Learning how to enable 10-bit color on Android is important if you take your phone photos and videos seriously. Given the performance of cameras on today’s best camera phones like the Google Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, that’s an ever-expanding pool of people.
The bit depth of a camera basically tells you how many unique colors it can render. Most smartphones and even many professional cameras only capture 8-bit color. This means that for every primary color channel used to mix the color spectrum (red, green and blue), the camera can capture 256 shades. That’s 256 shades of red, 256 shades of green and 256 shades of blue. The result is that 16.7 million possible shades of color can be captured (256 red x 256 green x 256 blue).
With a deeper bit depth of 10-bit color, your camera can capture 1024 shades per primary channel. The result is 1024 red x 1024 green x 1024 blue, which works out at 1.07 billion possible shades of color. That’s a heck of a lot more, and allows the shooter to capture a much greater range of colors, with greater accuracy, and provides greater flexibility in post-production.
This is why, for pros — especially pro videographers — bit depth is a massive deal, and why it’s super cool that modern Android devices support 10-bit.
But how do you enable 10-bit color on Android? Simply read on to find out.
How to enable 10-bit color on Android
Before we get started, it's worth noting this feature is not universal to Android devices and may not feature on your smartphone. In our testing, we found 10-bit color available for video on the Google Pixel 7, and for photos on the OnePlus 10T. You'll need to check your individual device to find out whether it supports 10-bit color.
How to enable 10-bit color photos on Android
These steps were taken on a OnePlus 10T. On a different device, the steps may vary slightly.
1. Open the camera app
Open the Camera app and tap the three dots icon (may look different based on your device e.g. it may be three lines).
2. Open the Camera app settings
Now open your camera's settings menu.
3. Toggle on 10-bit color
Simple toggle on 10-bit color if you see it, and you're all set for more color!
How to enable 10-bit color video on Android
These steps were taken on a Google Pixel 7. On a different device, the steps may vary slightly.
1. Open the video camera
Open the Camera app and swipe to Video mode.
2. Open the Settings menu
Tap the Settings dropdown to view the video camera settings.
3. Enable 10-bit HDR
Tap the 10-bit HDR icon to enable 10-bit color.
You now know how to enable 10-bit color on your Android device. Remember, though, that 10-bit photos and footage will take up more storage space than 8-bit standard footage. If you shoot 10-bit all the time, make sure you upgrade to one of the best cloud storage sites for photos.
If you enjoyed this how to and want to learn more about using your Android device, get started by checking out more Android hidden features that will make you a better photographer. You may also be interested in our general Android guides, such as how to transfer data from Android to Android and how to check Android battery health.
