Freeze the picture to read any spot

Updated

Freezing holds the camera image exactly as it was, so you don't have to keep your device still. You can then move any part of the picture under the crosshair.

Freeze and read

  1. Point the camera at what you want to read.
  2. Tap the large round shutter button in the middle of the bottom bar. VoiceOver reads it as Freeze, and announces Frozen. Drag or zoom to read another spot. once you tap it.
  3. Drag the picture to put a different spot under the crosshair.
    • Pinch, or double-tap the picture, to zoom in.
    • Tap the picture with two fingers to zoom out.
  4. Read the color card. A pause symbol appears in front of the values while the picture is frozen. VoiceOver reads it as Frozen.

The card updates as the picture moves. With Announce Colors on, the name is spoken once the picture stops moving.

Go back to the live camera

Tap the shutter button again. While a picture is frozen, VoiceOver reads it as Return to live camera, and announces Live camera once you tap it.

ColoredEye lets go of the frozen picture when you go back to live, so you can't return to it. It's kept only if Save Frozen Images saved it to your photo library.

Freeze with a tap anywhere

  1. Tap Settings (the gear at the top right).
  2. Under Photos, turn on Tap to Freeze.

Now a tap anywhere on the live camera freezes it, and another tap returns to live. With VoiceOver, double-tap the camera preview.

What changes while a picture is frozen

  • Flip camera is replaced by Object colors. See see all the colors in an object.
  • A magnifying glass button appears at the right end of the color card. VoiceOver reads it as Find matches. See find a color in a picture.
  • Camera light and White balance are unavailable until you go back to live. Freezing turns the camera light off.

To keep the pictures you freeze, see save frozen pictures to Photos.