iOS 17 brings this professional video feature to your iPhone — try it now

iPhone 15 Pro shown in hand
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

With the recently released iOS 17, Apple have packed another pro feature into the iPhone: locking white balance in video. 

Automatic white balance is great, helping you achieve true-to-life colors in your video and photography content with minimal effort, letting your iPhone's processor do all the work in deciding what tint to give your stills or video. However, during a video, letting the camera constantly recalculate the white balance can be problematic.

Under changing lighting conditions, if your iPhone recalculates the white balance, you may end up seeing noticeable fluctuations in the tint of your footage. This inconsistent look can seem a bit off, and feel unprofessional.

Thankfully, now you can lock your white balance, so it's calculated at the start of a video clip, and fixed throughout, putting you in greater control over the color temperature during a continuous shoot. This can work well if you’re frequently moving or panning the camera, where there are slight but not too drastic lighting changes.

Setting a specific white balance is a key feature on many of the best mirrorless cameras for video, as it gives video shooters more control over the look and feel of their footage. It's great to see yet another pro feature come to iPhone, and yet another reason we think they're the best phones around.

Here then, we’re going to look at how to lock white balance for video on iPhone. You will need to have iOS 17 or later installed so learn how to download and install iOS 17 if you’re not sure. You can, of course, quickly change the setting back to automated white balance at any time with a flick of a switch.

How to lock white balance for video on iPhone

Remember, you'll need iOS 17 to use this feature. We can show you how to download and install iOS 17 if you need to upgrade your iPhone software.

1. Select Camera setting

(Image: © Future)

To lock white balance for video on iPhone, you first need to launch the Settings app and then select Camera when using iOS 17 or later. 

2. Tap Record Video

(Image: © Future)

Next select Record Video which you should find at the top of the screen.

3. Turn on Lock White Balance

(Image: © Future)

Now scroll to the very bottom of the screen and tap the button next to Lock White Balance so that it turns green. 

4. Shoot videos

(Image: © Future)

Once done, you’re able to close the Settings app and launch the Camera app. Select Video from the options and press the shutter button to shoot a video. White balance will not change during your video.


And there you go. You now know how to lock white balance for videos on iPhone. Before you go, why not also discover how to enable the iPhone camera level with iOS 17 or learn how to set up camera shortcuts in iOS 17. You can also find out how to adjust camera exposure on iPhone and how to enable HEIF Max/JPEG Max photos on iPhone.

TOPICS
David Crookes
Contributor

David Crookes is a freelance writer, reporter, editor and author. He has written for technology and gaming magazines including Retro Gamer, Web User, Micro Mart, MagPi, Android, iCreate, Total PC Gaming, T3 and Macworld. He has also covered crime, history, politics, education, health, sport, film, music and more, and been a producer for BBC Radio 5 Live.

Read more
Apple iPhone 16 held in the hand.
You can record your iPhone screen — here's how
A render of the iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Pro Max just tipped for major camera upgrades — here's what we know
Samsung Galaxy S25 hands-on review.
Samsung Galaxy S25 just copied this useful feature from the iPhone 16 Pro — what you need to know
iPhone 16 Pro shown held in hand
With iOS 18.3 you can adjust your iPhone flashlight's beam width — here's how
iOS Photos app
iOS 18.4 Photos update makes it easier to sort, hide and delete your photos on iPhone — here’s what you can do
Stills from Front Page Tech's video, showing renders of what iOS 19 may look like.
iOS 19 leak reveals overhauled camera interface influenced by Vision Pro
Latest in iPhones
WWDC logo on yellow background
Apple WWDC 2025 date set for June 9 — iOS 19, Apple Intelligence and more expected
iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence logo for iOS 18.1
iOS 18.4: All the newest Apple Intelligence features coming to your iPhone
Apple maps logo on iPhone screen
I avoided Apple Maps for trip planning — but these iOS 18 features are changing my mind
New emojis with iOS 18.4 beta release.
iOS 18.4 beta brings 8 new emoji to your iPhone — here's all the new options
An image of an iPhone screen showing the Safari app icon in the center
I got tired of Safari revealing my web searches in iOS 18.4 — this setting fixes that
iPhone Flip Concept
Foldable iPhone delays — there’s a bigger problem going on at Apple
Latest in How To
avoid AI scams
Online sellers are using AI to scam you — here’s how to outsmart them
23andME box
23andMe has declared bankruptcy — here's how to delete your data now
An image of an iPhone screen showing the Safari app icon in the center
I got tired of Safari revealing my web searches in iOS 18.4 — this setting fixes that
Gmail logo on iPhone
I used Google Gemini to declutter my Gmail account — here's how you can do it too
An Amazon Echo speaker with ChatGPT logo next to it
I replaced Alexa with ChatGPT on my Amazon Echo — here's how you can do it too
AirPods Pro 2 in hand
Your earbuds are disgusting — here's the right way to clean them