You know that the iPhone’s lock screen has three separate options that are made available to its users. First, you can swipe from the bottom to access the Control Center, secondly, swipe to the right to see the today View which also accommodates all your widgets and lastly swiping to the left to launch your camera.
In this article, then we are going to focus on the third option; the Camera option. I do appreciate the camera shortcut since it allows me to open the app and take pictures and video recording quickly.
Thanks to that you too won’t have to unlock your iPhone to hunt for the app icon. Anyone can use it without the permission of the owner of the device that is the primary purpose of the option.
However, i guess you would like to know how to disable this feature so you can eliminate the risk of a stranger or unwarranted access to your device? Although there was an option to disable this feature under the Restrictions section, Apple removed it in iOS 12.
Join me as we begin the process on how to remove the Camera Option from your Lock Screen.
Disable Camera Shortcut with Screen Time
Retake a look at the heading, yeah that is the trick. That is where the former Restrictions menu disappeared after the release of iOS 12. Screen Time is now one of the significant features that iOS offers.
It can be used to monitor the duration of each app used, collect the usage stats for different apps and then block or restrict an app if you want to do so. But in our case, we are limiting the camera app.
To do this, navigate to Settings, then scroll a little to find and tap on the screen Time option. Then tap on Enable Screen Time on this screen.
However, if you are using this feature for the first time, then iOS will show you a summary about offers that comes with Screen Time. Then tap to continue afterwards, the app will ask whether the iPhone belongs to you or someone else. Choose appropriately.
This question is asked because a lot of worried parents use Screen Time to set parental controls on games and apps to keep a check on their kids. That is one of the beneficial factors of the feature.
The first step to take is to scroll a little down to find ‘Content and Privacy Restrictions’ and then tap on it to toggle Content and Privacy Restrictions on.
Once that is done, tap on Allowed Apps which was previously not allowed. You will find a list of some essential apps that came with the iPhone. Tap on the ‘Camera option’ to toggle it off.
After that, you can lock your screen and then swipe to the left, and when you do, you will notice that nothing happens, the camera icon on the lock screen is missing.
While this is good and works well, there is an exemption. Disabling the camera option using ‘Screen Time’ will also remove the camera app from your home screen.
Which means that you can no longer have access to the app whether your device is locked or unlocked. Nevertheless, there is a way around that too, and it’s quite simple.
The pre-installed camera app is not the only available option at your disposal. Other camera apps are available in the App Store that is far better than the pre-installed one. And we have reviewed a quite number of them.
However, enabling the camera app back again will take only a few seconds now that you are aware of how it works, so that you can use it anytime you, please.
Disabling Other Options in Lock Screen without Screen Time
If you would like to disable the Today View, Control Center, Siri, Notification Center and a few other features which are available in the screen, Apple has given the go-ahead to do it directly without using Screen Time.
For you to carry this process out, you need to head to the Setting and then tap on Touch ID & Passcode. You’ll be required to enter your passcode once afterwards scroll a little to find the Allow Access When Locked heading.
There you can toggle all these shortcuts with the tap of a finger.
However, you should be made aware that disabling these features on the lock screen will not remove them from the home screen. You can still gain access to them after unlocking your device.
I still don’t understand why Apple would not include the option to disable camera too. That could have saved its users a lot of trouble. Maybe a fix will surface in an update in the future but till then, its best you stick with Screen Time.
Lights, Camera and Screen Time
The quick access to the camera may be lauded by many, but not for some who prefer to safeguard their photos.
While the Cupertino-based giant has forgotten to include a default way to remove the camera app, you can use the Screen Time to restrict access to the app, everywhere.
I know numerous complaints would have reached Apple’s desk concerning this issue, but I won’t get my hopes if I were you. Things like this don’t usually get their attention.
Feel free to tell us what you think about this article and also if you have tried any of the above mentioned, let us know your thoughts about them by using the comments section below.
You cant use a third party camera app if you have disabled the camera app in the Restrictions setting. So this solution basically turns off the camera, which isn’t useful.