An active lens cover for a device, such as a smart phone with a dual lens camera. The camera lens that faces the user and the camera lens that faces away from the user are not directly behind each other, but are slightly offset. The active lens cover is advantageously in the shape of a "U", which allows a single cover to be used to protect both lenses. The offset arrangement of the two lenses allows the facing lens be exposed by sliding the lens cover in one direction, and the away lens to be exposed by sliding the lens cover in the opposite direction. When the lens cover is slid to expose the facing camera lens, the camera phone automatically turns ON and enters a pre-selected operating mode. When the cover is slid in the opposite direction to expose the away camera lens, the camera phone automatically turns ON and enters another pre-selected operating mode. The housing of the U-cover includes at least one sensor that tells the device's CPU what hardware to activate. In the preferred embodiment, the user is able to seamlessly switch between transmitting a video feed from either camera during a telephone call.