Android tablet: Using the camera

What you will need

Before you begin the course, check your Android tablet is charged up, switched on, and showing the Home screen. Your tablet operating software should also be up to date.

You’ll also need to be connected to your home Wi-Fi and internet, and have an email account set up on the tablet.

Remember, there are lots of different brands of Android tablet, and they all do things slightly differently. Some of the screens on your tablet might look a little different to the ones on this tip sheet, but you should still be able to follow along.

How to access the camera

The camera works whichever way you hold your tablet, and in this guide, we’ll be using portrait mode.

To access the camera, find and tap on the Camera app icon. Many tablets show this is on the Home screen, but some tablets also show it on the Lock screen. This allows you to quickly access the camera without entering your passcode, so you never miss a photo moment.

The Camera app can always be found on the Apps screen.

Swipe up from the Home screen to open the Apps screen, then find the Camera app and tap on it, so the Camera app opens ready to use.

Parts of the Camera app

The Camera app activates the camera and shows what the camera can see on the tablet’s screen. This is called the live view.

When the Camera app is open and showing the live view, it isn’t taking pictures or recording, it’s just ready to use.

There are lots of options along the edge of the live view. You can swipe left and right to explore these options, which are for taking different kinds of photos and even video.

We’re going to take a photo, so select the Photo option.

Taking a photo

To take a photo, hold the tablet so the live view is showing what you want to photograph. When you are happy with the scene, tap the middle Capture button.

The tablet will make a click like a camera, and the photo will be saved to the tablet’s Gallery app, which we’ll look at shortly.

Viewing the photo you just took

To see the photo you just took, tap the circle to the left of the Capture button. The photo will fill the display.

Adding a photo to the background

You can personalise your tablet’s Home screen by adding a photo to the background. For this example, we’re going to use the photo you just took which should still be displayed in preview mode and filling the screen. Here’s how:

1. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right of the screen to see some options.
2. From the options menu, tap Set as wallpaper.
3. In the box that pops up, tap on Home screen.
4. You’ll see a preview of how the photo will look on the Home screen. You can adjust the position of the photo with your finger.
5. Now tap Set as wallpaper.
Tap the Home button to see your new background.

Taking a selfie

A selfie is any photo taken using the tablet’s front-facing camera. Let’s take one now.

1. Open the Camera app again. Remember, it will be on the Apps screen or the Home screen. Tap on it.
2. On the live view screen, find the Selfie button and tap on it. Your face should fill the view.
3. You might need to hold the tablet out at arm’s length and at a bit of an angle to get the shot lined up the way you want.
4. Tap the Capture button to take the selfie. The photo will automatically be saved to the Gallery.

Getting the perfect selfie can take a bit of practise! If you want your selfie to show you looking directly at the camera, instead of looking at the live view like a mirror, look at the top of the tablet, where the selfie camera is.

Browsing the gallery

To see the photos you’ve taken so far in the Gallery:

1. First tap the Home button to return to the Home screen.
2. Swipe up from the bottom to show the Apps screen and find the Gallery app. Tap to open it.
3. Some Android tablets call this app something different like My Photos or Camera Roll.
4. When the app opens you should see a grid of photos with your most recent photos at the top. These small photos are called thumbnails.
5. Tap a thumbnail to make the photo fill the screen. You can view more photos in this full screen mode by swiping right for the next photo or left for the previous photo.

Deleting photos from the gallery

If you have a photo you don’t like, you can delete it easily.

1. At the bottom of the screen, find an icon of a garbage can and tap it.
2. A small box appears with two options. Tap Move to recycle bin.
3. The photo disappears, and you’ll see the next photo in the gallery instead. The unwanted photo is now deleted.

Remember that every time you take a photo or video, it is automatically saved to your tablet’s gallery. You don’t have to save the photos yourself.

How to edit photos

You can do some basic photo editing using your tablet’s Gallery app. For example, you can reduce the photo’s width or height (known as cropping), straighten an uneven shot and much more.

Let’s edit the selfie photo that’s on the screen right now.

1. Find the Edit icon at the bottom of the screen and tap it to make some controls appear. In this demonstration, it looks like a pencil.
2. You can explore these controls later, but for now we’re going to crop the photo.
3. Tap and hold one of the bottom corners of the photo and slide it upward. When you’re happy with the composition of the new photo, take your finger off the display.
4. The preview changes to show how the photo looks after cropping.
5. If you’re not happy with the preview, you can uncrop the photo by dragging the corner back down and trying again. When you’re happy with the result, tap Save at the top of the screen.

The cropped selfie has now been saved as a new photo in the Gallery. The original selfie will still be there, so you can edit it again if you want.

Sending a photo to a friend

You can send the photo using a feature of the Gmail app that lets you attach a picture.

1. Find the Share icon in the row of icons underneath your selfie. It looks like three dots connected together. Tap on it.
2. There are lots of options on the Share menu, but let’s scroll down the menu until you can see Gmail. Tap it!
3. The Gmail app opens and you’ll see the picture is already attached to the message.
4. Tap the screen to bring up the keyboard. Then tap the To box and type in the email address of whoever you’d like to send the picture to.

Sending a photo to a friend

1. Tap the Subject box, and enter a subject, and then the Compose email box and enter a short message, if you want
2. When you’re ready, tap the Send arrow.
3. Once the email has been sent, the Gmail app will close and take you back to the Gallery.
4. Tap the Home button to close the message and return to the Home screen.

Congratulations!

You’ve completed the Android tablet: Using the camera activity.

Next up, we'll learn the Android tablet: Messages and privacy activity.