How do you take a picture with voice command on Android?
Taking photos using just your voice is a convenient hands-free feature available on many Android phones. With voice command capabilities, you can easily capture photos without needing to tap any buttons on your phone’s screen or camera app. This article provides a brief overview of how to use voice commands to take photos on Android devices.
Prerequisites
To take a picture using voice commands on an Android phone, there are a few prerequisites:
You need an Android phone with voice command capabilities. Most modern Android phones support voice commands through Google Assistant, but you’ll want to double check your phone model to ensure it has this feature enabled.
Google Assistant needs to be enabled and set up on your device. You can activate Google Assistant by installing the Google app from the Play Store and following the setup prompts. Make sure Google Assistant permissions are allowed.
You’ll need a camera app on your phone that specifically supports voice commands. The default Camera app on Pixel phones works great. Or you can download a third party camera app like InstaShot that is optimized for voice control.
Activate Google Assistant
To use voice commands with your Android camera app, you first need to make sure Google Assistant is enabled and can detect the “Hey Google” hotword. Here are the steps:
Open the Google Assistant settings by saying “Hey Google, open Assistant settings.” You can also find the app in your list of installed apps. See this Google support article for more details.
In the settings, go to the section for Voice Match. Make sure “Hey Google” detection is toggled on. This allows your device to listen for the hotword and activate Google Assistant.
You may also want to train the Voice Match model so Google Assistant can recognize your voice. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the voice training.
Once you’ve enabled “Hey Google” detection and trained your voice, Google Assistant will be ready to respond to voice commands from your camera app.
Open Camera App
The next step is to open the camera app on your Android device. You have two options here:
1. Open the default camera app that comes pre-installed on your Android device. This may or may not have voice command capabilities built-in.
2. Download and install a third-party camera app from the Google Play Store that has specific support for voice commands. Some popular options include Voice Selfie, Camera MX, Camera360, and others. These apps allow you to use voice commands to take photos hands-free.
If you want full voice control capabilities, a dedicated camera app is recommended. But the default camera may work fine too depending on your device model and Android version. Once you have the camera app open, you are ready to start using voice commands.
Give the Command
To give the voice command to take a picture, you need to activate Google Assistant first. There are two main ways to do this:
Press the microphone icon on your Android device. This is usually located on the home screen or in the Google search bar. Tapping this will activate Google Assistant and allow it to listen for your command.
Say “Okay Google” or “Hey Google.” If you have voice activation enabled, saying this wake phrase will activate Google Assistant without needing to touch your device.
Once Google Assistant is listening, simply say your command. To take a picture, say “Take a picture” or “Take a photo.” Google Assistant will then activate your camera app and immediately take a picture.
You can also use alternative phrasing like “Capture an image,” “Snap a pic,” or “Click a photo” instead of the standard commands.
Camera Settings
In addition to taking photos, Google Assistant on Android can also control various camera settings like zoom, flash, HDR and more using just your voice1. Common voice commands include:
- “Ok Google, turn on HDR”
- “Ok Google, turn off the flash”
- “Ok Google, zoom in/out”
This allows you to adjust the camera settings hands-free, which is useful if your phone is mounted on a tripod or you just want a quicker way to toggle settings. Do note that the specific supported commands may vary across Android devices and camera apps. On Samsung Galaxy phones, you may need to enable “Camera voice control” in the Camera settings first for voice commands to work.
Alternative Commands
In addition to saying “take a picture” or “take photo”, there are other voice commands you can try when using voice control with your Android camera app.[1] Some common alternative phrases include saying “Smile”, “Cheese”, or “Capture” to take a photo. You can also try saying “Record video” to start capturing video on your camera.[2]
The specific alternate voice commands may vary depending on your device model and camera app. On some Samsung Galaxy phones for example, you can say “Smile”, “Cheese”, “Shoot”, or “Record video” as alternative voice commands.[3] Trying out a few different phrases can help you find the right voice commands that work consistently on your Android device.
Gesture Control
Another hands-free way to take photos with your Android phone is by using gesture control. With gesture control enabled, you can simply wave your hand in front of the front-facing camera to capture an image, no voice command needed. This can be especially useful if you are in a loud environment or do not want to make any noise.
To enable gesture control on your Android device, first make sure you have Android 9 or higher. Then go to Settings > Accessibility > Switch Access and toggle it on. Select “Camera Switch” and you will be able to assign different hand gestures to camera functions.
For example, you can set it so waving your hand left or right will switch between front and back cameras. Making a fist or pinching your fingers together can be set to capture a photo. You can customize the gestures to your preferences.
According to an article on The Verge, “Gesture control for the camera on Android 12 is an accessibility feature, but it’s useful for so many situations.” (source)
So if you want a hands-free way to take photos without saying a word, be sure to try out gesture control on your Android phone.
Troubleshooting
If you are having issues getting voice commands to work properly with your Android camera app, here are some tips for improving accuracy and fixing common problems:
Tips for Improving Voice Command Accuracy
Make sure you are speaking clearly and enunciating words when giving voice commands. Speak at a normal volume and pace into your phone’s microphone. Reduce background noise if possible. Train your voice model by going through the voice training process in your Android device’s Settings. This will help it better recognize your voice (source).
Fixes for Common Issues
Check that Google Assistant is enabled and you have granted it microphone permissions. Make sure your Android device is connected to the internet. Close and re-open the Camera app. Restart your Android device. Clear the Camera app’s cache and data. Check for Android updates and update the Google app. Factory reset your device if issues persist (source).
You can also try using an alternative wake phrase besides “Ok Google,” like “Hey Google.” Some users have reported better response from this phrase. Check the Google Assistant and Camera app settings for a setting to change the wake phrase (source).
Conclusion
In summary, using voice commands to take pictures on Android devices requires just a few simple steps. First, make sure Google Assistant is activated and working properly. Then open your preferred camera app and press the mic icon or say “Ok Google” to activate it. Give a clear command like “Take a picture” or “Capture photo” and your phone will snap a hands-free photo for you.
The main benefits of using voice activated camera features are convenience and flexibility. You don’t have to fumble with pressing tiny on-screen shutter buttons or timers. This allows you to easily take selfies, group shots, and photos from creative angles or while your phone is mounted. Voice commands also enable hands-free operation which is safer for activities like cycling or hiking. Overall, it’s a useful feature that can enhance and simplify mobile photography.