Mastering the new spirit level feature in iOS 17 Camera app

As you use iOS 17, you find over and over that there are small updates that make a big difference – and one of them is that the Camera app now comes with a spirit level. The first job in using iOS 17’s excellent new spirit level is noticing that it’s there. Turn the level on or off in Settings, General, Camera. To set up the spirit level in iOS 17, open the Camera app and choose Photo. Gently rotate the phone, pausing at intervals. If you briefly see a thin white line in the center, that’s the new spirit level. If you don’t, then go to Settings, Camera, scroll down to Composition, and turn on Level. Now any time you go to take any photo – except panorama – you will get a glimpse of the spirit level. When you are holding it precisely horizontally or vertically, the spirit level turns yellow. This also works with video shot through Apple’s Camera app. The purpose is to enable you to be sure you’re taking a level image. The spirit level turns yellow when the frame is balanced vertically or horizontally, helping with composition. If you’re going to let the iPhone help you out with composition, there is a separate but related feature called the grid.