How do I record a split-screen camera video on iPhone?

Use SplitRig. Open the app, tap the layout picker, choose Split Screen, drag the divider to set the ratio, and tap the red shutter. Both the front and rear cameras record at the same time into one synced Full HD 1080p video, side by side or stacked, with no editing and no second take. It is free, with no subscription or account, on every iPhone from iPhone 11 to iPhone 17 Pro.

Can the iPhone Camera app record split screen with both cameras?

No. The stock iPhone Camera app records one camera at a time and has no split-screen mode. The only built-in dual-camera option is Apple Dual Capture on the iPhone 17 line, and it is locked to a single picture-in-picture layout, not split screen. For a true split-screen camera on any iPhone, you need a dedicated app like SplitRig, which is free.

Is there a free split-screen camera app for iPhone?

Yes. SplitRig is a free split-screen camera app with no in-app purchases, no subscription, no ads, and no account. Its Split Screen layout records both cameras at once with an adjustable 30/70 to 70/30 ratio, and the optional SplitRig logo comes off free in one tap. It works on every iPhone from iPhone 11 to iPhone 17 Pro.

What is the difference between split screen and picture-in-picture?

Split screen divides the frame into two halves, side by side or stacked, with each camera getting its own area. Picture-in-Picture floats one camera in a small movable bubble over the other. SplitRig offers both as separate layouts you can switch between, even mid-recording. Apple Dual Capture only offers picture-in-picture.

Can I set the split ratio side by side or stacked?

Yes. In SplitRig's Split Screen layout you drag the divider to set the ratio anywhere from 30/70 to 70/30, so the camera that matters most takes more of the frame. Use 50/50 for interviews and reactions, 30/70 when the scene leads, or 70/30 for a talking-head shot with B-roll on the side.

Does the split-screen recording stay in sync?

Yes. Because both cameras record in a single take, the two halves are captured together and saved as one video file, so they never drift apart. There is no second clip to align and no editing pass. Audio is captured at 48 kHz in sync with the video.

Split Screen Camera on iPhone: Record Both Cameras Side by Side (Free): SplitRig

Want a split-screen camera on iPhone that records both cameras side by side at the same time? SplitRig does it free, in one take, no editing. Here is how the split-screen layout works, why the stock Camera app cannot do it, and how it compares to Apple Dual Capture and DoubleTake.

The short answer

A "split-screen camera" on iPhone means recording the front and rear cameras at the same time so they appear in one frame, split side by side or stacked top and bottom. The stock Camera app cannot do this. SplitRig can, free, in a single take.

Open SplitRig, choose the Split Screen layout, set the divider, and tap record. Both cameras roll together into one Full HD 1080p video, perfectly in sync, with nothing to line up or edit afterward. There is no subscription, no in-app purchase, and no account, and it runs on every iPhone from iPhone 11 to iPhone 17 Pro.

What "split screen camera" actually means

The phrase gets used two different ways, and the difference decides which tool you need.

Split-screen recording (what most people want): both iPhone cameras capture live at the same time, front and rear, into one split frame. One take, no editing. This is the layout SplitRig calls Split Screen.
Split-screen editing: you record two separate clips, then place them side by side afterward in an editor like iMovie or CapCut. Slower, and the two clips are not genuinely in sync because they were not recorded together.

If you searched for "split screen camera iPhone" expecting to point your phone and capture both views at once, you want recording, not editing. The rest of this guide is about that.

Why the stock iPhone Camera app cannot do it

Apple's built-in Camera app records one camera at a time. It has no side-by-side or stacked dual-camera mode. The one exception is Apple Dual Capture, which arrived on the iPhone 17 line (iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air) and records front and rear together. But Dual Capture is locked to a single picture-in-picture layout: your face floats in a small bubble over the scene. It does not offer a true split screen, and it does not exist at all on an iPhone 11 through iPhone 16.

So for an actual split-screen camera, on any iPhone, you need a dedicated recording app. SplitRig is built for exactly this.

