# Pixel Camera

12 Hacker News commenters recommended Pixel Camera and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Recommended for good photos and full hardware use, and it works on GrapheneOS with network access denied. Critics say it forces Google Photos as the gallery.

## Why people recommend it

- Works on GrapheneOS (5 comments): "You can run the proprietary Pixel camera software on GrapheneOS just fine (properly sandboxed)." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47048095)) "You can use Pixel Camera on GrapheneOS even without sandboxed Google Play in the same profile" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47053166)) "You can even use the proprietary Pixel Camera on GrapheneOS and just deny network permissions" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47279737))
- Full features with no issues (2 comments): "I didn't notice any issues with Camera except for not being able to open the photo just taken from the camera interface." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47213051)) "The Pixel camera app works, including all modes and settings." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47047287))
- Good photos and hardware use (2 comments): "I resort to using Pixel's camera app with internet permission disabled to be able to take advantage of my hardware." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47280377)) "it takes beautiful pictures but the pixel camera locks in google photos for it's gallery" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49331211))

## What people warn about

- Locks you into Google Photos (4 comments): "it takes beautiful pictures but the pixel camera locks in google photos for it's gallery" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49331211)) "If you want a good camera you need to install Pixel camera, and they leverage that to lock you into Google Photos." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47203500)) "One negative of the Pixel camera app is that it forces Google Photos as the gallery app" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47278900))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [iPhone camera](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-camera-app.md): 8 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Pixel Camera", https://hackerapproved.com/p/pixel-camera/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).