TheGoogle Pixel 8 Pro is packed with featuresthat can dramatically change and improve your photography. One of the biggest, Pixel Video Boost, brings HDR+ and Night Sight to videos to enhance their quality.
We walk you through what Pixel Video Boost does and how to use it. We recommendexploring Gemini with your Pixel 8 Pro, Google’s experimental AI tools that summarize recordings and create smart replies.
6 Google Pixel 8 features you won’t find on any other phone
These exclusive features play a key part in delivering that famed Google experience
What devices can use Pixel Video Boost?
Pixel Video Boost is exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 8 and earlier Pixel devices cannot use Pixel Video Boost. However, the Pixel 8 Pro doesn’t handle all the processing for Video Boost. Most of the heavy work is done in the cloud through Google Photos.
While Google hasn’t announced if Video Boost will come to other Pixel devices, other features previously exclusive to select phones have been expanded to other Pixel devicesthrough Google’s quarterly Feature Drops.
How to use Pixel Video Boost
Pixel Video Boost must be activated manually when you want to use it. If you’re taking photos in dim light, we recommend activating Night Sight.
Your Pixel 8 Pro suggests Night Sight if it detects poor lighting.
After three to five hours, you’re notified that your video is ready. We recommend downloading it for the best viewing quality.
Videos recorded with Video Boost are found in Google Photos. You can identify them by looking for videos with the Video Boost icon in the corner of the preview image.
What does Pixel Video Boost do?
Google claims that Video Boost improves the quality of your videos. This is a little vague, but wespent a lot of time with Video Boost and found out exactly what it does.
We recommend reading our review of Video Boost for a detailed breakdown of what it does. In short, it improves the dynamic range of your videos. You’ll capture a wider range of colors while contrast is also improved.
Video Boost brings out colors that may be muted by poor lighting. No matter how good the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera is, it can’t entirely compensate for bad conditions.
Tips for using Pixel Video Boost
Pixel Video Boost is easy to use, but there are many limitations you may not be aware of. These tips ease some of the frustrations of using Pixel Video Boost.
Activate Google Photos backup before you begin
If you don’t have enough free space in your Google account, you may’t upload and save recordings made with Video Boost.Check you have enough free space and activate backupsbefore you start recording. If you run out of space while recording with Video Boost, a warning notification appears, and your Pixel 8 Pro stops recording.
If you record without an active internet connection, Video Boost kicks in when your Pixel 8 Pro reconnects.
Preview recordings taken with Video Boost
One frustrating feature of recording with Video Boost is the long delay between recording and viewing the final product. While you can’t preview a segment of the final result, you can preview a 1080p video before Video Boost processes it. While this doesn’t show your video in the same quality as the final product, it’s an excellent way to get an idea of what the result will look like.
While the final video is saved in the cloud, a temporary video file is stored on your phone while it is processed. This file is removed when Video Boost finishes processing your video. You can delete it before it is removed by finding it in the Google Photos app.
Tweak recording settings before you begin
You can record videos at 1080p or 4K with Video Boost activated. You can also activate 10-bit HDR recording to boost the number of colors the camera renders from 8-bits to 10-bits.
Activating this feature may considerably increase the size of the final file.
Keep your recordings short
Recordings made with Pixel Video Boost are limited to ten minutes. The length of the recording also affects its processing time.
You can’t use your Pixel 8 Pro’s other lenses
Only the Pixel 8 Pro’s primary 50MP lens can be used to record with Video Boost. This means you are limited to 1x or 2x zoom while recording. If you want to use the macro or telephoto camera, turn off Video Boost.
You can’t edit existing videos
Unlike tools like Magic Editor, you can’t use Video Boost on saved recordings even if they were taken with the same restrictions required for Video Boost. You must activate Video Boost before capturing photos.
Use Video Boost to improve the quality of your recordings
Video Boost is a powerful tool, but it may be unnecessary when recording in an area with good lighting. It’s the perfect tool to capture that special moment at dusk or dawn.
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are packed with AI features. Magic Editor is one of the biggest,making advanced image-editing techniques accessibleto anyone with one of these phones.
