Recently installed Google Camera Port APK on your Android device and it is not working properly? Here’s a list of all possible issues and methods to fix them.

Google has managed to earn a reputation for the camera on their Pixel line-up of devices. While most of the manufacturers are opting for a dual camera setup to achieve good camera results, what Google is delivering with just a single camera setup is basically magic.

Many of our users have reported that they could see a significant difference in the quality of images taken via the ported Google Camera app when compared to the stock camera that ships with their devices. The reason is, all the magic in the Google Camera Apps happens in the software and only a very little depends on the hardware.

Google Camera Port Problems and Fixes

Google camera APK is being ported to many Android devices as we speak and it works great for a lot of users. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect in every sense. Many users face a variety of issues all the time. Below is a list of all the issues and their possible solutions.

Black Screen/Viewfinder:

Fix 1:
– You may need to install the front camera fix for it to work.

Fix 2:
– If you can’t install the front camera fix (link above), see if there’s a “Disable Front Camera HDR” or “Fix Black Screen” setting on the settings menu. Turn it on and restart the app.

Fix 3:
– The GCam version you’re using isn’t fully compatible with the 3/3T or your ROM. Try a different version.

Front camera limitation:

A bug on OnePlus code means that 3T users need to install the front camera fix in order to have access to the 16MP resolution.

Can’t install the app:

Fix 1:
– If you already have a Google Camera app installed, try to remove it first before installing a new one.

Fix 2:
– The version you’re trying to install is not compatible with your Android version. Use a different APK.

Motion photos not working:

Fix 1:
– Motion photos don’t work on Android 7.x, only Android 8.x.

Fix 2:
– This feature requires Google Photos. Other gallery apps will display still images.

Fix 3:
– On older versions, motion photos require specific settings for it to work. Usually, you need to use a Pixel config and a 16:9 resolution instead of the default 4:3. Check the “suggested settings” next to the download link for more info.

App crashing just after being opened:

Fix 1:
– You may need to install the front camera fix for it to work.

Fix 2:
Older versions may not work on newer Android versions (and vice versa). Try an older APK if using an outdated Android version, or a more recent APK if using the latest Android version.

Fix 3:
If it happens after you upgraded to a new version or after changing the app settings, there’s a chance you’re using not compatible settings. Clean the app data or uninstall and reinstall the app again.

Fix 4:
Using a root file manager/explorer, delete the following files (ignore the ones you can’t find), and try again:

/system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.camera.experimental2016.xml
/system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.camera.experimental2017.xml
/system/framework/com.google.android.camera.experimental2016.jar
/system/framework/com.google.android.camera.experimental2017.jar

In some cases, you also need to reflash an updated GApps package after removing the files. Keep in mind that dirty flashing GApps can cause some issues if the GApps you already have installed is old. A nandroid (TWRP) backup or a clean install is recommended.

Fix 5:
Google Camera only runs on ROMs with the Camera2 API enabled and some ROMs don’t have this enabled. To enable:
– Flash the HAL3_Enabler.zip (by joshuous; use this zip to revert the change), or:
– Edit the build.prop:
— Search for “persist.camera.HAL3.enabled=0” and change it from 0 to 1;
— If you can’t find it, add this: persist.camera.HAL3.enabled=1
— Reboot

App crashing after taking pictures:

There’s a big chance you’re using the wrong settings and it causes the app to crash. Check the main post for suggested settings/app versions.

Can’t open photos from inside the app:

Fix 1:
Go to “Debugging and tools”, uncheck “camera.use_photos” and restart the app.

Fix 2:
Install the Google Photos app and try again.

Overexposed pictures:

There are 3 HDR options on most APKs: HDR off, HDR+ On, and HDR+ Enhanced (HDR off, HDR+ Auto, and HDR+ On on older versions.):

Try to use HDR+ enhanced (last option). While it’s slower, it takes better photos on hard conditions:

Slow motion crash:

On Android 8 (Oreo):
This feature is broken on Android 8 (custom and stock ROMs).

If you need slow motion, some users reported that the Nokia Camera and that OnePlus’ stock camera (v2.5.x) have slow motion working.

On Android 7.x:
This happens on ROMs that don’t enable slow motion on their media_profiles.xml file. To fix this, you have a few options (tested on OP3 and OP3T only):

– If you use Magisk, use this Magisk (by H0lmEd) or the HEVC+60fps+SloMo enabler module, or:
– Flash this zip on TWRP: slow-motion-enable.zip (by frickinjerms), or:
– Replace the media_profiles.xml file yourself with the one from LineageOS using ADB or a root file manager:
— Download the updated media_profiles.xml
— Move it to /root/system/etc
— Set the correct file permissions if needed rw-r–r– (0644)
— Reboot
— (more info on this thread)

Ask ROMs developers to merge this change.

Black and white pictures:

Fix 1:
Change one of the settings (eg: disable camera sounds), restart the app, and try again.

Fix 2:
Reinstall the app (remove and install). Sometimes settings from old versions cause issues.

The issue you are facing is still not fixed yet? Do drop a comment below with the below details:

• Your device/model
• The version of Android you are running.
• The version of Google Camera APK you used.

We’d try our best to provide a solution for you!

Credits: Issues and Fixes are compiled by XDA Senior Member S4turno. You can visit the original post here.