How To Enable Camera2 API In Android Phones

Camera2 API has become one of the most important factors in assessing the capabilities of a smartphone’s camera. If you are impressed by its features, you can also try to enable it on your smartphone.

In this article, we describe the steps to enable the Camera2 API on an Android phone.

What is Camera2 API?

When it was launched, Google did not approve the legacy camera API and asked developers to implement the new Camera API 2 on Android smartphones. But it didn’t happen very fast. Only a few premium smartphones now come with this integrated feature. That’s not what Google wanted to happen. However, you can still know how to enable Camera API 2 support on your Android smartphone with some simple settings.

Google Pixel 3, 4 uses the Camera2 API settings, which is why it has such an impressive camera. I’m sure there will be many phones that will be launched in 2019 with the Camera2 API.

Note: We would like to inform you that we are not responsible for any harmful effects during this process. Make these changes at your own risk.

Also Read: How To Check iPhone Battery Charge Cycle Count No Jailbreak Required

How to enable the Camera2 API on Android smartphones

There are several ways to enable the Camera2 API on Android smartphones. But you must understand that you will always need a properly rooted Android phone to change ROM settings. Therefore, a phone with root is essential to enable the Camera2 API. If you have it, follow each of the following methods and check if it works.

Note: There is no official list of phones compatible with the Camera2 API

Enable camera 2 API in Build.prop

It is one of the perfect methods to enable many of Android’s hidden features on smartphones. You can also enable Camera API 2 with Build.prop. However, you must understand that this method has only fifty and fifty chances of success. It works on smartphones equipped with Camera2 API support in ROM but has disabled its functionality for other reasons.

Follow the steps carefully.

1. Download and install any file management app from the Google Play Store, which supports the main browser. Here, we use the most popular, i.e. ES File Manager.
2. Switch to the system partition on your Android phone rooted and find the file called Build.prop.
3. Open the Build.prop file using the text editor.
4. Inside the Build.prop file, look for this line:

persist.camera.HAL3.enabled=0

5. Edit 0 to 1, then save and exit Build.prop and restart the phone.
6. You can then check if it worked by starting a third-party camera app like Open Camera.

Enable Camera2 API with a terminal emulator

The first method to be enabled, camera2api, works on almost all Android smartphones with root and compatible. However, in some cases, it will not work as expected. If you have bad luck with the first method, you can try this second method, which is more comfortable and includes zero complications. Remember, you will need root access on your phone to do so. Follow the steps carefully:

1. Download and install the Google Play terminal emulator app.
2. Open the app and execute the following commands:

su

su persist.camera.HAL3.enabled 1

exit

exit

3. Now restart your phone and check with the Open Camera app.

Here are the steps to enable the Camera2 API on compatible Android smartphones. If you are trying the previous steps on a non-root phone, you will not succeed as expected. Anyway, try it and tell us your doubts in the comments section.

How to check if the Android smartphone is compatible with the Camera2 API

1. Install the Camera2 API Probe
2. Start the app and look for two sections: Camera ID: 0 and Camera ID: 1. The first is the rear camera, while the second is the front camera.
3. In Camera-ID, explore a sub-category with the name “Hardware Level Support Category”. This is where you can find the support level of the Camera2 API on your phone.
4. In order for your phone to be compatible with the 2 API camera, you need at least Level 3 or Full. In this case, the Camera 2 API is enabled for you.

If you see a green sign next to Level 3 or full, it means that it is enabled.

Camera2 API levels

There are four levels of Camera 2 API or rather support category at the hardware level (Camera 2 API hardware support level)

• Level 3: In addition to FULL, the OEM added its customization, included features such as RAW, Pro mode, etc.
• Full: the smartphone camera supports all the significant features of the Camera2 API.
• Limited: the camera supports only some of the features of the Camera2 API.
• Legacy: the phone is compatible only with Camera1 API features

The difference between Camera 2 API level 3 and full is huge. OEM’s can offer many features in addition to the Camera 2 API to take it a step further by adding YUV reprocessing, RAW image capture and more.