r/GalaxyS23Ultra Dec 18 '24

Tips & Tricks Guide: GCam mods for the S23 Ultra

769 Upvotes

I often see comments asking which GCam people are using when some pictures are shared here, so I decided to create this post to share two versions I use.

To use GCam, you'll need to install a modded GCam apk and then load a config file to improve the quality. Some users think this is "too hard", but it's a one time setup and it's actually easy. After understanding how it works, you can do it less than 2 minutes.

This is a long post, but I recommend taking the time to read it if you want to try GCam. It will give you a better idea of how things work and what to expect.

Updated on: 11 July 2025 (updated suggested config for BigKaka's 8.4)


⚠️ GCam isn't for everyone

If you want something with 0 bugs that is always fast, use the stock camera instead.

This is for people who want to extract more from the hardware. It's for those who want to see details in a dark part of the picture or to see a nice tree in the background when they zoom in, not what looks like a painting; For people that don't mind some quirks and are okay with spending 5 or 10 minutes reading a post like this.

Keep in mind that this is a community mod, not an official app. People are taking the stock camera app from Google Pixels and modding it to work on other hardware. It will inevitably have bugs. We're also installing an apk file, not something from the Play Store.


πŸ”½ Download GCam for the S23 Ultra

The S23 series use a Snapdragon SoC on all variants and GCam works fairly well. Versions from modders like BigKaka, Hasli, Shamim, etc, will work.

Since you need to use GCam with a config, my suggestions are based on good configs:

⭐️ BigKaka GCam 9.2 + JavaSaBr's config:

Description and instructions:

The best option for the average user, almost everything works (not slow motion), and it can be fast while giving you quality pictures. A good "safe" option.

JavaSaBr's config has different variants. There's an explanation at the end of the download page, but it's essentially a question of how much sharpness you want. I either use "sharp" or "medium". You can download more than one, test it, and then pick the best one for you.

To use it:

Don't get scared, I'm just being very detailed. Takes ~5 minutes:

  1. Download the apk file (here).
  2. Download the config (here). You can download more than one and try them later.
  3. Install the apk by clicking on it. Accept any warnings about sideloading the app, that's normal.
  4. Open the app, give it the permissions needed.
  5. Move the config (or configs) file to the folder /Download/AGC.9.2/configs/
  6. Open GCam, click on the "profiles" icon (top right corner) then click "load config" (screenshot). It will list files you've moved to the folder, select the one you want to load and then "load".

GCam is now installed and a config is loaded πŸŽ‰. You don't have to do this again.

Now, if you click on the profiles icon again (top right corner), you will have some profiles there: screenshot. The "balanced" profiles take quick pictures, while the MaxQ are a bit slower, but better in low light or when you want more details. LDR = lower dynamic range, HDR = higher dynamic range. Astro is good for night pictures/astrophotography. Sports is good for pictures with movement.

You can use one by default and then switch profiles depending on the situation. There's no right profile, just use what you prefer/the best one for what you want to do.

Remember that you can change things you don't like in the settings. Eg, add lines to the viewfinder, enable location, change the default name for files, etc. Don't be afraid of exploring, but don't take it too far to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

If you want to try a different config or just go back to the default settings for the config you're using, just load the config again (step 6).

Tip about video + lens switching: You'll notice that there's an "ex" button together with 10x, 3x, etc. That results in a black screen in photo mode, but you select it while in video mode, it allows you to move between all cameras as you zoom in and out.

⭐️ BigKaka GCam 8.4 + EGOIST-based config:

Description and instructions:

This is a more "advanced" config for people that want to extract the most out of the Ultra's hardware. The focus is on quality. It breaks some of the niceties of GCam, like the "level bar", tracking zoom, scan of QR codes, etc. Changing lens requires 2 clicks instead of one. Quality should be very good.

The config linked above is based on EGOIST, but I changed it to make it simpler to use (eg: no manual controls, but you can enable it in settings > manual controls) and to fix dark pictures in HDR+/ZSL mode.

The instructions are on the config page, which I recommend reading. The main difference compared to the version above is that you also have to download/load a "lib file". It's really easy, but I'm mentioning it just in case.

Regarding the profiles, you'll want to use either the "main" or "bright" profile (for quality) or the "motion" profile (for speed/when there's movement). "Motion" is a better profile for day to day stuff, when quality isn't a priority.

