For many years, Apple has allowed users to quickly launch the Camera app with a simple swipe gesture—a feature so longstanding that it persists even today, despite the addition of a dedicated camera button on the lock screen and the physical camera control button introduced with the iPhone 16 and 17 series.
For photography enthusiasts, this gesture offers a convenient way to capture moments in an instant. However, it can also lead to frequent accidental activations, as many users have discovered firsthand. To address this, Apple is now introducing an option to disable the swipe-to-open Camera gesture entirely.
In iOS 26.1 Beta 4, Apple has added a new toggle within the Camera settings titled “Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera.” The feature remains enabled by default, but users can now turn it off if they wish. Once disabled, the camera can still be accessed by long-pressing the camera icon on the lock screen.

Providing users with this choice is undoubtedly a welcome improvement—especially for those frustrated by accidental launches or instances where a phone left awake in a pocket opens the camera unintentionally. Such situations not only drain the battery more quickly but can also cause the device to overheat noticeably.
While iOS 26.1 remains in beta testing and has yet to reach its public release, the software has already progressed to Beta 4, suggesting a stable version is imminent. Once it arrives, users who wish to disable this gesture should head to Settings and turn off “Swipe to Open Camera.”