Halide’s advanced camera app is now as easy to launch as Apple’s

Halide users who’ve upgraded their iPhones to iOS 18 are now able to quickly access the advanced camera app directly from their phone’s lock screen without having to unlock it first. Previously, only the native iOS camera app could be conveniently accessed that way.

Although Halide offers advanced features like manual shutter speed adjustments and a “Process Zero” option that delivers images without any AI processing, accessing Apple’s camera app was always faster, thanks to its lock screen shortcut. Halide could be made accessible through a lock screen widget, but actually getting into the third-party camera app still required an iPhone to be first unlocked using FaceID, TouchID, or entering a passcode.

Screenshot: Halide

With iOS 18 and the new Halide 2.16 update installed, iPhone users can replace either the default camera or flashlight shortcut with one that immediately launches Halide without unlocking. After long pressing on the iPhone’s lock screen, you tap the “Customize” button and then tap the lock screen again. You’ll then be given the option to remove either the default flashlight or camera shortcut, and then replace it, by pressing the ‘+’ that’s left behind. Other options include default iPhone apps like the calculator or magnifier, but in the Capture section Halide will now be listed.

However, unlike the default iPhone camera app, Halide isn’t free. It’s available for a monthly subscription of $2.99, a cheaper yearly subscription of $19.99, or as a one-time purchase for $59.99.