How to Take a Picture on Your Android Phone: Beginner's Guide + Tips

PDF download Download Article
How to use the camera and take screenshots
PDF download Download Article

Today, most Android phones have at least one front-facing and rear-facing camera. The quality of smartphone cameras is getting better and better, too. In addition to taking pictures with your camera, you can also take screenshots on your phone to capture whatever is on the screen. This wikiHow article teaches you how to take pictures on your Android, featuring expert tips from photographer Andrea Enger.

Taking a Picture on Android

  1. Open the Camera app.
  2. Select the front or rear-facing camera.
  3. Use pinch-zoom to zoom in (optional).
  4. Tap to focus the camera.
  5. Tap the large white button to take a picture.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using the Camera

PDF download Download Article
  1. Most of the time, the camera app icon can be found on the home screen. It has an icon that resembles a camera.
    • If you cannot find the camera icon, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Apps menu. Search for the camera icon in the Apps menu. You may need to swipe left or right to view the different screens
  2. 2
    Select which camera you want to use. Tap the icon that resembles two arrows in the shape of a circle to switch between the front-facing and rear-facing camera.
    • The front-facing camera is good for taking selfies. The rear-facing camera is better for taking pictures of other things and things at a distance. The rear-facing camera generally takes better quality pictures at a higher resolution.
    Advertisement
  3. Tap the icon that resembles a lightning bolt at the top of the screen to enable or disable the flash. If you are taking pictures in a dark environment, you may want to enable the flash.
    • The flash usually only works with the rear-facing camera.
  4. 4
    Zoom in (optional). You can generally zoom in by using the pinch-zoom gesture on your phone. To do so, place your thumb and index finger on the screen. Bring them together to zoom in, and spread them apart to zoom out. You can also tap 1x , 2x , 3x etc or use the slider bar at the bottom of the screen to zoom in and out.
    • Warning: Zooming in can make pictures look grainy and pixelated. Generally, it’s best only to use a small amount of zoom or none at all.
  5. 5
    Set the timer (optional). The timer is useful if you want to get in the picture before taking it. It will count down before taking a picture. To set a timer, tap the icon that resembles a clock timer and then select how many seconds you want to count down. Generally, you can select 3 seconds or 10 seconds.
    • If you don’t see the Timer icon, tap the icon that resembles four squares on the right side of the screen above the shutter button.
  6. Tap on the subject you would like to capture to focus the camera on it.
  7. 7
    Take the picture. To do so, tap the shutter button at the bottom-center of the screen. It resembles a large white circle.
  8. 8
    Preview the image. Tap the small icon in the lower-right corner to view your pictures. You can also use the Gallery or Google Photos app to view your pictures.
    9. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Taking a Screenshot

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Find something on your phone you want to capture. This can be a social media post, a meme, an image, a text message, or anything on your phone screen that you want to save as a picture.
    • Not all apps allow you to take screenshots. Apps that deal with sensitive information, such as bank apps and password managers, may not allow you to take screenshots. Additionally, if you screenshot a chat in Snapchat, the other party will be notified.
  2. 2
    Take a screenshot. There are a couple of ways you can take a screenshot on Android. Use one of the following steps to do so:
    • Hand gesture: Place the side of your hand on the left side of the screen and swipe from left to right with the edge of your hand to take a screenshot using the hand gesture.
    • Button combination: Press Power and Volume Down at the same time to take a screenshot. If that doesn’t work, press and hold the Power button and then tap Screenshot.
  3. 3
    Take a scrolling screenshot (optional). A scrolling screenshot allows you to scroll down in the app you are using and add more to the screenshot. This is useful if you are taking a screenshot of a document or the comments on a social media post. To take a scrolling screenshot, tap the scrolling icon or Capture more at the bottom of the screen. It has an icon that resembles a square with two arrows pointing down.
    • You can tap the scrolling icon multiple times to scroll multiple times.
  4. 4
    Crop an image (optional). If you want to capture a small portion of the screen, such as an image, you can crop the image. To do so, tap the Crop icon. It resembles two angles forming a square with a marker over it. Then drag the corners of the image inward so that they highlight the section of the screen you want to capture. Then tap the Save icon, which resembles a square with an arrow pointing down.
  5. 5
    Mark up the image (optional). If you want to markup a screenshot after taking a screenshot, tap the Crop icon or the icon that resembles a pen. Select a marker type and then tap a colored square to select a color. Use your fingers or a stylus to draw on the image. Then tap the Save icon when you are done. The Save icon resembles a square with an arrow pointing down.
  6. 6
    Review your screenshots. You can generally find your screenshots in the Gallery of the Google Photos app. They may be in a folder titled “Screenshots” or something similar.
    7. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Taking Quality Pictures

