Since the debut of the TrueDepth camera system with the iPhone X, the front-facing camera has mostly seen incremental upgrades. Features like Night mode, Photographic Styles, sharper image quality, and 4K video have trickled in over the years, but the overall selfie experience has remained largely unchanged. Instead, Apple has focused most of its innovation on the rear-facing Pro camera system, pushing the boundaries of mobile photography and videography.
With the latest iPhone models, that strategy changed in a big way. Apple has added a slew of new front-camera improvements to all of its new phones, not just the highest-end 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max variants. Not sure what they are or do? Here’s a breakdown of all the fresh selfie camera additions bundled with your new iPhone.
Snap high-resolution selfies
To power the new front camera features across the iPhone Air and 17 lineup, Apple has finally upgraded the sensor. For the first time since the iPhone 11, the front camera has gotten a boost from 12MP to 18MP across all four models.
You don’t have to do anything to see the difference, as the higher-resolution camera delivers sharper details with reduced noise. When shooting at the full 18MP resolution (using the standard vertical or horizontal format), users can crop images more freely without noticeable grain.
All iPhone 17 models include new selfie features.
Britta O’Boyle
Easily fit everyone in the frame
For years, the iPhone’s selfie camera has supported two zoom levels. iOS automatically detects the subjects in the viewfinder and opts for either option accordingly. Users also can manually override the selection and pick an alternative look if desired. 2025’s flagship iPhones take this feature to the next level by supporting automatic orientation selection.
For those unfamiliar, iPhones used to pack rectangular front camera sensors, limiting their full resolution to a single orientation—portrait, in this case. Consequently, when taking group selfies, we’d always have to rotate our iPhones to landscape orientation. The new iPhones address this limitation by introducing a square sensor that not only picks the right zoom, but also rotates the digital frame to landscape whenever needed—as you physically hold your iPhone in portrait orientation.
Likewise, you can manually override this option and opt for either direction if you’re unhappy with your iPhone’s default selection.
Keep your subjects centered
The new front camera’s automated behavior isn’t limited to picking the orientation. Apple has finally ported its Center Stage feature to the selfie shooter, so the Camera app should be able to adjust its frame based on your position. This upgrade could help newbies take better selfies, as it ensures their faces are in the correct spot.
You can adjust the settings by tapping the yellow Center Stage button at the top of the screen and choosing between auto zoom and auto rotate. Additionally, you can turn Center Stage off by tapping the selfie zoom button (with arrows pointing in) or change the aspect ratio button (with curved arrows) to manual.
Whether you’re taking solo selfies or group shots, the iPhone 17’s front camera has a ton of tricks.
Foundry
Stay in view at all times
The Center Stage feature on the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air isn’t exclusive to taking selfies. Like newer iPad and Mac models, Center Stage will now kick in during FaceTime and third-party video calls. For example, if you’ve fixed your iPhone to a MagSafe kickstand on your desk as you move around the room, the camera will adjust to keep you in the spotlight. It’s a neat introduction that should make video calls more flexible and engaging.
Smooth your shaky selfie vids
With the iPhone 14, Apple introduced a rear camera feature dubbed Action mode. As its name suggests, the option lets you record steadier videos when you’re in shaky environments. This year’s flagships are finally bringing a similar option to the iPhone’s front-facing camera.
Ultra-stabilized video, as Apple calls it, will be an invaluable asset for vloggers who like to document their everyday lives using the iPhone’s front camera. The feature should make it possible to record smoother footage during bumpy activities, sparing casual content creators from needing a dedicated gimbal for stability.
Dual capture lets you record video with your rear camera and reactions with your front camera.
David Price / Foundry
Capture two videos at once
Speaking of content creators, reaction videos are one of the popular formats users opt for when shooting travel vlogs, surprising friends, or memorializing concerts. The iPhone Air and 17 series finally enable you to record front and rear camera clips simultaneously. This lets viewers see what’s in front of you, alongside your facial expressions, in real time. While certain third-party iOS apps have long supported this video recording capability, having Dual Capture in the native Camera app is a welcome change.
