Adjust photography settings

Before you take a photo, you can adjust settings to get the best photo for your situation.

Use a timer

TipUse a tabletop tripod to stabilize the phone when taking timed shots.
  1. If you're taking a selfie, touch .
  2. Touch > Timer, then select number of seconds.
  3. Frame your shot, and when you're ready, touch to start the countdown.
  4. Take your place in the shot (if you're taking a selfie, simply wait) and smile!

Use a flash

To set the flash mode (off, always on, or auto), tap on the Camera screen.

Use a grid for framing

Enable a grid in your viewfinder to better frame your shots and check your camera tilt.

  1. On the Camera screen, tap Settings.
  2. Turn Assistive grid on .

To get rid of grid lines, turn Assistive grid off .

Use HDR in high-contrast lighting

Taking a photo of a bright scene that also includes dark shadows? Use HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode. The camera captures multiple exposure levels and combines them into a single photo for vibrant colors and more detail in both light and dark areas.

To set HDR mode (off, always on, or auto mode), tap on the Camera screen.

HDR is best for:

  • Landscapes with bright sky and shaded hills or foliage
  • Outdoor portraits with lots of contrast
  • Backlit scenes with dark shadows and streams of sunlight
  • When both the camera and subject are stationary

Do not use HDR for:

  • Action shots
  • Low-light indoor photos
  • When you want to use the flash or the front camera

When the camera detects a high contrast scene, it automatically goes into HDR mode, and HDR appears in the viewfinder. Consider whether HDR mode would improve the photo or not.

Use anti-flicker

To prevent horizontal or vertical lines (banding) on your photos and flickering in your videos, change the anti-flicker setting. You may notice flickering when you use the camera under fluorescent light or when you capture a TV screen. It occurs when the camera’s frame rate differs from the frequency of the electrical grid of your current region. North America and a few other regions use 60Hz, while the rest of the world uses 50Hz.

Your camera is set to auto, but if you experience issues, change the setting:

  1. On the viewfinder, touch > Anti-flicker.
  2. Select a frequency.

Use beauty filter

Your camera includes a filter that can:

  • Soften and even skin tone
  • Brighten face
  • Add a rosy tone

To use the filter:

  1. Camera screen, tap .
  2. Use the slider to adjust the intensity of the filter.
  3. Smile and tap to take the picture.

Adjust photo size

Lower resolution photos and videos take up less space, but have lower image quality.

  1. On the Camera screen, tap Settings.
  2. Tap Photo size.

  3. Select size to use for new photos:

    • To display pictures that fill your HDTV or widescreen monitor without cropping, use 16:9 widescreen mode.
    • To print 5″x7″ or 8″x10″ photos, use 4:3 standard mode.
    • In general, use smaller file sizes (MP) for photos you'll share; use larger sizes for photos you'll print or edit.
TipIf you're running low on internal storage, adjust settings to save new photos on your SD card.

Fix an issue

If you’re having issues, try these troubleshooting steps.