How to improve the quality of pictures on Android: from camera settings to post-processing

The quality of photos on Android smartphones depends on dozens of factors: from camera hardware capabilities to image processing algorithms. Even budget models Xiaomi Redmi or Samsung Galaxy A-series can take pictures at the level of flagships from 5 years ago - if you configure them correctly. But what to do when the photos turn out blurry, noisy or low resolution?

Many users mistakenly believe that they can only improve picture quality with an expensive phone or professional applications. In fact, 80% of problems is solved by basic camera settings, proper lighting and post-processing. In this article we will look at 7 working methods from changing the resolution of images to using neural networks for upscaling.

It is important to understand: the physical limitations of the matrix cannot be circumvented. If your smartphone is equipped with a camera with a 12 MP aperture, don't expect miracles - but even in this case, you can get the most out of the available hardware. Let's start with the simplest thing - optimizing the default camera settings. f/2.2, don’t expect miracles - but even in this case, you can get the most out of the available hardware. Let's start with the simplest thing - optimizing the default camera settings.

1. Check your current camera settings

Most users never look into the advanced camera settings, but in vain. Manufacturers often hide options there that directly affect the quality of pictures. For example, in Samsung Galaxy S23 the default setting may be photo compression, and in Xiaomi 13 Pro there may be automatic exposure correction, which “blurs out” details.

The first thing you need to do:

• 📸 Image resolution. Go to Camera settings → Resolution and select the maximum value (for example, 12 MP 4:3 instead of 9 MP 16:9). On some models Huawei this menu is hidden in Additional → Photo size.
• 🔍 Saving format. If there is an option HEIF/HEIC or RAWenable it - these formats preserve more detail with the same file weight. But keep in mind: RAW takes up 3-5 times more space.
• ⚡ HDR mode. Turn on HDR+ (u Google Pixel) or Super HDR (u Xiaomi). This improves dynamic range, but may slightly increase noise in dark areas.

On Samsung Galaxy pay attention to the option Scene Optimizer —it automatically adjusts the settings to the type of scene (portrait, landscape, food). In tests DXOMARK this function showed contradictory results: sometimes it improved colors, sometimes it overdid it with saturation. We recommend testing its on/off in different conditions.

⚠️ Attention: On budget smartphones (for example, Redmi 9A or Galaxy M12) forcibly increasing the resolution to the maximum can lead to loss of detail due to software upscaling. In this case, it is better to leave the native resolution of the matrix.

2. Use shooting modes as intended

Modern Android smartphones offer dozens of modes - from Night to Professional. But most users shoot only in Auto, missing out on the opportunity to improve quality. Let's take a look at when to use which mode:

Mode	When to use	What improves	Limitations
Night	Low light (evening, indoors)	Brightness, noise reduction, shadow details	Requires a steady hand or tripod
Portrait	For shooting people with a blurred background	Object clarity, bokeh effect	Works only at a distance of 1-2 m
Professional	For manual adjustment of ISO, shutter speed, white balance	Control over all parameters	Requires knowledge of photography
Macro	For shooting small objects (flowers, insects)	Detailing close ones objects	Works only with the main camera

It especially stands out night mode. In tests Google Pixel 7 Pro he showed results comparable to shooting with a DSLR at ISO 3200, but without the noise typical of cameras. The main rule: do not move the phone during shooting, the algorithm adds up several frames, and the slightest shift will ruin the result.

For portrait shooting on Xiaomi i Oppo it is useful to enable the option Natural lighting —it imitates studio light, smoothing out the shadows on the face. But it’s better to turn off the AI-scene mode: it often makes mistakes in determining the type of scene, for example, mistaking a sunset for “food”.

3. Optimize shooting conditions

No settings will save the photo if the shooting was initially carried out in unfavorable conditions. Here 3 key factorsthat are worth paying attention to:

• 💡 Lighting. Natural light is better than artificial light. Avoid shooting against the sun - this leads to overexposure and silhouettes. The optimal time for street photography is the “golden time” (the first hour after sunrise or before sunset).
• 🧲 Stabilization. Even slight hand shaking will result in blur. Use a tripod or rest your elbows on a hard surface. On Google Pixel i Samsung Galaxy S22+ there is an option Super Steadythat compensates for jitter by trimming the edges of the frame.
• 📏 Distance to object. The optimal distance for most cameras is 1-3 meters. When shooting at a close distance (less than 30 cm), turn on Macro mode, otherwise autofocus will “jump.”

