Why does my phone say 'device not supported'?

Some phones can't run two cameras at once — that needs Android 11+ and specific hardware. On those phones, instead of a live dual preview, Bothshot takes the back photo first, counts down, then takes the front photo and merges them automatically.

Can I record video on a phone that doesn't support dual cameras?

No. Video needs a phone that can run both cameras live at the same time. On phones without that support, only the photo mode (back photo, then front, merged) is available.

Does the video have sound?

Yes, if you allow microphone access, sound is recorded into the same video file.

Do I get two separate photos?

No. The front and back cameras are merged into one photo or one video file.

Can I change the layout after taking a photo?

Yes, you can switch between PiP, top-bottom and side-by-side after the photo is taken.

Can I adjust the countdown timer?

Yes, the wait between the back photo and the front photo can be set from 1 to 3 seconds.

Do I need to sign up?

No. There's no account. Results are saved to your phone's gallery (Pictures/Bothshot, Movies/Bothshot).

Are my photos or videos uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything stays on your phone; nothing is uploaded. The app is supported by ads.

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Why dual camera apps say 'not supported' (and how to still shoot front and back)

Short answer: running both cameras at once requires Android 11 or later plus camera hardware that supports it, and a lot of mid-range and older phones don't meet that bar. That's why an app can show a black screen or a 'device not supported' message. On those phones, you can still get a front-and-back photo by taking the back photo first and the front photo right after, then merging them.

1. What 'concurrent camera' actually means

Showing a live front preview and a live back preview together requires Android to open both camera sensors at the same time. That capability exists as an API from Android 11 onward, but whether it actually works depends on the phone's chipset and manufacturer.

So two phones on the same Android version can behave very differently: one shows both previews live, another opens only one camera or freezes. Reviews like "gets stuck on a black screen" and "6 ads and the app did not start" are usually this hardware limit showing through an app that doesn't handle it.

2. How to check if your phone supports it

You don't need a spec sheet — just open a dual camera app and watch the preview.

Open a dual camera app and go to the camera screen
If both front and back update live at the same time, your phone supports it
A black screen, a frozen screen, or only one camera showing means it doesn't
That's not a dead end — you can still get a combined photo a different way

3. What unsupported phones can do instead

If both cameras can't run at once, they have to run one after another. The app takes the back photo first, waits through a short 1-3 second countdown, then takes the front photo and merges the two into one image. It's not a live preview, but the result is the same: one photo with both front and back.

This workaround only applies to photos. Video needs both cameras running live for the whole clip, so recording isn't available on phones without concurrent camera support.

4. How Bothshot handles it

Bothshot checks whether your phone supports concurrent cameras. If it does, you get a live PiP, top-bottom or side-by-side preview and shoot right away. If it doesn't, Bothshot takes the back photo, counts down, then takes the front photo and merges them automatically into your gallery. Either way, you end up with one photo showing both sides.

The countdown is adjustable from 1 to 3 seconds, so you have time to get ready for the front camera after the back photo is taken.

Front and back in one photo, even without dual-camera hardware

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