How to record a split-screen camera video on iPhone

Install SplitRig from the App Store. Free, no payment method, no account.
Open the app and grant camera and microphone access. (Optional: location, if you want the GPS overlays.)
Tap the layout picker in the bottom control tray and choose Split Screen. The screen divides between the front and rear cameras.
Drag the divider to set the ratio anywhere from 30/70 to 70/30, so the camera that matters most gets more of the frame.
Tap the red shutter (or press Volume Down, or click the iPhone 16 Camera Control button). Both halves record together.
Tap again to stop. The split-screen video saves to Photos as one synced file, ready to post.

For the full dual-camera walkthrough across every layout, see how to record both cameras on iPhone at once.

Side by side or stacked: setting the split

SplitRig's Split Screen layout puts the two cameras in one frame with an adjustable divider. You set the balance by dragging it:

50/50: equal halves. Best for interviews, reactions, and A/B comparisons where both views matter the same.
30/70 (your face small, the scene large): the rear camera leads. Best for travel, food, product demos, and tutorials.
70/30 (your face large, the scene small): you lead, with context on the side. Best for talking-head clips with a bit of B-roll.

Because both cameras record in the same take, the two halves never drift apart. There is no second clip to align and no editing pass. You can also switch from Split Screen to Picture-in-Picture or Face Mode mid-recording without stopping the file.

Split-screen camera apps for iPhone, compared

Every app here records both cameras. The differences are price, layout flexibility, and which iPhone they run on. The honest summary:

SplitRig (free). True Split Screen with an adjustable 30/70 to 70/30 ratio, plus three more layouts (Picture-in-Picture, Single, Face Mode background removal), eight live overlays, Apple Watch and AirPods control, and Iron Stream thermal management for long shoots. Full HD 1080p. Optional logo off in one tap. iPhone 11 to 17 Pro, iOS 26.
Apple Dual Capture (free, built in). Apple's own Camera-app mode. Zero install and records 4K, but it is locked to a single picture-in-picture layout (no split screen) and only works on the iPhone 17 line.
DoubleTake by FiLMiC Pro. Offers a 50/50 split screen saved as one video, plus picture-in-picture, at 1080p. Reliable and minimal: no adjustable ratio, no live overlays, no Apple Watch, and it now has optional in-app purchases.
2Cam Front+Back (free with ads). Simple top/bottom and left/right splits. Fine for a one-off shot, ad-supported.
Detail (freemium). Records split-screen and picture-in-picture dual-camera on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but every free export carries a Detail watermark that only Pro removes. Best if you also want its AI editing suite.

For the full landscape (free and paid) with a per-model breakdown, see the best dual camera app for iPhone. For the genuinely free options specifically, see the best free dual camera app for iPhone.

Which iPhones can run a split-screen camera

Recording two cameras at once is a hardware capability Apple has shipped since the iPhone 11 (2019). SplitRig's Split Screen runs free on every iPhone that supports iOS 26:

iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max (plus iPhone 16e)
iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air

One pattern is worth repeating: Apple's own Dual Capture mode only works on the iPhone 17 line, and even there it is picture-in-picture, not split screen. So on an iPhone 11 through iPhone 16, a free app like SplitRig is the only way to record a split-screen camera at all, with no upgrade and no payment.

Posting your split-screen video

SplitRig saves a standard video to Photos, so it uploads straight to any platform with no re-encoding. For a portrait split-screen Reel, SplitRig records 1080p in 9:16 exactly as Instagram expects: see how to record split-screen Instagram Reels on iPhone. The same file works for TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

What you get with SplitRig's Split Screen, free

Both cameras, one synced video. Front and rear captured together and written to a single Full HD 1080p file, frame-locked, not stitched in post.
Adjustable split, 30/70 to 70/30, side by side or stacked, set by dragging the divider.
Three more layouts you can switch to mid-shot: Picture-in-Picture, Single Camera, and Face Mode (Neural Engine background removal, no green screen).
Eight live overlays baked in: GPS speedometer, distance, altitude, pace, goal gauge, sound level, duration, and an optional logo.
Apple Watch companion, AirPods Camera Remote, and iPhone 16 Camera Control for hands-free recording.
Iron Stream thermal management that scales the frame rate down gracefully under heat instead of stopping the recording.
Free, with the logo off in one tap. No subscription, no in-app purchase, no ad, no account.