Camera Not Working on Android

1. Turn on camera access

Android 12 and later have one switch that blocks the camera for every app.

1. Swipe down twice from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
2. Make sure the Camera access tile is on. If it's missing, tap the pencil icon to add it.
3. It's also under Settings › Security & privacy › Privacy on many phones.

2. Clean the lens and remove the case

A smudged lens makes the picture blurry, and some cases partly cover the front or rear camera. Wipe the lenses with a soft cloth.

3. Give the app permission

1. Open Settings › Apps and choose the app, for example Chrome.
2. Tap Permissions › Camera and choose Allow only while using the app.

4. Allow the camera in Chrome

1. On the website, tap the icon to the left of the web address, then Permissions, and switch Camera on.
2. If it's blocked for all sites, open Chrome's menu › Settings › Site settings › Camera.
3. Reload the page.

5. Close other apps using the camera

A green dot or camera icon at the top-right of the screen means an app is using the camera. Close video call, scanner and camera apps, then try again.

6. Clear the camera app's cache

If the phone's own camera app crashes or shows a black screen, open Settings › Apps › Camera › Storage and tap Clear cache. This doesn't delete your photos.

7. Restart and update

1. Restart the phone.
2. Install updates under Settings › System › Software update (or Software update in Settings).

Still not working?

Start the phone in safe mode (press and hold the power button, then press and hold Power off) and open the camera app. If it works there, a downloaded app is interfering. If the camera fails in safe mode too, the camera hardware may need repair.

Frequently asked questions