Using Your Nikon Camera's Built-in Wi-Fi
Step-by-step set-up guides
Article revised September 2019
Nikon Mirrorless cameras along with many DSLRs and COOLPIX point & shoots have wireless connectivity built-in.
Using these cameras, you can seamlessly transfer images from your Bluetooth- or Wi-Fi®-enabled camera to your compatible smartphone or tablet for easy sharing via email, text or uploading to an image sharing site. And a great feature of Nikon cameras that feature wireless connectability is that you don't need to be at a Wi-Fi hotspot. The camera and your smart device create the connection.
Older camera models may utilize the Wireless Mobile Utility app. Newer model cameras use the SnapBridge app. Check your camera’s user's manual before you begin setting up the wireless connection between your camera and smart device to make sure you’ve downloaded the correct app to your smartphone or tablet.
Although your smartphone probably has the capability of shooting photos, your Nikon digital camera will take better photos. This is because Nikon digital cameras utilize larger image sensors, and powerful image processing engines. The camera’s sensor is designed to give you a higher resolution, wider dynamic range, and the ability to shoot in low light and use high ISOs—all of which allow for the generation of high quality image files. Nikon digital cameras also utilize great NIKKOR lenses, as well as many features that allow you to be creative with your photography.
What types of devices can I connect my camera to wirelessly?
Nikon mirrorless cameras, DSLRs and COOLPIX models allow you to connect to smart devices: smartphones and tablets. Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras can also connect to personal computers to download directly via Wi-Fi.
Once on your smart device, you can upload images to image sharing or SNS websites, or send them to friends and family via email or text messaging.
What file types/sizes should I set the camera to?
The first question you need to ask yourself is what will you be doing with the photos that you take? Will you be printing them or just using them digitally? Are you only taking snapshots that you are going to share on social media sites or do you want the highest possible resolution from your camera?
Your Nikon camera has a high resolution image sensor and it can create large files. If you want to take photos using the maximum resolution of the camera, the fastest and simplest way to get these images to your computer or smart device is via a card reader or by connecting the camera to your computer via USB and downloading the files. Wireless transfer in these instances is not the ideal solution. It is a great choice for smaller files and quick downloads of a few shots.
For folks who want to shoot using the highest resolution in your camera, set the app up so that it only downloads the recommended size or even smaller VGA size image while recording the high res. image to the media card in the camera. Then you can eventually download the full sized files to a computer.
If on the other hand, you only want to send a few images to your smartphone or tablet and don’t need a large file size, then set the camera to record images in JPEG normal or basic. You can also choose to record images in JPEG fine and select the smaller sizes for download via the app. This gives you the option, should you change your mind to download the full size files from the media card in the future.
The D3400 DSLR only features Bluetooth connectivity to download images.
You can also share video with Nikon mirrorless Z series cameras and DSLRs.
Remote Control
You can even use your Android™-powered smartphone or tablet, or iPhone® or iPad® as a remote to shoot photos with—allowing you to get into the shot along with your other subjects, or even place the camera in a location to capture wildlife while you snap the shutter from a remote spot far from the wild animals. What’s really fun is that you actually see the same image the camera sees on your smartphone or tablet’s LCD screen—allowing you to shoot at precisely the right moment that you want. (Check your Camera's User's Manual to see if your camera has this capability The D3400 does not offer this feature.)
Using the Compatible Camera's built-in Wi-Fi
In order to use the Wi-Fi feature of Nikon cameras that have built-in Wi-Fi, you’ll need to download the free app that your camera uses, either the Wireless Mobile Utility or SnapBridge app. For folks using Android™-powered devices, download the app from the Google Play™ Store and install it on your Android™-powered smart device. For folks using an iPhone® or iPad®, download the app from the iTunes Online Store®.
Insert a media card into the camera. You must have a media card in the camera for the Wi-Fi menus to be fully accessible. For COOLPIX cameras, the battery level must also have at least a 50% charge for the Wi-Fi to work.
Connecting a compatible camera to a smart device that utilizes the SnapBridge app:
We’ve put together a video tutorial for iOS users, and another for Android-powered devices. These videos show you how to set up the camera and smart device using step-by-step instructions.
Connecting the compatible camera to the smart device that utilizes the Wireless Mobile Utility app:
1. Enable the camera’s built-in Wi-Fi. Newer models will have an external Wi-Fi button, on older models, select Wi-Fi in the setup menu.
2. Go to the smartphone’s Wi-Fi settings and select the camera in the list of networks displayed by the smart device. It will begin with Nikon, followed by a string of letters and numbers. For Android smartphones, once you initially make this network connection, your device will automatically connect when you enable the camera's Wi-Fi. For iPhone® or iPad® users, you'll have to perform this step each time you wish to use the wireless feature of your Nikon camera with your smartphone.
3. Launch the Wireless Mobile Utility app on the smart device.
Connecting a compatible Android™ smartphone and NFC compatible Nikon camera:
For folks using an Android™ smartphone, version 5.0 or higher, and a Nikon camera that features NFC compatibility, you can also use the NFC or Near Field Communication feature to connect to your Nikon camera to your smartphone and open the app.
To do so, simply place the camera’s N mark next to the Android smartphone and the two devices will connect, launching the Wireless Mobile Utility app. Now you can view or take photos.
