The “Camera Failed” error on Samsung Galaxy phones is a major headache for Samsung owners. Imagine you’re ready to take the picture of your life, and a “Failed camera” message pops on your screen.
Several different issues can cause this error. In this guide, we explain why your Samsung Galaxy phone camera is failing and how to fix this problem.
Why Does My Samsung Keep Saying “Camera Failed”?
The most common reason why your Samsung keeps saying “Camera Failed” is because of a corrupt cache. This can lead to camera failed errors.
Other causes of the “Camera Failed” error include the following:
- Denied permissions on the Camera app
- Corrupt third-party apps
- Interference from other apps using the camera
- Software issues
- Insufficient storage space
- Low memory (RAM)
- Hardware malfunctions
- Corrupt app cache and data
- An out-of-date operating system
- Low phone battery
How to Fix “Camera Failed” on Samsung Galaxy Phones
If your Samsung Galaxy phone camera is failing, you probably have a low battery. Charging your phone might be the fix to the problem. On a low battery, your device is trying to maximize power, and this might cause heavy processes like using your camera to malfunction.
Try the rest of the fixes below in order to fix the “Camera Failed” error on Samsung Galaxy Phones.
- Restart Your Phone
- Allow All Camera App Permissions
- Reset and The Camera App
- Close Apps Using The Camera
- Clear Camera App Cache and Date
- Force Stop the Camera App
- Turn Off Battery Save Mode
- Check Your Storage Space
- Let Your Phone Cool Down
- Remove Your SD Card and Re-insert it
- Uninstall Third-Party Camera Apps
- Update Your Android Device
- Factory Reset Your Phone
- Install A Third-Party Camera App
- Contact Samsung
Restart Your Phone
This should be the first step you take when you encounter any problem on an Android device. Restarting your device can solve system glitches and stop the effect of bugs in the software.
Restarting your phone will clear the RAM and all processes running on the phone. This gives your device a fresh start.
To restart your Samsung Galaxy Phone, please follow the steps below:
- Press down the ON/OFF button on the side of your device until you get a menu like the one below.
- Click on Restart to power off and power on the device.
If you restart your phone and still have your camera failing, shut it down instead of restarting. Wait for a minute, and then turn on your device.
This has the same effect as restarting but gives your phone more time to clear processes.
Allow All Camera App Permissions
You need to allow permissions for apps on your device to access certain features on the phone, like the camera, storage, and location. Usually, camera permissions are enabled by default.
To allow these permissions, follow the steps below.
- Press and hold on to the Camera app until a pop-up appears.
- Click on the button that has the letter “i” encircled. That is the App Info button.
- In the App Info, click on App Permissions.
- Now, ensure that all Camera permissions are allowed.
Reset the Camera App
A simple reset to the camera app can get rid of the “Camera Failed” error on your Samsung Galaxy Device
Follow these steps to reset the camera app.
- Open your camera and go to the Settings icon.
- Click on the Reset Settings tab.
- Click on Reset to confirm the action.
This will return the camera to its default settings. Now try using the camera. It will not give the “Camera Failed” error.
Close Apps Using the Camera
Third-party apps like Whatsapp, Instagram, QR Scanners, etc., can access your phone’s camera. If the camera is open in one of these apps, it might cause the default camera to have issues.
To fix this, go to Recent Apps and close any app you think might be using the camera. You can also click on the Close All button to close all the apps in one motion.
Now, when you open your camera, it will work fine.
Clear Camera App Cache and Data
Clearing the app data of the camera app will reset the camera and also free up space on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
Clearing the data will reset all your preferences and also clear the camera cache.
- Go to Settings and then click on Apps.
- Select Camera in the Apps list, and go to Storage.
- Clear Data at the bottom of the screen.
Force Stop the Camera App
Force-stopping the app might fix the “Camera Failed” problem on your Samsung Galaxy device. Force-stopping an app is another way of restarting it, and restarting the Camera app can fix the problem.
Follow these steps to force stop the camera app:
- Go to the Settings app.
- Select the Camera app from the Apps panel.
- At the bottom of the screen, click on the Force Stop button.
Now, try opening using the camera. It will not crash.
Turn Off Battery Save Mode
If your phone is on Battery Save Mode (Power Mode), even after charging, you have to turn off Battery Save Mode.
Battery Save Mode helps to conserve energy and stop your phone from running out of power too quickly. It will hinder power-hungry apps like the camera from running effectively.
