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My work requires me to take more than a dozen photos every day. This can be a full wide photo of my ultrawide monitor, or a closeup shot of another device in my other hand while I juggle the camera phone in another. Even with one of the best Android camera phones in my pocket, this is often where the touch controls for the camera app make things a little shaky.
The good news is that you can use your phone's camera even without touching the screen. The hardware shutter button, voice commands, and smart wear accessories all can trigger your phone's camera and help make your phone photos instantly better.
Use the volume button to take photos
A physical shutter button you already have
Taking closeup shots of gadgets for my articles is a daily routine. Which means, I am usually juggling my phone in one hand and the object I need to photograph in the other, and reaching for the on-screen shutter button with that awkward grip almost always introduces enough shake to make the photo blurry or knock it out of focus. The problem is that tapping a flat screen requires you to shift your grip or stretch a finger in a way that moves the entire phone right as the shutter fires.
The fix was surprisingly simple. On my Z Flip 6, the volume button works as a shutter release button by default. So, instead of reaching across the screen, I can press the volume down button while keeping both hands wrapped around the phone. The physical button gives you a tactile press you can feel, so you know exactly when the shutter fires without needing to look at the screen. Your hand stays in position, your fingers don't block the preview, and the phone stays steady.
On most Samsung phones, this is already enabled out of the box. If it is not, open the Camera app, tap the Settings gear icon, and look for the Shooting methods option. You can set the volume button to act as a shutter, start recording video, or zoom in and out. I keep mine on shutter. One thing to keep in mind is that pressing the volume button does require slightly more force than a screen tap, which can introduce its own shake if you press too hard. A light, deliberate press works best.
This works on most Android phones, including Google Pixel, OnePlus, and most other manufacturers support the volume button as a shutter by default in their camera apps.
Use the physical button to launch the camera app
Double-tap the side button for instant access
The volume button solved my blurry photo problem, but there is another part of the equation that used to slow me down: getting the camera open fast enough. You see a great moment, and by the time you unlock your phone, find the camera app, and frame the shot, it's gone.
Most Galaxy phones let you customize what the side button does, and one of the most useful things you can assign to it is launching the camera with a double-press. On my Z Flip 6, I can double-tap the power button to jump straight into the camera, even when the screen is completely off.
To set this up, go to Settings > Advanced features > Side button, and under the Double press option, select Quick launch camera. The setting is usually enabled by default on Samsung phones, but it is worth checking. Once enabled, you can go from a dead-black screen to a live viewfinder in about a second.
Much like the volume button trick, this is not a Samsung-only trick either. Most Android phones support double-pressing the power button to open the camera. On Pixel phones, you will find it under Settings > System > Gestures > Quickly open camera. The exact path varies by manufacturer, but the feature is widely available.
There is also the lock screen shortcut. If you have the camera icon on your lock screen, you can swipe on it to launch the camera without unlocking the phone. It is a solid backup, but I find the double-tap faster because my thumb is already resting on the side button when I pull the phone out of my pocket.
Trigger the shutter with a Bluetooth accessory
Go hands-free with a remote trigger
The volume button is great for handheld shots, but there are times when you need to be away from your phone entirely. Group photos with a tripod, long-exposure night shots, or even product photos where the slightest touch would ruin the framing.
If you own a Samsung Galaxy Watch, it has a built-in Camera Controller app that turns your wrist into a remote viewfinder and shutter button. Open the app on your watch, and it automatically launches the camera on your paired phone. You get a live preview on the watch screen, and you can tap the shutter button from up to about 10 meters away. You can also set a timer, switch between photo and video modes, and even preview the shots you have taken, all from your wrist. If you want to control your phone's camera using a Galaxy Watch, the Camera Controller app comes pre-installed on all Wear OS-powered Galaxy Watches.
For those who had a Galaxy Note9 through the S24 Ultra, the S Pen used to double as a Bluetooth camera remote. A single press of the S Pen button would trigger the shutter from across the room, and a double-press would switch between the front and rear cameras. It was one of the more practical uses for the stylus. Samsung removed Bluetooth from the S Pen starting with the S25 Ultra, though, so this feature is no longer available on the latest model. If you have an older Note or Ultra with a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen, it is still worth using.
Alternatively, some tripods even come bundled with a small remote. They connect over Bluetooth just like a wireless earbud, and you press the button to fire the shutter. Most cost under $20 and slip into a pocket easily. For anyone who takes group shots, self-portraits, or timed photos regularly, a Bluetooth remote is a worthy upgrade.
Skip the screen, use the buttons
The on-screen shutter button is fine for casual snapshots where you have both hands free and plenty of time to frame the shot. But if you are doing anything even slightly more involved, whether that is photographing a product with one hand, launching the camera in a rush, or taking a group photo with a tripod, the physical controls and Bluetooth accessories will give you noticeably steadier, better-timed shots.
