Even though I love all the controls available in the native Camera app on my iPhone, I rarely use it for selfies. Instead, I’ve been relying on TikTok for my selfies, and I don’t think I’ll ever switch back for the following reasons.
1 TikTok Doesn’t Auto-Edit My Selfies
I’m not saying my iPhone’s front cameras aren’t up to the mark, but I have one constant complaint, which isn’t limited to the iPhone 15 Pro Max I own. It all has to do with post-processing once you take the selfie.
While you’ll look incredible on the Camera app’s preview, Apple’s Camera app automatically edits your pictures once you click them. The worst part? It doesn’t do a good job. Instead of enhancing your image with minor edits, selfies end up looking washed out, texture and detail are overly visible, and the image feels overprocessed.
This is due to a built-in feature in the Camera app called Deep Fusion, which auto-enhances photos. While there are a few workarounds you can try to stop your iPhone from auto-enhancing your photos, there’s no way to disable Deep Fusion entirely. That leaves you with two options—either settle for the processed image or take matters into your own hands by using a third-party camera app.
As I mentioned earlier, my app of choice is TikTok, mainly because it doesn’t auto-edit my selfies. TikTok captures the image as it is, allowing me to keep all the original details without any unwanted changes. If I want to edit my selfie after taking it, I use one of my favorite third-party photo editing apps.
2 You Have More Control Over the Flash
Lighting is everything when it comes to selfies, and it significantly impacts the final result. In the native Camera app, the flash only appears when you press the shutter button—right as you take the photo. However, in TikTok, you can turn the flash on before you press the button, which makes the lighting feel more natural.
While the flash is still directly on your face in both the Camera app and TikTok, having it switched on beforehand gives you a better preview of your final selfie.
Sometimes, images end up looking horrible with flash, and you only notice after you take the picture. And if you’re anyone like me and take hundreds of selfies in one go, you’ll likely notice it after quite a while. By having the flash on before you shoot, you can adjust your position or lighting conditions to ensure you get a better shot, ultimately helping you save time and energy.
3 Front Camera Zoom
When you’re trying to capture the perfect selfie, you may often find yourself zooming in and out to get the ideal frame. One thing I really dislike about the native Camera app is how zoomed out it is by default, with limited flexibility for zooming in.
The only real zoom control is the expand icon that appears on iPhones with an ultrawide front camera, which is far from ideal. Most third-party apps, like TikTok, give you much more control, allowing you to zoom in further and frame your shot exactly how you want.
4 Natural-Looking Beautifying Options and Lenses
One of the primary reasons why I haven’t launched Snapchat for months, despite it once being one of my top social media apps, is because it began affecting how I perceive myself.
Snapchat Lenses can change your skin tone entirely, slim down your face in the most unnatural way possible, and hide every blemish on your face. While using them would boost my confidence for a moment, it’d instantly crumble the second I took the lenses off.
This doesn’t mean I’m against using beautifying options or filters in photos. There have been plenty of times I’ve used Facetune to conceal my eyebags or remove a blemish from my chin. My only issue is when they go overboard.
However, TikTok strikes the perfect balance when it comes to lenses. They don’t look overwhelmingly unnatural and don’t alter the structure of your face entirely, yet they enhance your features just enough to boost your confidence. This way, you can still look like yourself while adding extra flair to your selfies.
If you’d rather not use their lenses, you can tap the person icon instead to create the perfect look manually instead.
The best part about this feature is that you have full control over every detail—the size of your face, how much it smooths your skin, how white your teeth are, and more.
Using a natural filter like this saves me the trouble of editing the photo afterward while still making sure I don’t look like I’m trying to catfish anyone or set unrealistic beauty standards.
Now, I know that using TikTok, an entertainment app, to take your selfies might sound unusual. But trust me when I say, don’t knock it till you try it! You might just end up loving it like I do.
