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If you need Camera support on a non-Pixel Phone, visit the Camera from Google Help Center

Take photos & pick your best shot with Top Shot

Use Top Shot to take photos and save frames from a motion photo. With Top Shot, you can also pick your favorite shot. Learn how to open the Camera App.

Use Motion Mode to take an Action Pan or Long Exposure photo

  1. Open your Camera app .
  2. Scroll to Motion.
  3. Choose which blur effect to use:
    • Action Pan: Add a creative blur to the background. Hold your camera still or follow a moving subject to add a creative blur to the background. Tap Capture when you have the photo just right.
    • Long Exposure: Add a creative blur to a moving subject. Hold your camera still or follow a moving subject to add a creative blur to the subject. Tap Capture when you have the photo just right.
Action Pan or Long Exposure availability
Device Action Pan Long Exposure
Pixel 5a (5G) and earlier No No
Pixel 6 Yes Yes
Pixel 6 Pro Yes Yes
Pixel 6a No No
Pixel 7 Yes Yes
Pixel 7 Pro Yes Yes
Pixel 7a No Yes
Pixel Fold No Yes
Pixel 8 Yes Yes
Pixel 8 Pro Yes Yes
Pixel 8a No Yes
Pixel 9 Yes Yes
Pixel 9 Pro & Pixel 9 Pro XL Yes Yes
Pixel 9 Pro Fold No Yes
Tips for taking an Action Pan photo

Action Pan works best when:

  • The subject is a person with a visible face.
  • The subject is moving. Photos of still or very slow-moving subjects may show no or little effect.
  • There’s one obvious main subject. Try to keep the main subject in the foreground and in front of any other people in the photo.
  • The subject is a large part of the photo and has been in the viewfinder for more than a second before you tap capture.
Tips for taking a Long Exposure photo

Long Exposure works best when you hold your device still. Long Exposure photos start when you tap Capture. 

The length of exposure adapts to motion in the scene depending on size and speed of the item in focus.

Use Top Shot to save frames from a motion photo

When you turn on Top Shot, you can take motion photos and get recommendations of the best image.

Important: These features are only available on Pixel 3 & later, including Pixel Fold.

Turn on Top Shot

  1. Open your device's Camera app .
  2. At the bottom left, tap Settings
  3. Set Top Shot to Auto  or On .
Tip: To get help, activate Google Assistant on your Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and ask, "How do I take motion photos?" Learn more about Pixel support on Assistant.

Pick a Top Shot

Take motion photos to capture something in motion and then pick a favorite shot from your motion photo using Top Shot.

Tip: Recommended shots are saved in higher resolution and in HDR.
To save the motion photo as a video, tap More and then Export and then Video and then Export.

Related resources

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