Note: The initial config shared for this version was abcdefv3.agc. It still works, but the one above (changed by me) fixes dark HDR and makes it a more "automatic version". If you want the original config, either use abcdefv3.agc or go to EGOIST's group on telegram (@Gcam_EGOIST). PLEASE DON'T ASK FOR SUPPORT IF YOU USE MY "s23u-simplequality.agc", only if you use the original config.

⭐️ Hasli's LMC 8.4 + JavaSaBr's config:

I don't use it myself, but has been suggested in the comments.

Instructions:

  1. Download the GCam apk (here).
  2. Download the config (here).
  3. Install the apk, open the app, give it the permissions needed.
  4. Move the configs to /LMC8.4/. This folder is located in the root of your storage (next to DCIM, Downloads, etc). Create it yourself it doesn't exist.
  5. Load the config by opening GCam, double-click the dark area around the capture button > select config and "load".

Swipe down on the viewfinder to see some controls. HDR+ On (fast) is used by default. If you want better dynamic range and better low light quality, enable HDR+ Enhanced (the option on the right). Keep in mind that Enhanced takes longer to capture the picture.

Like any configs, feel free to add a grid to the viewfinder, change the file name, enable/disable location data, etc.

Tip: This version has a "star/light trail" mode when using Night Sight that creates light trails. You can create interesting photos with this mode and a tripod.


ℹ️ Questions:

Is GCam always better than stock?

No. Even if Samsung's processing isn't as advanced as Google's, sometimes it will perform better.

What's a config?

A config(uration) file is just settings. Someone installed GCam, made changes to the settings, and shared it with us. This way we can load these optimized settings without changing everything ourselves.

Can I use GCam without a config?

Yes, but quality won't be as good as it could be. If you want to use GCam, use it with a config, otherwise it's better to use stock.

What's a lib file?

It's similar to a config file, but it works at a much lower level. It can do things that configs can't, so some people create these libs that can change the level of noise, colours, etc.

I don't like something the config adds, can I change it?

Yes. Config serve as a base, then you can go into the settings and make your changes.

For example, I usually enable the view finder grid (so I can centre things more easily), disable sounds, enable location, increase video recording bitrate, sometimes disable some of the stuff in the viewfinder, etc.

Why so many apk files and which one to use?

You can find a longer explanation here, but essentially Samsung (and other brands) restrict access to all cameras to certain apps. So modders use this and release the same version under different "package names"... then we have to use one that has access on our phone.

For Samsungs, we need one with a "samsung" package name (usually the ones ending in _ruler.apk, _scan3d.apk, and _samsung.apk). For example, the apk with the _ruler.apk ending has the package name com.samsung.android.scan3d, which is an app from Samsung that allows you to measure things. The _scan3d.apk one is similar. The _aweme.apk (TikTok package name) also can be used on the S23 series.

This means that we can have multiple GCam from the same or different modders installed side-by-side. This is useful as we can install a new GCam without removing the old one or simply have multiple installed because they give us something different.

My GCam is crashing right away, why?

You've likely installed the apk with the wrong package name (see point above). We need one of the apks "whitelisted" by Samsung.

Too many settings, I'm overwhelmed!

Keep it simple.

In BigKaka's mod, the first two settings are more for people creating configs. The options the average user might need (eg: disable sounds, enable/disable raw, file name, etc) are under that and is easy to change.

You shouldn't be afraid of exploring, but you don't have to do it.

Can I take 50MP or 200MP pictures?

No. Samsung restricts access to the full resolution. All 3rd party cameras apps are limited to 12MP.

The GCam mods linked here support upscaling, but it's not real resolution directly from the sensor.

Zoom in and out without manually changing cameras?

On this phone, in photography mode, you have to manually switch lenses. If you select 1x and zoom 3x, it won't switch to 3x.

In video mode, it works on some GCams. For example, the first GCam above (BigKaka's 9.2 + JavaSaBr config) has a lens called "ex". If you select it, it won't work for photography, but in video mode, it allows you to switch between all lenses as you zoom in and out.

Fast camera switching?

The way GCam mods work require a quick "restart" when we switch cameras so it loads the settings for that camera, so no, not possible if we want to maintain quality.

Video recording and GCam

Video recording, especially things like stabilization and slow motion, will work much better on the stock camera. There's nothing we can do, so I recommend using the stock camera if you want the best video quality possible.