Swipe down from the top of your screen to view the options. Now, deselect the Power Mode to turn it off.
Check Your Storage Space
If you do not have enough storage space on your phone, apps can start to malfunction. Freeing up space will allow apps and other processes to run smoothly.
You can free up space on your Android phone by deleting apps, images, videos, and other media that are taking up space. You could also manually clear the app cache for all your apps in storage.
If you have an SD card, you can move some of your files there to create space on your internal storage.
When you have enough space, try opening the camera. It should work normally.
Let Your Phone Cool Down
Overheating doesn’t do well for your phone. If you have been gaming, streaming, using your phone for a long time, or carrying out an intensive task, your Samsung Galaxy phone might overheat.
Overheating can cause app malfunctions. Leave your phone to rest and cool down before using the camera app again.
For more details, see our step-by-step guide for tips on how to fix overheating your Android phone.
Remove Your SD Card and Re-insert it
When the Samsung Galaxy Phone faces problems reading the SD Card, it might cause the “Camera Failed” issue.
Suppose you have an SD card on your phone. Switch off your phone and remove it. Wait a few seconds, and then insert it.
Your camera should work fine now.
Uninstall Third-Party Camera Apps
Third-party camera apps can cause problems for your default camera and its features. This especially happens when you download camera apps from unauthorized sources outside the Google Play Store.
Uninstalling these apps will undo the problems they have created for the camera.
To uninstall an app, long press on the app icon and click Uninstall in the options that pop up.
It would also help to run your phone in safe mode before doing this. That way, you can find out if any of the third-party cameras are possibly causing the problem. Safe Mode disables all third-party applications.
When your phone is in Safe Mode, you can only access apps created by your manufacturer. All other apps will be greyed out.
To run your device in Safe Mode, follow these steps:
- Press and hold the ON/OFF button on the side of your Android device.
- When the menu pops up, long-press the Power Off button.
- Click on Safe Mode and wait for your device to restart.
When your phone comes up, it will only have the manufacturer’s apps. All third-party apps will be greyed out. A grey box with “Safe Mode” will also be written at the bottom of the screen.
You can now check if the camera works with all the third-party apps taken out
Update Your Android Device
An out-of-date Android version can cause problems for your phone and apps like the camera. Regular updates allow your phone to work optimally and get rid of bugs.
To update your Operating System, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings and select Software Update.
- Click on Download and Install.
- Click on the Download to start updating
Factory Reset Your Phone
Factory resetting your Samsung device will take it back to its default settings.
Ensure that you back up all your important files and data in your cloud storage service, as a factory reset will erase all your data, files, and downloaded apps.
Check out this step-by-step guide to back up your Android phone safely.
To factory reset your phone, follow these simple steps:
- Open Settings and go to General Management.
- Click on Reset.
- Choose Factory Data Reset. This will wipe out your phone and erase all of your data.
- Click the Reset button to reset your phone to the factory settings completely.
After resetting your phone, restart the phone and then try using the camera. The problem will be fixed now.
Install A Third-Party Camera App
If all fails, you might have to download a third-party camera to serve as your camera. It is always advised to download apps from the Google Play Store instead of APK sites. Downloading from the Google Play Store is much safer.
A quick search for “Camera” in the Play Store search bar will give you a list of camera options to choose from.
Contact Samsung
If you are unable to use any camera you download and none of the fixes work, contact the Samsung Mobile Support Team for assistance.
Final Thoughts on Fixing “Camera Failed” on Samsung Galaxy Phones
You can easily fix camera issues on your Samsung Galaxy phone without having to go to a repair shop or contact Samsung support.
If you find yourself dealing with the “Camera Failed” error on your Samsung Galaxy device, try these fixes to remove the camera failure warning.
- Restart Your Phone
- Allow All Camera App Permissions
- Reset and The Camera App
- Close Apps Using The Camera
- Clear Camera App Cache and Date
- Force Stop the Camera App
- Turn Off Battery Save Mode
- Check Your Storage Space
- Let Your Phone Cool Down
- Remove Your SD Card and Re-insert it
- Uninstall Third-Party Camera Apps
- Update Your Android Device
- Factory Reset Your Phone
- Install A Third-Party Camera App
- Contact Samsung
We hope our fixes helped solve your Samsung Galaxy Camera issues. If you fixed the problem with any other solution, please share it in the comments section.
