by recording a wider image than you see, and cropping and shifting the frame in real time to cancel out shaky hands or bumpy movements. In addition, Apple uses the iPhone’s optical image stabilization to smooth out jerks and sudden movements. While Apple first promoted Action Mode as a feature meant to record footage while running or playing a sport, the ad reveals how this feature can also be a great accessibility tool. Activating Action Mode is as simple as enabling a toggle within the Camera app.
How to activate Action Mode on your iPhone
While every iPhone that supports Action Mode in iOS 18 will also have it on iOS 26, Apple has changed the location of the toggle to enable it.
Here’s how to use Action Mode on an iPhone running iOS 18:
- Open the Camera app.
- Swipe to the Video tab.
- Look for the Action Mode toggle, right beside the Flash icon.
- Start recording a video.
If your iPhone is running iOS 25, here’s how to use Action Mode:
- Open the Camera app.
- Switch to Video mode.
- Tap the Video tab and then choose the Action toggle.
- Start recording a video.
To get the best out of this mode, you’ll need to be in a bright environment, preferably outdoors. If you don’t see the option on your iPhone, chances are that your iPhone model doesn’t support Action Mode. Here’s the list of supported devices:
- iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
As you can see, Action Mode isn’t available on the iPhone SE 2, SE 3, or the new 16e. Neither the iPhone 17 Air nor the iPhone 17e may feature Action Mode, as the feature seems to be restricted to iPhone devices with more than one camera.
