What is the Camera2 API? How to Enable?

The Camera2 API is a bridge that allows you to take full advantage of Google camera or a 3rd party camera application on your Android phone. The Camera2 API was introduced by Google at the Android 5.0 event in 2015. The main purpose of the Camera2 API is to improve camera quality by controlling some important camera features such as shutter speed, RAW shooting, white balance.

Camera2 API comes enabled on all phones released with Android 9 and above. When an Android device supports Camera2 API, the application can access the features that can use the camera more effectively and take full advantage of the camera sensor.

Is Camera2 API enabled on my phone?

You can activate the Camera2 API by editing the build.prop file using a special file manager with Root permission. Follow the guide below.

Requirements

Bootloader is unlocked (If bootloader is locked, unlocking guide)
Having root permission.
A Rooted base file manager for editing build.prop (eg: Root Explorer or MiXplore) or Terminal Emulator.

File Manager Method

If you meet all the requirements, what you need to do is very simple. Open the build.prop file located in /system (the main directory entered with the root permission) with the recommended file manager and add the following code to the end, save it and restart your phone.

persist.vendor.camera.HAL3.enabled=1 persist.camera.HAL3.enabled=1

Terminal Emulator Method

Enabling the Camera2 API with Terminal Emulator is a much less complex alternative method. Open the Terminal Emulator app and paste the following code (The application will ask for Root permission. Allow it.):

su su persist.camera.HAL3.enabled 1 exit exit

With this app, you can check the result. If you get the result below, you have successfully enabled the Camera2 API.

Can I enable the Camera2 API without Root permission?

You cannot enable the Camera2 API without Root permission. If you have Custom Recovery, you can enable it by adding the necessary codes to build.prop.

Code: