I found this hidden trick that makes Pro Controls on my iPhone 18 Pro even better — here's what it is

The iPhone 18 Pro and its larger counterpart, the Pro Max, have introduced a new feature known as Pro Controls that allows for greater manual camera control. While the variable aperture system has been the main talking point, the Pro Controls update has been a game-changer for me. The introduction of customizable Pro Controls layout has been a welcome addition, which I stumbled upon recently and found to be a significant improvement.

To customize the Pro Controls layout, open the Camera app and press and hold either the Live Photos or LED flash icon, located on the side opposite the shutter button. This will bring up an "Add Photo Controls" overlay, displaying every available manual setting icon. You can configure anywhere between two to eight controls at once. Drag and drop the chosen icons into your desired order or layout, and click "Done" to save the changes.

Once set, this customized layout will remain unchanged until you decide to make another adjustment. This level of customization greatly enhances the user experience by allowing you to have your favorite tools within reach, eliminating the need to constantly tap the six-dot icon to access settings. I find this feature particularly useful as it enables me to focus more on framing and shooting, rather than fumbling through menus.

Pro Controls customization also extends seamlessly to video recording, offering video-specific tools such as Dual Capture, Action mode, and Adaptive.