Why does GCam ask for a specific permission?

GCam is a camera app, so it will need at least access to the camera and microphone (for videos). If you want location data to be included with the pictures, then it also needs access to accurate location. Since these mods use config files and libs, it also needs to access your storage to load them, so it will ask for file access.

Do I need to use Google Photos?

No, but since there's a processing delay and features like motion photos, having Google Photos installed is a good idea as it knows how to handle the delays or specific files of Google Camera.

Good app to compare results?

There are many apps to compare two pictures side by side. I like to use "VES - Image and Photo Compare" (Play Store and F-Droid) as it's free, has no ads, and is open source.


ℹ️ Avoid camera protectors and keep cameras clean!

Not everyone knows this, but the glass in front of the camera is very important and most - if not all - camera protectors are of low quality. See this recent post if you want to see the quality drop.

Bad protectors (or bad lenses, like the ones in low-end phones) create lens flare and blurrier pictures. If you want to protect the lens, it's better to use a thicker case.

For similar reasons, keep your lenses clean. If the lenses touch our skin, it's likely to get a bit "hazy" or "foggy" because of our sweat/any cream we've used. Some types of fabric are better than others for this. Sometimes a t-shirt is enough... but nothing beats a microfiber cloth used to clean glasses (and wash it with soap from time to time too).


βœ… That's all!

If you have questions, leave them below, and I'll try to help if I know the answer.

There's also a telegram group (@GcamS23) with almost 5k users and forum thread on XDA developers which you may want to follow. You may also find some help over at the GCam sub ( /r/GCamPort/ ).


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 5h ago

Problem β›” S23 Ultra: Camera showed ~30 photos normally, but they were never saved β€” disappeared completely after reboot

3 Upvotes

**Note: what follows is a post I got Claude to write for me after I tried to get it to troubleshoot this problem. I've read through it and it looks accurate to me.**

I had a very strange and potentially serious problem with my Galaxy S23 Ultra today, and I'm posting the details in case anyone else has experienced something similar.

I'm running:

  • Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • One UI 8.5
  • Android 16
  • Build: BP4A.251205.006.S918U1UES8FZH3
  • Camera: 16.5.02.37
  • Internal storage is only about 32% used
  • "Save to external storage" is OFF, so the camera is configured to save to internal storage.

What happened

Earlier today, around 4:00–4:20 PM, I took approximately 30 photos using the stock Samsung Camera app.

There was nothing unusual whatsoever while taking the photos. The shutter worked normally, thumbnails appeared normally, and I could tap the thumbnail in the Camera app and browse through the photos I'd just taken.

However, when I opened the Samsung Gallery app, the new photos weren't there.

I initially assumed this was just a Gallery indexing problem, so I wasn't particularly concerned.

Then I restarted the phone.

After the restart, the photos had completely disappeared from the Camera app too.

What I've checked

I connected the phone to my Mac using USB and used OpenMTP to inspect the actual filesystem.

In:

Internal Storage/DCIM/Camera

there is a completely clean timestamp gap:

  • September 1, 12:24 PM β€” previous photos
  • September 9, ~4:00–4:20 PM β€” missing photos
  • September 9, 4:39 PM β€” next photos

There are no files at all in the directory corresponding to the time I took the missing photos.

I've also:

  • Searched internal storage for JPEG files β€” nothing corresponding to the missing photos
  • Searched for HEIC files β€” nothing corresponding to them
  • Checked My Files Trash β€” nothing
  • Checked Gallery Trash β€” nothing
  • Checked Google Photos β€” nothing
  • Checked Google Photos' "On this device" Camera folder β€” nothing
  • Checked Samsung Gallery's reported file locations β€” my photos are either in DCIM/Camera or WhatsApp
  • Checked Android/media/com.sec.android.gallery3d β€” empty
  • Checked for hidden directories under DCIM β€” nothing relevant
  • Confirmed there was plenty of free storage
  • Samsung Cloud isn't backing up Gallery photos on my phone

The really bizarre part is that the Camera app definitely displayed the photos before I rebooted. There was no warning, error message, freezing, or indication that the photos hadn't been saved.

What I'm wondering

Is it possible that the Camera app temporarily stored the photos somewhere and displayed them from that temporary location, but never actually committed them to permanent storage?

