Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Ultra) cuts photo resolution in half due to heat wave

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung has introduced a new 24-megapixel mode that saves photos at a resolution of 24 MP instead of 12 MP. The new Galaxy Z Fold8 ($1,899 on Amazon) and the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra also support this mode. However, since the launch of the foldable smartphones, an increasing number of users have complained that photos are actually being saved at a resolution of only 12 MP, even when 24 MP has been selected in the settings.

Samsung has now confirmed on the Samsung Community Korea that this is not a bug, but rather intentional, as under certain circumstances, the Galaxy Z Fold8 (Ultra) automatically reverts to a resolution of 12 megapixels. The heat wave may also be responsible for this issue, as the 24-megapixel mode is deactivated as soon as the smartphone’s body temperature reaches 45 °C. This is intended to prevent the smartphone from overheating, as processing higher-resolution photos requires more processing power, which inevitably leads to more waste heat.

Given that the launch took place in the middle of one of the hottest summers on record, it’s not surprising that users are increasingly reporting this issue. However, there are also other possible reasons why the resolution is automatically reduced. When using digital zoom, in very dark environments, when using the LED flash, in macro mode, or in burst mode, the smartphones switch to a resolution of 12 megapixels. The same applies to the Galaxy S26 Ultra.