6 things your phone camera can do that have nothing to do with photos

Your phone’s camera might be the most underrated tool you own. It’s always with you and capable of far more than just capturing photos and scanning QR codes. What makes this possible is the powerful combination of sensors and processing power packed into modern smartphones.

The sad part is, most people either don’t know about these abilities or rarely use them. You can use your phone's camera to measure objects, identify stuff, translate text, and even detect things your eyes cannot see, like infrared light or subtle flickering. All you need is the right app and a willingness to point your camera at the world a little differently.

Measure objects and surface area

Because eyeballing never works

One of the most underrated tricks your phone’s camera can pull off is acting as a digital tape measure. It's not something you would need every day, but when you do, it can be incredibly convenient. You can simply point your phone's camera to measure the length of an object, your friend’s height, and even the area of your room.

All you need to do is download the Measure app on your Android or iPhone. It uses the camera and depth sensors to measure things.

Of course, it’s not a replacement for professional tools, and you probably shouldn’t use it to build a house. But for things like checking if the TV will fit the wall or if the table can squeeze through a doorway, it can save you from a lot of guesswork.

Detect infrared lights and flickering

See what your eyes can’t

Our eyes are incredibly powerful, but they still miss a lot of what’s happening around us. Your phone’s camera, however, sees a slightly different version of reality.

For instance, phone cameras can detect infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye. TV remotes, security cameras, and many smart home devices have it. You can point your phone camera at a remote, press any button, and you should see a light if it’s working. If you see nothing, it means the batteries are dead or the remote needs fixing.

Related video: 5 things most iPhone users didn't know their phone could do (The Hearty Soul)

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5 things most iPhone users didn't know their phone could do

Five things most iPhone users didn't know their phone could

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Your phone camera can also expose flickering lights that look perfectly steady. If an LED bulb or screen is flickering, your eyes usually won’t catch it. But that invisible flicker can give you headaches or eye strain over time. You can point your phone’s camera at the light source, and you might see bands, pulses, or waves moving across the screen. If you do, that light is not as stable as it seems.

Measure your heart rate

A fun way to check your pulse

Your phone can also measure your heart rate using nothing more than the camera and your fingertip. The way it works is simple but genius. When you place your finger over the camera lens, the flash shines light through your skin.

Each time your heart beats, blood flow in your finger changes slightly. The camera can detect these shifts in color and brightness and measure the heart rate based on that. All you need is an app like Heart Rate Monitor and about 30 seconds.

Of course, this is by no means a replacement for medical equipment, but rather a convenient way to get a rough idea of your pulse.

Turn your phone into a magnifier

No need to squint your eyes

Most smartphones these days have ridiculously powerful cameras that can zoom as far as to the moon (or at least that is what the marketing would have you believe). But the most practical use of that power is to turn your phone into a magnifier.

You can install the Magnifier app on your phone and then use it to read the serial number of a product, the ingredient list on a food packet, and even zoom in on signage far away.

These apps also offer tools that make a big difference. You can adjust the contrast to make text pop, turn on flash for better lighting, or invert colors, so text becomes easier on the eyes. You can even freeze the image to study it without holding your phone still.

Scan documents, translate text, and identify things

Point, scan, understand

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it’s still one of the most useful things your phone camera can do. You can point your camera at a piece of paper and turn it into a PDF. It’s incredibly handy when you want to digitize receipts, documents, and handwritten notes, then save them as PDFs. You can use an app like Adobe Scan to do this.

Translation is another feature that’s incredibly useful in everyday life. When you come across a product labeled in a foreign language or are traveling to a different country, you can point your camera at the text and translate into in your local language.

For this, you need the Lens feature in the Google app. Beyond translation, it can also identify objects, landmarks, plants, animals, and products by just pointing your camera at them.

Most of us obsess over camera clarity and details, but the truth is, some of the most useful camera features have nothing to do with photography. And the best part is that these phone camera uses are not locked behind paid apps or a steep learning curve.