If your iPhone camera won’t work, use this checklist: restart, update iOS, check permissions, free storage, and test in other apps.
Your iPhone should open the Camera in a snap. When it stalls, you want a fix that sticks. This guide gives clear steps, order, and plain reasons why each one helps. You’ll spot the cause, save time, and get back to crisp photos.
Quick Wins Before You Dig
Start with easy moves. They clear the most common snags without changing any data.
- Close Camera: swipe up from the bottom and flick Camera off the multitasker, then reopen.
- Restart: press and hold the side button with a volume button, slide to power off, wait 20 seconds, then power on.
- Remove case or lens add-ons: cases, metal mounts, and magnets can push or confuse the lens unit.
- Clean the lenses: use a microfiber cloth. Smudges cause blur and ghosting.
Master Checklist: Fixes And Where To Find Them
| Step | Action | Path / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restart iPhone | Side + Volume → Slide power → Wait 20s → Power on |
| 2 | Force close Camera | Swipe up → App Switcher → Flick Camera card |
| 3 | Update iOS | Settings → General → Software Update |
| 4 | Check app camera access | Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera |
| 5 | Free storage | Settings → General → iPhone Storage |
| 6 | Switch front/back | Open Camera → Tap rotate icon; note if only one side fails |
| 7 | Test in other apps | Open FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Instagram → Try camera |
| 8 | Reset settings | Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Reset All Settings |
| 9 | Contact Apple | Book a repair if flash and rear camera both fail |
Why The Camera Won’t Work On iPhone
Most failures trace to four buckets: software bugs, permissions, storage limits, or hardware faults. The steps above target each bucket in turn. That way you fix the cause, not just the symptom.
Software Bugs And App Glitches
Camera shares system parts with other apps that record video or scan codes. A stuck session can hold the camera. Closing Camera and any app that used it frees the sensor. A reboot clears drivers and sensor state. An iOS update also helps because Apple ships camera and flash fixes through system updates.
Permissions Block Access
If Camera opens but third-party apps show a black view or a prompt loops, a permission switch may be off. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera and toggle access for the app. Then open Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos and grant Read & Write if the app needs to save shots. The green camera dot near the notch tells you when any app is using the lens.
Storage Is Full
When storage runs out, the shutter can freeze, video fails to start, or you see a “Cannot Take Photo” message. Free space in Settings → General → iPhone Storage. Delete large videos, move files to iCloud, or offload apps you never use. Aim for a few gigabytes free to keep shooting.
Hardware Faults
A drop can break the rear camera or the connector that links it to the board. A telltale sign: the rear camera and the flashlight both stop. Cases with strong magnets can also throw the sensor off. If only one side fails every time, the module for that side likely needs service.
iPhone Camera Won’t Work? Quick Checks That Save Time
Rule Out A Busy App
If the green dot stays on when you close every app, force a restart. If the dot appears only inside one social app, that app is holding the session. Update it, clear its cache if the app offers that, or reinstall it.
Switch Lenses Inside Camera
Open Camera and tap the swap icon. If the front view works but the rear stays black, shoot a short selfie to confirm the sensor works at least on one side. Note the pattern before you seek service.
Turn Off Lock Focus And Exposure
If focus sticks on the wrong subject, tap and hold to clear AE/AF Lock, then tap your subject again. Hard focus locks can feel like a dead camera when the scene keeps changing.
Remove Filters And Pro Settings
Third-party apps can leave exposure or frame rate in a strange state. In Camera, switch to Photo, turn off filters, and try 1× lens. Keep it simple to test the core path.
Trusted Fixes From Apple
Apple lists quick steps for a black view, blurry shots, or a stuck flash on the official guide. See camera or flash not working. If storage stops new photos, Apple also explains the “Cannot Take Photo” message and space tips in manage photo and video storage. These pages match the flow in this article.
Clear Storage Fast Without Losing Memories
Photos and 4K videos eat space quickly. Freeing room restores capture speed and avoids write errors.
Pick Smart Targets
- Recently Deleted: empty it to reclaim space at once.