Pay attention to light sources in the frame. Incandescent lamps give a yellowish tint (white balance ~2700K), and fluorescent lamps give a greenish tint (~4000K). On Huawei P60 Pro and the newest Pixel there is automatic color temperature correction, but in difficult conditions it is better to adjust the white balance manually.

⚠️ Attention: When shooting through glass (for example, shop windows or windows), turn off HDR —it can create artifacts due to reflections. Also avoid using flash when photographing people at close range: this leads to red-eye and hard shadows.

How to check the aperture of your camera?

Open the camera app and look at the aperture value (f/1.8, f/2.2 and etc.) in professional mode. The smaller the number after f/, the better the aperture ratio. For example, f/1.8 transmits 2 times more light than f/2.8.

4. Applications to improve the quality of photos

If the native camera of your Android smartphone is limited in functionality, you should pay attention to third-party applications. They offer advanced processing algorithms, support RAW, and manual settings. Here are the top 5 proven solutions:

• 📱 Google Camera (GCam). Ported version of the camera from Pixel with unique HDR+ i Night Sight. Works on most smartphones on Qualcomm Snapdragon (requires correct XML configuration).
• 🎨 Adobe Lightroom. Powerful editor with RAWsupport, presets and precise color correction. The free version allows you to export photos in resolution up to 4000×3000.
• 🔍 Open Camera. Open software with support for manual settings, interval shooting and saving in DNG (RAW). Suitable for older devices on Android 5.0+.
• 🌃 Night Camera. A specialized application for night photography with multi-frame processing. More effective than the standard night mode on budget smartphones.
• 🤖 Focos. Allows you to change the depth of field after shooting (portrait mode emulation). It even works on devices with one camera.

To install GCam you will need to download the APK from the forum XDA Developers (look for the version for your model) and the configuration file. This gives an increase in detail by Xiaomi Mi 11 And OnePlus 9 Pro this gives an increase in detail by 15-20% compared to the standard camera. However, on some devices (for example Realme 8 Pro) all functions may not work due to manufacturer restrictions.

If you need increase the resolution an already taken photo, try:

• 🔎 Remini - uses AI to upscaling and restoration of details.
• 🖼️ Let's Enhance —increases resolution by 2-4 times without loss of quality (works through the cloud).

Download the correct version of APK for your processor|Find the XML config for your model|Disable the standard camera in the settings|Configure HDR+ Enhanced in the GCam parameters|Test all lenses (main, telephoto, wide-angle)-->

5. Post-processing: from basic correction to AI

Even a perfectly taken photo can be improved using post-processing. Modern tools allow you to:

• 🎛️ Correct exposure and contrast
• 🎨 Adjust colors and white balance
• 🔍 Remove noise and compression artifacts
• 🖼️ Increase resolution without loss quality

For basic processing, the built-in editor is suitable Google Photos:

1. Open the photo → click Edit.
2. In section High adjust Exposure and Shadows.
3. B Color correct Saturation and Hue.
4. Use Crop to cropping (preserve proportions 4:3 or 16:9).

For advanced processing we recommend Snapseed (from Google) or Lightroom Mobile. For example, Snapseed has a tool Selective correction, which allows you to lighten only the dark areas of the photo without affecting the rest. And in Lightroom you can use Masks for spot edits (for example, remove red eyes or brighten the face).

For increasing resolution without loss of quality, neural network tools are suitable:

• 🤖 Topaz Gigapixel AI (PC) - enlarges the photo to 600% with restoration of details.
• 🌐 BigJPG (online) - free enlarges images to 4000×4000.
• 📱 Remini (mobile) - improves faces and textures, but can add artifacts.

⚠️ Attention: When the resolution is increased by neural networks details are restored artificially this is not real detail, but an AI prediction. For example, in a photo with text after upscaling, the letters may become clearer, but not necessarily. accurate.

6. Hardware limitations: when all else fails

Unfortunately, not all problems with photo quality can be solved with software. There are hardware limitations that cannot be circumvented:

• 📷 Matrix size. In budget smartphones (for example, Redmi Note 10), the matrix is physically smaller than in flagships (Galaxy S23 Ultra). This means lower aperture and poorer detail.
• 🔍 Lack of optical stabilization. Without OIS, photos in low light will be blurry, even with software stabilization.
• 🎯 Lens quality. Cheap plastic lenses create chromatic aberrations (colored halos at the edges).

If your smartphone is older than 2019, most likely it has:

• Matrix resolution 12-16 MP with pixel size 1.0-1.4 microns (modern flagships have 1.0 microns smaller, but with better optics).
• No support 10-bit HDR (color range limited to 8 bits).
• No dedicated processor for image processing (for example, Samsung Exynos ISP or Google Tensor).

In such cases the only way to radically improve the quality —use an external camera connected via USB-C (for example, Sony QX10 or DJI Osmo Mobileor consider buying a smartphone with a better camera - for example, Google Pixel 7a or Xiaomi 13 Ultrawho are leading in the ranking DXOMARK in terms of price/quality ratio.

7. Hidden features of manufacturers

Many brands hide hidden functions in the firmware that can be activated through engineering menu or special commands. Here are some working tricks:

• 📱 Samsung: enable Camera2 API. Allows you to use GCam and manual settings in third-party applications. Activated via code:

  ##2432546##

  (may not work in some regions).

• 🤖 Xiaomi: unlock 48 MP. models (for example Redmi Note 10 Pro), by default, pictures are taken in 12 MP with pixel binning. To shoot in full resolution, in the camera settings select 48 MP.
• 🎯 Google Pixel: forced HDR+. In GCam you can enable HDR+ Enhanced even on older models (Pixel 3 XL), which improves detail in the shadows.

On devices Huawei and Honor there is a hidden mode Master AI 2.0that analyzes the scene in more detail than standard AI. To enable it:

1. Open the camera.
2. Swipe left to the mode Pro.
3. Touch the icon in the top menu and hold for 3 seconds. On AI in the top menu and hold for 3 seconds.

On OnePlus you can activate an improved processing algorithm, which is disabled by default. data-i="280">Go to UltraShot HDR — improved processing algorithm, which is disabled by default. To do this:

1. Go to Camera Settings → Advanced.
2. Enable UltraShot HDR i Dynamic Range Optimization.

⚠️ Attention: Some hidden functions may conflict with the firmware or lead to overheating of the camera. For example, forced. turning on 48 MP on Redmi Note 9 increases the image processing time to 5-7 seconds.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about improving photo quality

Is it possible to improve the quality of photos on an old Android smartphone (2016-2018)?

Yes, but with reservations. On devices older than 5 years (for example, Samsung Galaxy S7 or Xiaomi Mi 5), the matrix and processor are physically limited. you can:

• Shoot in RAW and process in Lightroom.
• Use GCam with the correct config (increase up to 15-20%).
• Use neural network upscaling (Remini, BigJPG).

But don't expect miracles - the detail will be inferior to modern state employees.

Why are photos on Telegram/VK/Instagram getting worse?

Social networks and instant messengers compress images when loading:

• Telegram: compresses to 1200×1200 (if sent as a "photo") or up to 4000×4000 (if sent as a "file").
• Instagram: maximum resolution - 1080×1350, the color profile is converted to sRGB.
• VK: compresses to 2048px on the long side with ~85% quality.

To minimize losses, upload photos to PNG (if supported) or use cloud services (Google Photos in original quality).

Which format is better: JPEG, HEIF or RAW?

Depends on the task:

• JPEG: universal, but loses quality when editing. Weight: ~5-8 MB for 12 MP.
• HEIF/HEIC: JPEG is better in quality with the same weight, but not all apps support it Weight: ~3-5 MB for 12 MP.
• RAW (DNG): maximum quality for post-processing, but takes up ~20-30 MB per image. Suitable for professionals.

For most users, HEIF (if the phone supports) or JPEG at maximum quality.

Do applications like "HD Camera" or "Super Camera" help improve quality?

No, these applications are dummies. They cannot physically improve the quality of the matrix or lens. At best, they offer:

• Additional filters (which can be applied in the standard editor).
• Manual settings (which are available in Open Camera or Pro Mode).
• Advertising and paid subscriptions.

The only useful third-party cameras are GCam (for Snapdragon devices) and ProCam X (for manual settings).

Is it possible to improve the quality of screenshots on Android?

Screenshots on Android are taken at screen resolution, and their quality depends on:

• Pixel density (PPI) of the display. On Galaxy S23 Ultra (500 PPI) screenshots will be clearer than on Redmi 9 (268 PPI).
• save format. By default - PNG (lossless), but some shells (for example, MIUI) convert to JPEG.

To improve screenshots:

1. Use applications like Screenshot Touch to save to PNG.
2. Increase the scale of the interface in Settings → Screen → Font and display size (this will increase the screen resolution).
3. Process the screenshot in Lightroom (enlarge sharpness and contrast).