S Pen Camera Remote: Can the S25 Ultra S Pen Take Pictures?

Using your S Pen to take photos from afar only works on certain Samsung Galaxy phones.

You can use your S Pen as a remote shutter button on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Note phones, for example. But you can’t do it on the Galaxy S25 Ultra or Galaxy S26 Ultra because Samsung removed Bluetooth from the S Pen.

Confused why your S Pen won’t work as a remote shutter button? Here’s everything you need to know.

Which Galaxy phones can use the S Pen as a camera remote?

Some S Pens have Bluetooth LE for Air actions, some don’t.

Without a BLE connection there won’t be any Air actions available, including the remote shutter.

Samsung lists which phones have Air actions support here.

Why the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra S Pen can't take pictures

In January 2025, SamMobile confirmed that the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen had lost its Bluetooth. Without it, the pen can’t talk to the phone from a distance, so Air actions are gone, and with them the remote clicker for the Camera app. The S26 Ultra kept the same kind of pen. That means the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s S Pen also doesn’t support Air actions, as confirmed by Samsung’s website.

Samsung’s reason was usage. During a media briefing (via Engadget), the company said that fewer than 1% of S Pen users take advantage of Air actions, and of that tiny percentage, most just use it to snap pics. Samsung also claimed the change makes the S Pen more durable and slightly lighter.

Can you use a different S Pen? No. Samsung briefly mentioned in a blog post that it would be selling a separate Bluetooth-enabled S Pen for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but took that statement down later (via Notebookcheck). Samsung also said the Galaxy S25 Ultra does not support Bluetooth-enabled S Pen controls, regardless of the S Pen you’re using.

On its S Pen comparison page, Samsung confirms that the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra support the S Pen Pro, with a note that Air actions aren’t supported on either phone. The S Pen Creator Edition doesn’t have Bluetooth either.

Still, you can do a lot with the S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra. You can still write with it, hover, and access the Air command menu. You can still take pics with it, too, by tapping the on-screen shutter. More on that below.

How to use the S Pen as a camera remote on the S24 Ultra

The steps below come from Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra support page and the Galaxy S24 series user guide. The same menu path applies to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S23 Ultra and other models that support Air actions, according to Samsung’s general Air actions page.

There are also some additional options available in the Camera app which you can find listed in the user guide for the S24 series.

• Quickly press the button twice to switch between front/rear cameras.
• Long press the button to take continuous shots.
• Long press the button and move the pen left/right to switch shooting mode.
• Long press the button to launch the camera from apps other than Camera.

The Bluetooth S Pen can be used as a camera shutter button from up to 10m away from the phone (Samsung’s figure, from its UK support page). Actual range may vary depending on a number of factors, e.g. obstacles such as walls or people, radio interference etc.

If the connection is lost for any reason, the S Pen icon in the status bar will be shown in grey. To reconnect, simply place the S Pen back into the slot.

How to take a photo without touching an S25 Ultra or S26 Ultra

However, don’t fret about losing that pen button since there are actually four different hands-free ways to take a shot in the Camera app (plus the timer). To find them, head over to Shooting methods in Camera settings. On the S26 with One UI 8.5, Samsung’s user guide navigates there using the four-dot Quick controls button, then the gear icon. On an S25 Ultra with One UI 9, it’s in the same location.

For the timer, tap Quick controls and then tap the clock icon. Select 2, 5 or 10 seconds, which are the timings that Samsung shows for the S25. Timer multi-photo options (via Camera Assistant, a free app from Samsung) will also take multiple shots per countdown if that’s helpful. Depending on the situation, our camera timer guide suggests the right delay.

Voice commands are also supported. Enable them under Shooting methods and then just say Smile, Cheese, Capture or Shoot to take a photo, or Record video to start recording a video (per Samsung’s Galaxy A17 support page, but it’s the same option on the S25 and S26). It works for more than selfies, too. This could also come in handy for tripod group shots. Just keep in mind that this may not be as reliable in noisy environments, so reach for the trusty old 2/5/10 second delay (available via Quick controls > clock icon) in those situations.

