TL;DR
- Google has revealed that the Pixel 9a has a macro mode for photos and videos.
- This mode uses the main camera rather than the ultrawide lens as seen on other Pixel phones.
The Google Pixel 9a is finally official, and it looks like one of the best cheap phones of 2025. In saying so, one camera-related upgrade may have slipped under the radar.
Google confirmed that the Pixel 9a has a macro mode for taking close-up shots of subjects. However, the new phone takes macro shots via the 48MP main camera rather than with the ultrawide lens as is the case with high-end Pixel phones.
The Pixel maker says the phone’s macro mode automatically kicks in when you get close to a subject. In saying so, it’s a safe bet that a toggle will be available to force macro shooting, as seen on Pixel flagships. You can also record 4K macro videos in case close-up photos alone aren’t good enough.
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Google told Android Authority that macro mode on the Pixel 9a works best if you’re five centimeters (roughly two inches) away from the subject. This means you should be able to get very close to a subject, ostensibly without having to crop.
The Pixel 9a wouldn’t be the first phone to shoot macro images via the main camera. This was a common practice on earlier smartphones, especially older devices with small, low-resolution (i.e. 5MP to 20MP) camera sensors that allowed you to get very close to subjects. Using the main camera also means you aren’t practically on top of your subject, as is the case with ultrawide cameras, casting your shadow on it or potentially scaring it away (in the case of insects or animals). Using the main camera for macro mode also means you can get images without the distortion seen on ultrawide cameras.
We’ve asked Google whether the Pixel 9a’s ultrawide camera also has macro functionality and autofocus, but the company reiterated that macro mode works via the main camera.
