5 Simple Ways To Make Your Android Phone Photos Look Instantly Better

Modern Android smartphones have incredibly capable cameras built-in.

Despite this, many photos taken in everyday life still end up being disappointing: blurry faces, overexposed skies, and lost details. However, the issue often lies not in the technology itself, but in the failure to utilize important features in the rush of the moment or when capturing quick snapshots.

With the following five quick tips, you can significantly enhance the performance of your phone’s camera. These tricks are designed for spontaneous photography, catering to amateurs rather than professional photographers, and are compatible with almost any modern Android smartphone.

Looking to upgrade your hardware? Check out our guide to the best camera phones available.

1. Tap and hold briefly – for fixing focus and exposure

This tip is particularly useful for portraits, pets, food, or detailed shots. When you want to focus on a specific subject, it’s beneficial to lock the focus and exposure deliberately. By doing so, the camera remains stable, resulting in a calmer and clearer photo.

Here’s how:

• Open the camera app
• Tap on your desired subject
• Hold your finger on the display for 1-2 seconds
• A lock or sun symbol will appear
• Now, take the photo

What you achieve:

• The main subject remains in focus, even with a busy background
• The brightness stays consistent, avoiding last-minute changes before capturing the shot
• The success rate of spontaneous photos increases significantly

2. Digital zoom up to 1.5x – offers more natural proportions

This technique works well for capturing people, objects, or street scenes when shooting from a distance. A moderate digital zoom can enhance images by reducing extreme wide-angle distortion, resulting in more natural-looking faces, straighter lines, and calmer image edges.

Here’s how:

• Open the camera
• Zoom in to 1.2x to a maximum of 1.5x
• Capture photos from a slightly greater distance

However, it’s essential to use the zoom feature sparingly. Beyond approximately 2x, image quality tends to suffer unless you have a high-quality telephoto lens. Details become exaggerated, and in low-light conditions, digital zoom can increase image noise. In such scenarios, avoiding digital zoom is preferable.

What you get:

• People and objects appear less distorted compared to using a wide-angle camera
• You can select the image section more precisely without moving closer
• Quick shots appear more consistent and balanced

3. Use continuous shooting – perfect for movement, sports, and children

Continuous shooting is invaluable when capturing moving subjects quickly. Children, animals, group photos, or bustling street scenes can be challenging to photograph in a single shot. Continuous shooting removes the time pressure, allowing you to select the best photo later on.

Here’s how:

• Open the camera
• Hold down the shutter button
• Multiple photos will be captured automatically
• Select the best picture afterwards

Some Android galleries assist in this process by automatically identifying the sharpest or best image in the series. On Pixel devices, “Top Photo” is usually active: swipe up on the photo in the gallery view to save the perfect moment from a short sequence as a single image.

The benefit for you:

• Movement shots become more reliable
• Blurry or unfavorable shots are less noticeable
• Facial expressions appear more natural, reducing the chances of missing the perfect moment

4. Manually control exposure – improves high contrast situations

High Dynamic Range (HDR) shines when there are both light and dark areas in the same image. Scenarios like cloudy skies, window facades, or sunlit landscapes benefit from manual exposure control. Relying on automatic settings in such situations often leads to blown-out highlights or overly dark shadows.

Here’s how:

• Open the camera
• Ensure ‘Quick access controls’ is enabled in settings
• Tap the brightest area in the viewfinder, like the sky
• A slider (sun icon) will appear
• Adjust the slider slightly downward until details in the bright area are visible without darkening the rest of the image too much
• Take the photo

What you achieve:

• Preservation of details in both bright and dark areas of the image
• High-contrast scenes appear more balanced and realistic
• Richer colors without appearing artificial

5. Volume button as the shutter button – for steadier photos

Using the shutter button on the display can be challenging, especially when taking photos with one hand or from unconventional angles. The volume button offers a distinct press point and is easily accessible, resulting in a steadier grip on the smartphone when capturing images. In many cases, using the volume button as the shutter button is recommended.

Here’s how:

• Hold your smartphone with both hands
• Use the volume button to release the shutter
• Exhale briefly, then press the button

Note: Most Android smartphones have the volume button set as the camera shutter button by default. If not, this function can be activated in the camera settings.

What you get:

• Reduced camera shake when capturing photos
• Enhanced control, especially for quick snapshots
• Improved stability in camera positioning

Capturing good photos with a phone often involves minor adjustments rather than advanced technology. By using your camera cleverly and being aware of hidden features, you can maximize the potential of Android smartphones.

This article was originally published on our sister website PC-WELT and has been translated and adapted from German.