Snapchat camera will be available from the iPhone Lock Screen, but no filters

The Snapchat camera will soon be available from the iPhone Lock Screen thanks to the iOS 18 feature letting you swap out the standard Camera app and flashlight for apps or shortcut actions of your choice …

iOS 18 lock screen feature

One of the new features introduced in iOS 18 was the ability to change the Lock Screen controls. These were previously limited to the stock Camera app and the flashlight, but you can now substitute any supported app – or perform almost any other action by using Shortcuts.

The Camera app icon was always redundant as you could (and still can) access this by swiping right-to-left, which tended to be quicker.

Snapchat camera will soon be supported

Apps need to add support for the feature, and Engadget reports that Snapchat is doing so.

Snapchat users will soon be able to launch the app’s camera directly from the iPhone lock screen, thanks to an app update.

Because the phone is still locked, apps are limited in what they can do when opened in this way, and the same is true of Snapchat.

Tapping the button will launch Snapchat’s “Camera Only” mode. This will, technically, let you create a Snap, but there’s a major caveat. The lock screen allows users to take photos, but not add filters or post anything. For that, you’ll have to unlock the phone with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode and open the actual app.

You’ll of course need to be running iOS 18.

The app update is set to rollout later this week.

Image: 9to5Mac collage of images from Snap and Alexander Grey on Unsplash