- Big video clips: sort by size inside Photos → Albums → Videos.
- Download originals only when you plan to edit offline.
Turn On Cloud Offload
Use iCloud Photos with the setting that keeps smaller copies on your phone while full-res files live in the cloud. Your shots still appear in the grid and download on tap.
Fixes For Specific Symptoms
Black Screen In Camera
Close Camera, restart, and switch lenses. Test in FaceTime or another app. If only the rear sensor fails and the flashlight tile is grey, book service.
Blurry Or Hunting Focus
Clean lenses, remove a magnetic case, and tap to focus. If macro jumps in and out, step back a little or lock focus, then try again.
Flash Won’t Fire
Check the lightning bolt in the Camera controls. Then test with the Control Center flashlight. If both fail, the rear module may be offline.
Video Won’t Start
Free space, pick 1080p to test, and quit other apps that record video.
Camera Works In Other Apps, But Not Apple Camera
Reset All Settings. This keeps your data but clears odd toggles that block the Camera app.
Symptoms To Causes And Fixes
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Rear camera + flash both dead | Hardware fault | Repair appointment |
| Only one app shows black view | Permission or app bug | Enable access, update or reinstall the app |
| “Cannot Take Photo” alert | Storage full | Free space in iPhone Storage |
| Shutter lag | Low space or heavy background load | Free space, close apps |
| Green dot stays on | App still using camera | Force restart, check recent apps |
| Blurry edges or flare | Dirty lens or case interference | Clean glass, remove case |
Step-By-Step: Full Software Refresh
If quick moves fail, do a deeper sweep. This chain resets software state without touching your photos.
- Update iOS in Settings → General → Software Update.
- Reset All Settings in Settings → General → Transfer or Reset. Your data stays. Wi-Fi, layout, and permissions reset.
- Reinstall third-party camera apps. Press and hold the app → Remove App → Reinstall from the App Store.
Test after each step. If the camera still fails on both sides, the issue points to hardware.
When To Book Apple Service
Book a visit when one of these is true:
- Rear camera and flashlight both refuse to start.
- The lens rattles or shows colored lines after a drop.
- The view jitters or jumps across the frame every time you open Camera.
- Only one side works across every app after a full software refresh.
Bring a backup. Turn off Find My if asked at check-in. If you paid for a past camera repair tied to a known fault window, ask about a refund review.
Pro Tips For Reliable Shots
- Leave headroom: keep 5–10 GB free. Your iPhone writes video faster and opens Camera faster.
- Avoid tight cases: pressure near the lens ring can misalign focus.
- Watch for heat: if a thermal alert appears, let the phone cool before you record again.
- Keep lenses bare: clip-on optics scratch coatings and can trip macro at the wrong time.
- Know the indicators: green dot means camera on; orange dot marks the mic.
Still Stuck? Use This Short Diagnostic Path
- Open Camera → switch front/back.
- Try the flashlight tile.
- Open FaceTime and start a short video call.
- Free 2–5 GB in iPhone Storage.
- Update iOS and restart.
- Reset All Settings.
- Book service if the failure pattern stays the same.
This path gives you a clear answer in minutes: fixed, or ready for repair with a clean paper trail.
What Not To Do
Skip rice bags, hair dryers, or compressed air if the phone got wet. Heat and particles can make things worse. Let it dry with airflow and try again later. Do not press hard on the lens glass. The glass is tough but the parts under it are delicate. Do not poke inside the port with metal tools. That can bend pins and break the charge path. Skip sketchy “camera booster” utilities. They cannot fix a damaged sensor.
Why This Order Works
The list starts with actions that cost nothing and carry no risk. A restart clears a stuck session. An update brings fresh drivers and bug fixes. Permission checks target apps that lost access. Storage cleanup removes the biggest bottleneck for video and burst photos. Tests across apps isolate software from hardware. Last, a settings reset cleans odd toggles without touching your files. If the pattern stays the same across every step, service time is next.
You now have a clear path to a working camera, from quick wins to repair safely.