Questions, answered
Including the ones with answers you might not want to hear — we would rather you know what iOS actually allows before you download.
How do I use my iPhone as a hidden camera?
Install Eclipse, choose a camera mask, and start capturing. The mask decides what other people see on your screen while the camera records — a black screen, a web page, a QR scanner, or an image of your choosing. You fire the shutter by tapping the screen, pressing a volume button, or using your Apple Watch.
What is a black screen camera app?
It is a camera that keeps recording while the screen appears to be switched off, so nothing lights up and no preview is visible. Eclipse does this, and also offers four other disguises, because a completely black screen can itself look conspicuous in a bright room.
Can I record video with the screen off?
Eclipse can show a black screen while it records, which is what most people mean by recording with the screen off. It cannot record while the phone is fully locked or while you are in another app — iOS does not allow any third-party app to use the camera in the background, and any app claiming otherwise is not doing what it says.
Is Eclipse free?
Yes. Downloading Eclipse is free, and it includes the default and black screen masks, photo and video capture, and the private album. Eclipse PRO unlocks the image, Safari and QR scanner masks and removes ads, at US$4.99 per month or US$29.99 per year.
Where do my photos and videos go?
Into a private album inside Eclipse, stored on your device and optionally locked behind Face ID. They do not appear in your camera roll, and they are never uploaded to us — there is no account and no cloud album. They leave the app only when you export or share them yourself.
Does it make a shutter sound?
Eclipse offers a haptic vibration instead of a sound so you can confirm a capture without an audible cue. Some regions require by law that a camera shutter sound plays, and on devices sold in those regions iOS enforces that at the system level regardless of app settings.
Can I use it with an Apple Watch?
Yes. Eclipse includes an Apple Watch app that opens the camera, switches between photo and video mode, and triggers captures from your wrist, so the phone can stay where it is.
Is it legal to use a hidden camera app?
It depends entirely on where you are and what you are recording. Many jurisdictions require the consent of the people being recorded, and recording anyone where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy is illegal in most places. Eclipse is built for situations like concerts, events, street photography and documenting things you have a right to document. You are responsible for using it lawfully.