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Clean your camera lens. This may go without saying, but smudges and smears on your camera lens will make your photos blurrier. Use glass cleaner to clean your camera lens.
  2. 2
    Use filters on your photos. Filters can adjust the color and mood of a photo. You can use filters to take a black and white photo or make the color pop. To access filters, tap the icon that resembles three overlapping circles. Then tap one of the filters at the bottom of the screen to preview it.
    • You can also use third-party apps, such as Photoshop Express, to apply filters and edit photos after you have taken them.
    • According to Enger, you can use the Polarize filter to reduce reflections when taking pictures of shiny objects, such as cars. [1]
  3. 3
    Enable HDR. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. This is a color mode used on film and photos to bring out more color in a photo. If HDR is not enabled by default, you can enable it in the Settings menu. Tap the icon that resembles a gear to open the Settings menu.
    • If you don’t see the Gear icon, tap the icon that resembles four squares on the side of the screen above the shutter button.
  4. 4
    Enable and use the composition grid. The composition grid displays a 3x3 grid over the screen when you take pictures. Aligning the subject of your photo with the lines on the grid makes for better composition in photography. This is called the rule of thirds.
  5. 5
    Use natural light whenever possible. Sunlight is the best source of lighting. If you can take pictures outdoors, that’s perfect. If you are taking indoor photos, try to get some sunlight from the windows.
    • According to Enger, the time of day makes a big difference in the quality of the photo. A little cloud cover can change the lighting and mood of a photo. [2]
    • Sunrise is the best time to take outdoor photos. This is often called the golden hour.
    • If you can’t take an outdoor photo, you can purchase a ring light to get pretty good indoor lighting. They are pretty inexpensive.
  6. 6
    Use the right setting for the shot. You can access different camera modes by tapping the Settings/Gear icon, or by tapping More at the bottom of the screen. Then select the right camera mode for your shot. [3]
    • If you are taking a selfie or taking a picture of food, you may want to use Portrait Mode.
    • If you are taking a landscape or cityscape photo, you may want to use Landscape Mode.
    • Use Night Mode if you are taking pictures at night.
    • Pro Mode will take pictures with more detail. It will also give you access to professional features, such as shutter speed. You can adjust the shutter speed depending on your light conditions. A slower shutter speed will allow more light to get into the camera, but will also produce blurrier photos. It is useful for taking pictures at night.
  7. 7
    Use a tripod or phone stand. Too much jerky motion from holding your phone can result in blurry photos. To keep your pictures steady, invest in a tripod or phone stand that can hold your phone while you take your pictures.
  8. 8
    Take multiple pictures. You often don’t get the best pictures on the first try. Take multiple pictures. Go back and save the ones you like later on. Try taking pictures from multiple angles.
    9. Advertisement



Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What is the Polaroid mode for?
    Community Answer
    It's a filter. If you use it, the picture will look different. There are more filters, so look through them all and find what you like.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 4
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      Download APKs from Google Play: A Step-by-Step Guide
      How to
      Download & Install an APK on Android: Full APK Guide
      How to
      Hide Apps on Android
      How to
      Check What Apps You Have Installed on Android
      The Complete Guide to Your Phone’s Settings App
      Downloading and Installing WhatsApp to Your Android Device
      How to
      Know Chat ID on Telegram on Android
      How to
      Open the Google Play Store on Android
      How to
      Install Google Play on Android
      How to
      Update WhatsApp on Android + Troubleshooting
      A Complete Guide to Lucky Patcher for Android
      How to
      Use the Google Play Store
      How to
      Get in App Purchases for Free (Android)
      How to
      Hack Your Favorite Android Games with Game Guardian
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ Andrea Enger. Photographer. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ Andrea Enger. Photographer. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ https://www.tcl.com/global/en/blog/tips/how-to-take-good-photos-with-your-phone

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 56,775 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Lorraine Fournier

        Jul 31, 2018

        "This tutorial is right on, the best ever. It is concise, to the point, and brief; the graphics are superb in its ..." more
        Rated this article:
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement