Google Camera, or GCam, is renowned for its outstanding image processing and computational photography capabilities. While it comes pre-installed on Google Pixel devices, the exciting part is that it’s accessible on a wide range of Android smartphones. This guide will walk you through choosing the correct GCam version and installing it step-by-step.
Before You Begin
GCam Mods are not available in the Google Play Store, so when downloading and installing apps from sources outside the Google Play Store, it’s essential to be cautious. While Google Camera Mods from reputable forums like XDA Developers are generally safe, there is always a risk when dealing with third-party apps. Here are some safety tips:
- Only download Android Application Packages (APKs) from trusted sources.
- Be wary of APKs that require excessive permissions, as they could be a potential security risk.
- Regularly review your device’s security settings to disable the installation of apps from unknown sources when not needed.
- Keep your device’s software and security patches up to date to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
By following these safety precautions, you can enjoy the benefits of Google Camera Mods while minimizing the associated risks.
Why GCam?
The primary reason for installing GCam is to improve the camera capabilities of your Android smartphone. It can significantly improve the quality of the photos and videos you take.
GCam comes in many versions, known as GCam Mods (short for modification), which offer a variety of advanced features that can turn your Android smartphone into a photography powerhouse:
Better Low-Light Performance: Google Camera Mods often excel in low-light photography, producing brighter and more detailed images.
Night Sight Mode: Night Sight mode is a game-changer for low-light photography. It combines multiple exposures to capture clear and well-lit photos in almost complete darkness.
Astrophotography: With the Google Camera Mod, you can capture stunning photos of the night sky.
Improved Portraits: These mods can enhance portrait mode, creating photos with better subject-background separation and realistic bokeh effects.
Advanced Features: You gain access to advanced settings and features that might be missing in your device’s stock camera app.
Step 1: Enable Installing From Unknown Sources
Starting with Android 8.0 Oreo, the process of installing apps from unknown sources has changed. Instead of permitting to install apps from any source, you can now grant specific apps access to install from unknown sources. This change was made to improve security and protect users from malicious apps.
The steps to enable this permission, demonstrated on the Nothing Phone 1 running Android 13, should be fairly consistent across devices with Android versions running at least 8.0 Oreo.
Open your phone’s “Settings” app.
Locate the “Apps” or “Applications” section and tap on it.
Tap on “Special app access.”
Select “Install unknown apps.”
Choose the app you want to use for installing other apps. In this guide, we’re using Google Chrome to install the GCam Mod, so select Chrome.
Turn on the toggle that says “Allow from this source.”
You’re all set! Now you can tap on an APK file to install it.
Step 2: Getting the Right GCam Mod
There is no one-size-fits-all GCam mod that works on every device. The GCam mod APK will vary for each person depending on their device’s Android version, make and model, and even the chipset inside. Therefore, the first step is to carefully choose a version that is compatible with your specific device. Forums and websites are often the most sought-after and reliable sources for these mods. I’ve listed some of the trusted sources below:
In this guide, I will be using the second website mentioned, which is a repository for GCam mods. Go to the “celsoazevedo” website. Tap on “Suggested Versions” under the “Downloads” section.
This page hosts those versions of GCam that are known to work on many phones. These versions may be lacking in the most recent features, but they’re more likely to work on whatever device you have.
Depending on your Android version, tap on the drop-down menu to download the desired APK. For me, I’ll choose the Android 12+ drop-down menu as my Nothing Phone 1 runs Android 13.
Now, you can download any APK listed here in this list.
Tap on the desired APK, and you’ll be taken to its dedicated page, which hosts the download links and also gives information about the features of the APK.
Tap on any download link under the “Download” section.
Once the download begins, you should see a dialog box at the top of the screen. Tap on “Details.”
You’ll be taken to the Downloads section of Google Chrome.
Once the download finishes, tap on the APK, and you’ll be asked to install it.
Tap on “Install” and wait for the installation.
Once installed, tap on “Open.”
The GCam Mod will now ask for permission to take photos and videos. Tap on “While using the app” to allow the app to function.
Next, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to grant location access to the app. Granting location access will enrich your photos’ metadata (the time when the photo was clicked, the place where the photo was clicked, and much more), and you can look back at your memories and see where you took that photo.
Next, tap on “While using the app” to grant audio access to the GCam app so that you can have audio recorded while taking videos.
Lastly, tap on “Allow” to grant GCam storage access to store your photos and videos on your phone.
You’re set! Start taking photos or videos with the GCam mod to experience the improvements it offers.
Step 3: Keeping GCam Up-to-Date
GCam Mods are regularly getting new features and bug fixes. So, to check whether your mod has a new version available, go to the celsoazevedo site, or whatever your original source was.
Now, check for the developer of the particular GCam Mod. In the previous section, I downloaded the APK from “BigKaka”. So I’ll check for the versions available under the name “BigKaka”.
Tap on the “List of all developers & modders” button.
Check for the name of the developer and tap on it.
If a new version of the mod is available, go ahead and download it by clicking on the link.
Once the download finishes, tap on the APK, and you’ll be asked to update it. The update process is similar to the installation process detailed in the previous section.
There you go! In just a few simple steps and a little bit of effort, you now have the photography prowess of the Google Pixel phones on your non-Pixel smartphone. With features like Night Sight, astrophotography, and advanced camera controls, you can make the most of your device’s camera capabilities. Just remember to choose a compatible mod, install it safely, and enjoy capturing stunning photos and videos.