iPhone 17 Brings Dual Capture: Record with Front and Rear Cameras at Once

Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup introduces a powerful new camera trick called Dual Capture. The feature lets you record from the front and rear cameras at the same time. It creates picture-in-picture videos that are ideal for reaction clips, tutorials, or any content where you want to show yourself and what you’re filming.

Dual Capture is available across the iPhone 17 family^[1], including the iPhone Air^[2]. Once you activate the mode, the camera interface adds a new icon in the top-right corner. From there, you can quickly toggle it on or off without opening the pop-up menu again.

How to Enable Dual Capture Mode in iPhone 17

• Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
• Switch to video mode from the bottom menu.
• Tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner, or swipe up from the video option in the carousel.
• Choose Dual Capture from the pop-up menu, then tap inside the viewfinder to enable it.
• Press the shutter button to start recording with both front and rear cameras.

Extra Controls While Filming

When recording, the feature offers a few useful tools. On the iPhone 17 Pro^[3] and Pro Max^[4], you can switch between the 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto cameras without stopping the video. The smaller front-facing camera preview can also be moved around the screen by dragging it with your finger. However, any repositioning is saved in the final video.

Video Quality and Trade-Offs

Dual Capture supports recording in 1080p or 4K at 24 or 30 frames per second. For creators who want flexibility in editing, 4K at 30 fps delivers the best results. Still, the feature comes with some limits. Apple only allows one layout: the rear camera dominates the frame while the front camera sits in a smaller window. Unlike Samsung’s approach, you can’t swap the feeds or use a split-screen view.

While the layout may feel restrictive, Dual Capture gives content creators a fresh way to tell stories. Whether you’re shooting a tutorial, live reaction, or vlogging on the go, the iPhone 17 makes it simple to capture both sides of the moment in a single video.