How to record video with the front and back camera at once on iPhone
A concert, an unboxing, a street you're walking down — and your reaction to it, recorded at the same time, in one file. That's dual video.
Short answer: on iPhone 16 or newer, the stock Camera app has a basic Dual Capture video mode. On any iPhone running iOS 17, Selfie records simultaneous front-and-back video with microphone audio, movable picture-in-picture, and optional vintage filters (VHS included, which is exactly what it sounds like).
Option 1 — iPhone 16+: native Dual Capture
Open Camera → Video → Dual Capture. The front camera records as a small fixed window over the back-camera video. It works, with limits: no photos, the PiP position is fixed, there are no filters, and it doesn't exist on older iPhones.
Option 2 — any iPhone (iOS 17+): Selfie
- Open Selfie in Dual mode and switch to video.
- Frame the scene; drag the front-camera window to the corner you want, or swap which camera is the big view.
- Optionally pick a preset — the VHS preset turns the whole recording into convincing camcorder footage; 35mm and instant looks work on video too.
- Record. Both cameras and the microphone are captured together, and the finished video saves to your photo library.
Both views are recorded by one capture session, so they're genuinely synchronized — no aligning two clips in an editor afterwards.
What people actually record this way
- Concerts: the stage plus your reaction when the song hits. (more here)
- Reaction content: unboxings, tastings, watch-with-me videos, without a second take. (more here)
- Travel: the walk through the old town plus your running commentary. (more here)
- Kids and pets: the chaos on one camera, your face on the other. (more here)
Common questions
Is the audio recorded too? Yes — the microphone records with the video, one audio track for the combined file.
Can I choose which camera is fullscreen? Yes, and you can move the small window between corners and set frame colors. Apple's native Dual Capture doesn't allow either.
How long can I record? There's no artificial cap in the app; practical limits are storage and battery, as with any video recording. Two active cameras use more power than one, so the phone will run warmer on long takes.
Does this work on iPhone XR/XS? Yes — multi-cam capture works on iPhone XS/XR and later, as long as the phone runs iOS 17.