Android Nougat Developer Preview 5 lets you zoom with volume buttons in the camera app

In the fifth developer preview of Android Nougat, which Google released earlier today, you’ll find a nifty update to the standard-issue camera app. Now you can decide what happens when you hit the volume up and down buttons. Usually when you do that, the app actuates the shutter and takes a picture. But now there are other options to choose from.

You can alternatively zoom in with the volume buttons — zoom in with the volume up button, and zoom out with the volume down button. Or you can just use the volume buttons to control the volume. (Hat tip to 9to5Google for picking up on the change.)

Some devices, like Huawei’s P9 and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5, ship with camera apps with options for adjusting the function of the volume buttons. But that feature hasn’t shipped as part of stock Android, until now.

It’s unclear if the feature will be included in the final release of Android Nougat before October. But this is the last developer preview before the official release.

If you have a Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus 9G, Nexus Player, Pixel C, or General Mobile 4G (Android One) device and you’d like to try out the new feature, make sure to install the over-the-air (OTA) update if you’ve already enrolled in the Android beta program, or you can manually flash the images. If you’re not already part of the Android Beta program, you can sign up here.