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

Use SplitRig. Open the app, tap Layout, 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 video in up to 4K on supported iPhones, 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 on.

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 iPhone 17 and later, and it has one movable 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 on.

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 there is no second clip to align and no editing pass. Audio is recorded at 48 kHz into the same file as your video.

Split screen camera on iPhone, both cameras 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.

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 iPhone 17 and later (iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max) and records front and rear together. But Dual Capture has one movable picture-in-picture layout. 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 Layout in the bottom bar 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 are saved together as one video. 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. They differ on video quality, layout control, price, and which iPhones they run on:

SplitRig (free). True Split Screen, recorded in up to 4K at 30 fps on supported iPhones, with an adjustable 30/70 to 70/30 ratio, plus three more layouts (Picture in Picture, Single Camera, Face Mode background removal) and 60 fps at 1080p in Action Cam. Seven live metrics burned into the video, plus Apple Watch and AirPods control. Built for long takes: no time limit, and it saves as it records. Optional logo off in one tap. iPhone 11 and later, iOS 26.
Apple Dual Capture (free, built in). Apple's own Camera-app mode. Zero install and records up to 4K at 30 fps, in one movable picture-in-picture layout (no split screen), on iPhone 17 and later only.
DoubleTake by Bending Spoons (originally made by FiLMiC). 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 to download). Simple top/bottom and left/right splits. Fine for a one-off shot, though the free tier watermarks and asks you to subscribe.
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

SplitRig's Split Screen runs free on every iPhone that runs iOS 26, the iPhone 11 and later:

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

Every model on this list gets the same full Split Screen, free. There is no cut-down tier for the older phones.

Posting your split-screen video

SplitRig saves a standard video to Photos, so it uploads straight to any platform. For a portrait split-screen Reel, SplitRig records in 9:16, at up to 4K on supported iPhones: 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

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 (live background removal, no green screen).
Apple Watch companion, AirPods Camera Remote, and iPhone 16 Camera Control for hands-free recording.
Built for long takes. No recording time limit, and SplitRig saves as it records.

Split screen camera on iPhone: record both cameras side by side (free)