The Phone Camera Settings That Instantly Improve Your Photos

The Phone Camera Settings That Instantly Improve Your Photos24 June 2025 at 12:30Discover 11 easy ways to get the most from your phone camera settings, plus smart gear tips for clearer, sharper shots.You don’t need a fancy digital camera or the latest iPhone to take clean, sharp photos. Most of what you need is already on your phone. All that’s left is understanding how to maximise your camera settings and capabilities. This guide breaks down 11 easy ways to get better pictures using the settings and features your phone already has.

Related: The 10 Best Camera Phones You Can Buy Right Now

1. Turn on the GridlinesGridlines help you follow the “rule of thirds,” one of the most basic tricks in photography. When you turn them on, you’ll see two vertical and two horizontal lines across your screen. Place your subject where the lines intersect, not directly in the centre, to create more balanced, eye-catching images.

In your camera settings, toggle on “grid” or “gridlines.” It works on both Android and iPhone.

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2. Tap to FocusMost phones allow touch focusing. Your camera doesn’t always know what to focus on, so this feature is important. If your main subject looks blurry, tap the screen on that part of the image before taking the shot. This tells your phone what to sharpen.

It works for faces, food, objects, and anything else. Based on that spot, it also adjusts the exposure (brightness).

3. Don’t Zoom In, Move CloserZooming with your fingers reduces the photo quality because most phone cameras use digital zoom, not optical zoom. That means the camera crops and stretches the image instead of truly zooming in, which makes pictures look distorted.

The better option? Walk closer to your subject.

4. Adjust Your ExposureSometimes your photos look too dark or bright, even in good light. That’s where exposure comes in. After tapping to focus, slide your finger up or down to brighten or darken the image.

This is perfect for food photos, portraits, or backlit shots.

5. Clean Your LensIt sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Your camera lens is constantly exposed to fingerprints, dust, and pocket dirt, which can make your pictures foggy or blurry.

Use microfiber cloths or lens cleaning wipes like this:

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6. Use Night Mode Instead of FlashFlash in low light can make pictures harsh, with weird shadows or shiny skin. If your phone has a night mode, use that instead. It works by blending multiple shots to brighten the image naturally. You should only use flash if it’s daytime and your subject is in shadows.

But even night mode can only do so much if your room is poorly lit. Consider adding a portable ring light for sharper low-light shots, especially for indoor selfies or content creation.

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7. Keep Your Hand SteadyBlurry photos? It’s probably because you moved your hand while pressing the shutter. This is more likely in low-light conditions where the camera slows down to collect more light.

Hold your breath while taking the shot, or get a mini tripod. A tripod makes a huge difference if you shoot alone, film a video, or just want sharper photos.

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8. Learn Your Aspect RatiosAspect ratio is how wide your photo or video appears.

16:9 is great for landscape and video (especially if you post on YouTube or TikTok).

4:3 is square and ideal for photos.

Knowing this helps you frame better and avoid cutting off important parts.

9. Use HDR Mode for Balanced LightHDR (High Dynamic Range) combines multiple versions of a photo into one that shows more detail in dark and bright areas.

It’s great for outdoor shots, sunsets, and scenes with shadows. Just avoid using it when your subject is moving. It can cause blur.

10. Master Shutter Speed BasicsShutter speed controls how fast your camera captures a photo.

Fast shutter speed: great for motion or bright scenes (like running kids or pets in daylight).

Slow shutter speed: better for night or low-light shots, but you’ll need steady hands or a tripod.

Some phones let you adjust this manually in “Pro” or “Manual” mode.

11. Use High Resolution and Shoot in LandscapeAlways pick the highest resolution in your camera settings for sharper photos, especially if you plan to print or crop them later.

For videos, shoot in landscape mode (turn your phone sideways). It fills the screen better, looks more professional, and works best on platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

Bonus TipIf your phone has a lower-megapixel camera, which is common with many budget or mid-range Android phones, you’ll need to shoot smarter. Avoid taking wide shots from far because large subjects can lose detail quickly. Instead, move closer to your subject. Close-range shots help low-megapixel cameras capture more texture, colour, and clarity without the image turning blurry.

Small tweaks like these often make the difference between an okay picture and a stunning one. So, before you blame your phone for “not having a good camera,” try these tips.

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