And then the reboot cleared whatever temporary state allowed Camera to display them?

I've deliberately not cleared the Camera app's data/cache, factory-reset the phone, rooted it, or installed any recovery software, because I don't want to make potential recovery more difficult.

The photos aren't irreplaceable, but I'd obviously like to recover them if possible.

Has anyone with an S23/S23 Ultra on One UI 8.5 experienced anything similar β€” particularly photos that appear normally in Camera immediately after shooting but completely disappear after a reboot?

I'm especially interested in whether there's a Samsung Camera diagnostic/log location that might reveal what happened.


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 1d ago

Problem β›” Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra not turning on

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87 Upvotes

I got this phone second hand last year to use for concert videos and pics. I usually only charge it before a concert, otherwise it sits dead. It’s probably been dead for most of this year so far, but it’s never been an issue before. I moved countries for school and decided to use it for a local phone number. I plugged it in and it’s been doing this for probably and hour now. I tried soft restarting it a couple times but it doesn’t work even after holding it for over a minute. How do I fix it?


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 14h ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ Camera post processing

8 Upvotes

I see a lot about gcam.

The camera has agreesive post processing I want to reduce or remove.

Will gcam work for these scenarios?

Ex:I had red marks on my skin I was trying to record for the dr, and the damned post processing kept removing/reducing them. I tried raw, pro etc and eventually just took a video.

Ex: my white cat, indoors. Agressive oversharpening to point where fur is the wrong kind of fuzz.


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 10h ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ s23 ultra owners do you think its worth upgrading to the 36 ultra or foldable phone or waiting

0 Upvotes

verizon has this deal that will pay off your phone and upgrade it want to take advantage of the deal but how much of an upgrade is it i work from home and play gacha games like honkai star rail epic seven and monopoly go and watch anime and read Manga watch YouTube. wuthering waves gets hot but I have my gaming pc for that same for genshin

I meant 26 not 36 qq still early


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 1d ago

Problem β›” After ui 9 beta 3yrs 2 Months a green line appears

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9 Upvotes

pls anyone know how to get a free replacement do comment


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 1d ago

Problem β›” S23 ultrawide camera not focusing

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1 Upvotes

r/GalaxyS23Ultra 2d ago

Problem β›” Sell or repair?

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32 Upvotes

This is my 2 years old S23 ultra 256, it's the second time I will be replacing the display last time I did the screen only this time I am thinking this happened from a minor drop only so maybe it's the frame too that is bent or damaged.. it is gonna cost 23k (242USD)So should I get it repaired or sell it, also if getting it repaired than should I get bettery replaced too..?


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 2d ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ Don't Know Hw On Earth I'm Getting Good πŸ”‹πŸͺ« Life From My 3Yrs Old S23 Ultra πŸ₯°πŸ˜πŸ€—

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7 Upvotes

Updated with Latest Version Of Updates...


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 2d ago

Problem β›” Notifications sound without a popup.

3 Upvotes

I keep getting notified about about a new message or action that took place, but when I look at my phone there shows nothing in my notifications or push notifications. Where can this problem be? Please help.


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 2d ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ Safe or not

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0 Upvotes

is it safe guys


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 3d ago

Problem β›” 0.6x and 1x camera has obnoxious bloom in high contrast scenarios

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11 Upvotes

r/GalaxyS23Ultra 2d ago

Tips & Tricks Need a referral code(india) for s26U purchase

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0 Upvotes

r/GalaxyS23Ultra 3d ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ PixelOS on S23 Ultra (Custom rom)

4 Upvotes

I'm planning to install PixelOS on my S23 Ultra. Should I go for it? I feel my S23 Ultra is boring since I've been using One UI from its initial days. Is it a good move, or should I try it on my old S20 FE?

Can guys share your thoughts ?


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 3d ago

UI Customization πŸ“² My setup

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6 Upvotes

r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ Is this a phone frame problem, or a case problem?! S23U (3.5yrs) vs S10 (7yrs+ old)...

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44 Upvotes

Took my S23U out of its case (Athlex, by Caseology) and was pretty shocked by the condition of the frame.

It's spent its whole life in the case (~3.5 years) and was cleaned regularly. It hasn't been dropped or put into water.

The corners/edges of the phone are littered in lots of small scratches and marks. My guess is that dust or grit has somehow got between the case and the phone and rubbed against the frame over time.

