Local Cam Support
New here? Start with the illustrated getting-started guide or the project-photo walkthrough.
Your local photos: capture, name, and share through Files.
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Local Cam is a camera for photos you want to keep in their own local space. Use it for ideas, hobbies, personal projects, recipes, reference images, or everyday details. Allow camera access the first time. Captures are saved as JPEG files on your iPhone and are not added to your personal Photos library. You do not need a Local Cam account or subscription.
Where are my photos?
Open Files > On My iPhone > Local Cam. New captures are in Ready to Upload. Photos you have marked as uploaded are in Uploaded. Both are local folders on your iPhone. Local Cam does not import or reorganize photos already in Photos.
How do I review or name a photo?
Tap the latest-photo thumbnail in Local Cam to open the pending gallery. Swipe through the photos. Tap a photo’s name to give it a useful filename, such as Kitchen cabinet hinge. The gallery shows photos still in Ready to Upload; browse Uploaded through Files.
How do I send several photos?
Open Files > On My iPhone > Local Cam > Ready to Upload. Tap the More button, choose Select, and select the photos (or Select All). Use the Share action, or copy or move the files to a destination available in Files. Your storage provider may need its own app or account. Uploading to an online destination needs an internet connection. Local Cam does not upload automatically or provide a cloud account.
What does All Files Uploaded do?
First check that your destination contains every photo you intended to send. Then open Local Cam’s Ready menu and choose All Files Uploaded. After confirmation, all pending photos move from Ready to Upload into the local Uploaded folder. This does not upload anything, verify a transfer, or delete the originals. Local copies still use iPhone storage. If only some photos were sent, do not mark all of them uploaded yet.
Can I use it without internet?
Yes, you can take, review, and rename photos without an internet connection. You need a connection when your chosen sharing or upload destination requires one.
How do I choose a smaller file size?
Open iPhone Settings > Apps > Local Cam > Photo Resolution. On older iOS versions, Local Cam may appear directly in Settings. Choose Full Resolution, 12 MP, 6 MP, or 3 MP. New installations default to 12 MP. Lower resolutions can reduce new file sizes; they do not resize photos you already saved. Available capture detail depends on your iPhone.
How do I delete a photo or free storage?
In the pending gallery, use Delete and confirm. You can also manage files in either folder through Files. Before deleting an important photo, check that you have another copy. Moving photos into Uploaded does not free storage. Copies you already exported are managed separately.
What happens if I delete the app or replace my iPhone?
Do not rely on the app’s local folders as the only copy of important photos. Share or copy the photos to a destination you control and verify them before deleting Local Cam or changing devices. Deleting the app can remove its local photos. iPhone backups depend on your device settings; Local Cam does not manage a backup service.
Can I take video or bring in existing photos?
Local Cam captures still JPEG photos. It does not record video or import your existing Photos library.
How do I open it from the Lock Screen?
On iOS 18 or later, first open Local Cam once and allow camera access. Add its camera control to the Lock Screen or Control Center. On an iPhone with Camera Control, you can select Local Cam in Settings > Camera > Camera Control. While locked, the gallery shows only the current capture session. Unlock and open the app to bring completed session photos into Ready to Upload. If an import fails, reopen the app to retry; the session is preserved.
Why can’t I take a photo?
Check camera permission in iPhone Settings > Apps > Local Cam, and check available iPhone storage. Close another app that may be using the camera, then reopen Local Cam. If the problem continues, email support with your iPhone model, iOS version, app version, and what happened. Avoid sending sensitive photos.
Privacy and contact
The privacy policy is available from the Ready menu in the app, including while offline, and at the privacy page. Contact Max Schecter at support.msdesign@gmail.com. Include only the information needed to explain the issue and remove sensitive details from screenshots and attachments.