So, you got to know that suddenly the front camera on your smartphone is not working properly, right? Well, in most cases, it is not like your camera sensor is damaged, there could be many other reasons. And that’s what we will be taking a good look at today, not just that though, we will be sharing some possible fixes as well that you can try out on your own.
Common Causes for Front Camera Malfunctions
See, there are actually a number of reasons why your front camera is malfunctioning or not working at all, like what? Well, that’s what we are about to discuss in this section, so don’t miss out on this one. Here we go:
1. Software Glitches: Generally, the problematic software is the most common suspect responsible for camera issues. These sorts of problems can happen due to an unintentional system bug, such as those created with an update or any inherent bug of the phone, you know? Such non-optimized functioning of the operating system might be the reason your camera operates weirdly, or maybe there is just a black screen, or doesn’t provide any output.
2. App Permissions: The camera should be granted permission to operate along the apps that you may need such as social networking apps or video calling apps. If by accident the app access permission of the camera is denied, or if the settings have been changed as a result of an update, the camera in those applications might not work well. Like, if the camera access is denied in the Instagram app, then whenever you try to capture a picture using the Instagram app, the front camera will not open at all or will fail to do so.
3. Hardware Damage: Moreover, there are odds that the issue is not related to software, you know? Things like dropping your phone or exposure to water are sometimes the reasons for the failure of the camera. Even if you don’t see any damage on the outside, the camera can still be damaged internally through unseen ways, and there is not an immediate fix for that, you’d have to get it repaired.
4. Storage Full: Believe it or not, but when your smartphone is totally full, and there is no storage left, then yes, the camera will have a hard time working properly, or you’ll sometimes be presented with just a black screen.
5. Background Apps: At times running other apps in the background at the same time can make the camera malfunction, why though? This is especially true when the app is operating the camera in the background or consuming excessive memory such that it does not allow access to the camera app for its normal working, you know?
Step-by-Step Fixes for Front Camera Not Working
1. Restart Your Device
At first, though, it may sound a little dumb, but a quick restart can actually fix a bunch of software issues in your phone, and that includes the camera not working issue as well. A restart of the device does not only refresh the system but also removes any temporary bugs that may be affecting the camera, just so you know. So, give it a shot!
2. Check App Permissions
If the problem only is in some of the applications, (like Instagram or Zoom) it may be a permissions issue, you know? Head into the settings of your device, and check if the app is granted permission to use your camera. First, head to your phone’s Settings. Go to the apps menu, and then whichever app you’re having issues with, just tap on it and see if the app has been granted permission to access the camera. If not, just allow it and you’ll be good to go.
3. Close Background Apps
For this one, just close any other app running in the background that may be taking too much of the hardware resources. Do that, and then try opening the camera app, it should work just fine. If not, try out any other method or fix given in this post.
4. Free Up Storage
If your smartphone is out of memory, uninstall apps and delete any files that you might not have used for a long time. Check for memory usage by going to Settings, then General, and Storage. In case of complete storage utilization, delete some older photos, uninstall unused apps, and/or shift files to cloud storage such as Google Drive or iCloud.
5. Update Your Phone’s Software
As you may know, manufacturers introduce their latest updates for phones regularly and they include improvised bug fixes and performance improvements. A software update might be there for you to download and install, for that, click on Settings, then General, and after that Software Update. Once an update is found, install it. That’s it!
6. Clean the Camera Lens
We often overlook this step, but the issue called foggy lens can strangle the life out of a perfectly good image during a shooting session, you know? The camera lens should be gently cleaned with a cloth made out of a microfiber material.