For selfies, you can also enable Show palm. When you launch the front camera with Show palm enabled, it’ll detect your face, and when you hold up your open palm, it’ll take the shot after a countdown. It doesn’t work with the rear camera and your hand may end up in the shot, so it’s probably best used for solo selfies. Our selfie camera settings guide covers the rest of the front camera.

If you’re holding your phone high or low (say to shoot across a crowd or above a puddle) and struggling to reach the Shutter button, you can enable the Floating Shutter button and drag it wherever’s most convenient.

Got a Galaxy Watch? It’s the best replacement for the S Pen remote. Just make sure you have Camera Controller on your watch and launch it. It’ll launch the Camera app on your phone and you’ll see a live view from your phone’s camera on your watch. From there, you can tap Capture to take the shot, tap the Timer icon to enable a delay, or flick up to switch cameras. You can also shoot videos. Just make sure you select Video mode on your phone first and then tap Record on your watch.

This works with a Galaxy Watch (original Galaxy Watch and Watch Active models, Galaxy Watch3, Galaxy Watch4 through Galaxy Watch8, and Galaxy Watch Ultra) and a Galaxy S9 or newer (so yes, S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra), according to Samsung. It also notes that some camera modes aren’t supported.

A Bluetooth remote (often supplied with tripods) can be handy, and we compare several in our tripod guide, all with a claimed 10m range. If your remote acts more like a volume control, make sure you set Press Volume buttons to Take pictures or record videos under Shooting methods.

Or tap the on-screen shutter lightly with the tip of the S Pen. This can also help if you’re shooting with your Galaxy phone on a tripod (especially if you use the 2-second timer so any vibrations have time to dissipate). Turn on Camera Assistant’s Quick tap shutter if you’d prefer your Galaxy phone to take the photo when you touch the shutter button instead of when you let go.

When a remote shutter matters for photography

Except in these four cases, a remote (or one of the aforementioned solutions) isn’t necessary.

• Long exposures on a tripod: Use Pro mode with a low ISO and a shutter speed of a few seconds or more. Touching the screen to initiate the shot can introduce shake. In our Pro mode guide we provide starting values for cityscapes and light trails.
• Night mode with the phone on a stand: Because Night mode stitches together multiple shots, the phone has to stay still during the exposure. Our Night mode guide shows how to brace it.
• The night sky: Use Expert RAW’s Astrophoto mode to capture stars and the Milky Way. Don’t touch the phone during these lengthy exposures, which can last several minutes. Start with our astrophotography guide.
• Group shots: Use your watch or voice commands to capture multiple group photos, so you don’t have to keep walking back and forth to snap pictures.

On a tripod, use the timer as a default to avoid shake from tapping the screen.

Voice or watch activation can be useful for unpredictable moments (a child turning towards the camera, a big wave etc.).

Which option should you use?

If you still have an S24 Ultra or earlier, don’t ditch your S Pen just yet. It doubles as a camera remote and allows you to take burst photos and switch cameras.

If you’re shooting on a tripod or filming yourself, a Galaxy Watch is the best remote you can get since you can see what’s being filmed on the watch’s screen. Voice commands will also help with taking group photos on the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra, and a two-second timer with tripod shots. Both are free. A Bluetooth-enabled photo remote (which you can usually get with a tripod) covers the rest.

Worried about losing the S Pen remote? Unless you use your S Pen daily to snap pics, there’s little reason to skip the S26 Ultra’s 200MP f/1.4 primary camera and 50MP ultrawide camera. (DXOMARK says it takes better pictures in low light than the S25 Ultra, at least.) Our S26 Ultra camera guide and S25 Ultra camera guide cover the rest.

Limits and common problems

• Neither the S25 Ultra nor S26 Ultra offers a setting or downloadable app that enables you to remotely shoot a photo using the S Pen.
• If you’re using an older model of the Galaxy S Ultra and your flat S Pen isn’t connecting, make sure you’ve charged it by placing it back into its slot.
• Show palm to shoot only works with the front camera and only once your phone has detected your face.
• Not all camera modes work with the watch’s Camera Controller, so make sure you test this out before needing to capture an important shot.

Frequently asked questions