Apple Watch Digital Crown Works as Remote Shutter for Camera Apps Using Music Glance
Several apps that make use of the iPhone's camera have a feature that lets the volume button be used as a trigger to snap a photo, and in those apps, the Apple Watch's Music Glance lets the Apple Watch's Digital Crown serve as a remote camera trigger.
Discovered by a reddit user this morning, the hidden trick works in any app that lets the iPhone's volume buttons be used to take a photograph. Examples include Snapchat, Camera+, and Manual, all apps where the iPhone's volume button works in the same way as a press on the on-screen photo capturing button.
To use the Apple Watch as a remote trigger, open a compatible app like Snapchat, open up the Music Glance, and turn the Digital Crown. The action will cause the camera to take a photograph, much like pressing on the iPhone's volume button would do. It also works within the Music app itself.
This seems to work because in the Music app and the Glance, the Digital Crown serves as a replacement for the iPhone's volume controls, triggering the camera functionality. Headphones with volume controls work in much the same way. It's not clear if this was an intentional feature addition or if it's a bug that was overlooked, but it's a handy way to use the Apple Watch as a shutter remote for iPhone apps that support the functionality.
Though the Apple Watch can be used as a remote trigger for compatible apps through the Music Glance, the function is not as feature rich as Apple's remote control option for the built-in camera. With the default camera, the Apple Watch can turn the iPhone on and capture a photograph.
Popular Stories
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
