Google has updated the iPhone version of its photo editing app Snapseed with its own camera, including a suite of manual controls and retro film emulation effects. It’s the second major update to the app in less than 12 months, after it had previously been left to languish by Google for years.
The Snapseed camera defaults to an automatic mode, but also includes optional controls for ISO, shutter speed, and focus, along with flash and zoom. It allows you to shoot using saved looks and edit stacks from the app, which can be altered after the shot is taken, along with a range of preset film effects inspired by specific films from Kodak, Fujifilm, and more. There’s even a handful of UI color themes to pick from too.
9to5Google reports that the camera feature quietly began to appear in December 2025, but could only be activated via lock widget, Camera Control, or the Control Center, and was never mentioned in the app’s update notes. This newest update makes the camera more accessible by bringing it directly into the main app, launched via an icon in the top-right corner, and seems to mark its official launch.
Google surprised us by updating Snapseed to version 3.0 in June 2025, with a major redesign and new features — the app’s first significant update since adding dark mode in 2021, following years of spotty support since Snapseed was acquired in 2012. That update is yet to reach the Android version, though the developers confirmed on Reddit that it’s in the works but still “a few months” away.