Which iPhones have Action mode?
Every iPhone 14, 15, 16 and 17 model apart from the lower-cost e models, plus iPhone Air and the newer models on Apple’s list. Enhanced Stabilization is on a few more models, including the e models.
Guide · free tool included
iPhone Action mode: what it does and when to use it
Action mode makes running and riding footage remarkably steady, at a cost in resolution and low-light quality. Here is when it is worth it, when the default setting is enough, and how to rescue a clip filmed without it.
Filmed it without Action mode?
Drop the clip and it is steadied in your browser, with the Walking preset to start. Nothing is uploaded.Pick the clip you filmed without Action mode. It stays on your iPhone.
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Stabilised on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Action mode is the iPhone camera’s strongest video stabilisation, for filming while running, cycling or riding. To turn it on, open the Camera app in Video mode, tap the Camera Controls button and tap Action; tap the Action mode button on screen to turn it off again. It records at up to 2.8K and works best in bright light, and it is on iPhone 14 and later models, except the lower-cost e models.
For ordinary handheld video you don’t need it: Enhanced Stabilization, which is on by default, already steadies Video and Cinematic mode clips. Use Action mode when the camera itself is moving hard. And if you have already filmed something shaky without it, Action mode can’t be added afterwards, but the stabiliser at the top of this page can steady the clip in Safari.
How to turn on Action mode
Open Camera in Video mode
Open the Camera app and swipe to Video.
Turn on Action
Tap the Camera Controls button, then Action. An Action mode button shows on screen while it is on; tap it to turn Action mode off.
Keep the button on screen, if you use it often
Go to Settings › Camera › Indicators and turn on Action Mode, so the button is always on the camera screen.
Allow it in lower light
If you film in dim places, go to Settings › Camera › Record Video and turn on Action Mode Lower Light.
Action mode or the default setting?
| Setting | Best for | How to turn it on | The trade-off | Models |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action mode | Running, cycling, riding, fast action | Camera Controls › Action, shot by shot | Up to 2.8K; best in bright light (Action Mode Lower Light helps) | iPhone 14 and later, not the e models |
| Enhanced Stabilization | Everyday handheld video | On by default; Settings › Camera › Record Video | A slight zoom; keeps your chosen format | iPhone 14 and later, including the e models |
| Cinematic mode | Shallow depth of field and focus changes | Swipe to Cinematic | About focus, not steadiness; uses Enhanced Stabilization when it is on | Supported models |
The trade-off is simple: Action mode absorbs much bigger movements, but records at 2.8K at most and wants bright light. Enhanced Stabilization keeps your chosen format and only zooms in slightly. Cinematic mode is about focus, not steadiness.
When Action mode is worth it
- Yes: running with the camera, cycling, skiing, filming from a bumpy vehicle, chasing children or pets, any shot where your body is moving hard.
- Not needed: walking slowly, standing still, a gentle pan. Enhanced Stabilization is enough, and you keep full resolution.
- Avoid: dim rooms and night scenes, unless you allow Action Mode Lower Light, and anything you want to deliver in 4K.
“More light required”
Apple says Action mode works best in bright light. In dimmer scenes, reviewers report the camera showing a “More light required” warning, and footage can look noisy. Turning on Action Mode Lower Light lets it work in less light; in very dark places, switch Action mode off and hold the phone steady with both hands instead.
Lock Camera
A separate setting, Lock Camera in Settings › Camera › Record Video, stops the iPhone switching between its cameras while you record. That avoids sudden jumps in framing during a zoom, which no stabiliser can smooth out afterwards.
Filmed without Action mode? Steady it afterwards
Action mode only works while recording; neither Photos nor iMovie for iPhone can stabilise a finished clip. The stabiliser at the top of this page can, in Safari on the same iPhone:
- Tap Choose a shaky video and pick the clip from Photo Library.
- It opens with Walking. For running or riding footage, choose Running, which smooths much harder; for something meant to be still, Tripod.
- Press and hold the picture to compare with the original. Tap Export video, then Export video again to start; when it’s ready, tap Share and Save Video.
Expect a slight zoom, like Action mode’s own crop but only as much as the shake needs, and no change to the motion blur already in the frames. The full walk-through is in the iPhone stabilising guide, and OIS vs EIS explains how the iPhone’s built-in stabilisation works.
iPhone Action mode questions
Why does Action mode only record 2.8K?
Apple lists 2.8K as Action mode’s maximum capture resolution and doesn’t say why. Any electronic stabilisation needs spare picture around the frame to move into, and steadying big movements needs a lot of it, so a smaller finished frame is the usual price.
Is Action mode better than Enhanced Stabilization?
It is steadier, but not better for everything. For running or riding, yes. For everyday clips, Enhanced Stabilization gives a steady enough result at your chosen resolution and copes better in low light.
How do I turn Action mode off?
Tap the Action mode button on the camera screen. To always see that button, turn on Action Mode under Settings › Camera › Indicators.
Can I add Action mode to a video I’ve already filmed?
No, it only works while recording. To steady a finished clip, use a stabiliser afterwards, such as the one on this page in Safari, which needs no app.
Why does my Action mode video look grainy?
Action mode needs plenty of light. In dim scenes, turn on Action Mode Lower Light, add light, or switch Action mode off and rely on Enhanced Stabilization.