Google Camera 8.7 is rolling out now for older Pixel phones

Kyle Bradshaw | Dec 8 2022 - 5:30 pm PT

Months after debuting on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, version 8.7 of the Google Camera app is rolling out now to older Pixel phones.

Typically, when Google releases a new line of Pixel phones, those latest models will arrive with a newer version of the Google Camera app. So was the case for the Pixel 7 series, which brought version 8.7 of Google Camera, an update that had thus far remained exclusive to those phones.

Today, a slightly newer update to the Google Camera app arrived for owners of the Pixel 7 series, bringing new ways to use the Macro Focus mode on Pixel 7 Pro. This same update to Google Camera 8.7 also arrived for owners of other currently supported Pixel phones, including the Pixel 6.

The newly launched update brings much of the same suite of changes that first debuted on the Pixel 7. You can now double-tap in the viewfinder to quickly switch between 1x and 2x zoom, and the Familiar Faces feature has returned after Google disabled it in May. It’s also easier to choose where pictures are saved — whether to the gallery or your Locked Folder — by long-pressing the preview of your last photo.

One feature (pictured above) still notably missing from the Pixel 6 Pro, even after taking the Google Camera 8.7 update, is the ability to fine-tune the amount of exposure time taken for Night Sight shots. On the Pixel 7 series, this is adjustable by tapping an indicator located to the right of the zoom slider, while earlier Pixel phones use an automatic timer for Night Sight.

So far, we’ve spotted Google Camera 8.7 arrive on the Pixel 6 Pro, but it should be rolling out now via the Play Store to all currently supported Pixel phones, going back to either the Pixel 4a or Pixel 4. If you have the update available, let us know in the comments which device you’re using and if you see any noticeably missing features.