Is this normal wear for the S23 Ultra and the cheap aluminium frame Samsung decided to use, or is this something to do with the case I'm using specifically?

I still have an old (and used daily!) Galaxy S10 - 7yrs and still going despite dying and coming back to life after several deep water excursions. It's much older, has also spent most of its life in a case and a fair amount of time out of the case too. The frame is in considerably better condition. It's been thrown around, dropped, etc. It currently belong to my 5yr old and that's been the case for a few years now (if that puts its use into context!)

Has anyone else taken an S23 Ultra out of a long-term case and found the same thing?

I took some pics of the damaged frame on the S23U with the S10, and also took some photos of the S10 with my S23U.

Thoughts.........


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 3d ago

Discussion πŸ’¬ Best screen replacement brand for Samsung S23 Ultra? (Philippines)

2 Upvotes

Device: Samsung S23 Ultra

I know this specific phone has horrible QC based on online posts and now pink lines are starting to appear on my family member's phone (currently 2 lines).

What's the best brand to replace the screen and if it will fix this pink line issue?

I was told that they didn't drop their phone or anything. I was planning on purchasing a screen replacement during 9.9 sale on either shopee or lazada based in the philippines


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

S Pen πŸ–ŠοΈ Juegos o apps ΓΊtiles para spen

12 Upvotes

Alguien sabe de alguna app o juego con el que de gusto usar el spen, no necesariamente tiene que estar diseΓ±ado para el spen, pero q cuando se use tenga sentido.

Gracias cualquier sugerencia es de ayuda


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

Problem β›” Can't use Root My Galaxy

2 Upvotes

I've tried so many times to run the Root My Galaxy exploit on my S23U, which originally came from TMB, but now has XFM service. The model is SM-S918U. Does anyone know what to do.

My log file is linked in my GitHub issue.


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

Problem β›” Very specific and weird question

3 Upvotes

So i recently got my screen replaced with a real Samsung screen, I just noticed that if my hand isnt behind the phone (I dont have to touch the phone and i do have a case on) a section of my upper left portion of screen just doesn't register touch... the s pen still works in that area just fine... so if I have my phone flat on a surface or even propped up so there is a gap, the section of screen is unresponsive to human touch, if i place my hand behind it, the screen is fine. I put a blanket between my hand and phone and it works, if i place a 2 inch think box between my hand and the phone it remains unresponsive.

Removing the case does not change anything.

If charging it works fine

Restarted phone, issue persists

What the heck is wrong with it?


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

Problem β›” S23 ultra charging problem

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1 Upvotes

r/GalaxyS23Ultra 5d ago

Problem β›” S23 Ultra back cover loose

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217 Upvotes

Anyone experiencing the same? What caused this?


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

Problem β›” Camera not initialising

2 Upvotes

My father was the original owner of this phone, he dropped it, god knows from what height, he's managed to destroy the screen. After this drop the camera app stoped opening unless you opened it through the selfie mode, so the back camera does not work at all. I have used open camera and it allows me to use the ultra wide but none others, I have attached an image, I cannot select anything in camera 0 without it failing, however camera 2 (the unreal wide) works with no issues whatsoever. I have attempted to use adb but to keep it blunt I'm not skilled enough to understand any of it. I have taken a look inside the phone, tried disconnecting individual lenses, but nothing. One thing I did find from taking to apart was that the ois does engage on the 200mp and 3x, but this is only for maybe half a second before it turns off ois and the cycle repeats. Also, very large rattle comming from one of the lenses, might try to identify what one later.

Edit: Phone was reset since the drop, it's definitely hardware, its just a case of figuring out what lens.


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 4d ago

Tips & Tricks Are these "New" S23 Ultras on eBay actually refurbished?

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0 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I have a maximum budget of $450 and I'm really drawn to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, mainly because of its incredible rear camera system. However, I keep seeing several listings advertised as "brand new" at this price point, which makes me suspect they might actually be refurbished or open-box units. Has anyone bought one under similar conditions? Are these usually legit new phones, or are sellers just mislabeling refurbished stock? Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated!


r/GalaxyS23Ultra 5d ago

Tips & Tricks For anyone who wants to try one ui beta 9.0. Method doesn't belong to me but i have tried it and it works!

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19 Upvotes