Start by force stopping the camera app and restarting the phone: that releases the camera from any app left holding it (Solutions 1 and 2). If the error comes back, clear the camera app's cache from the system settings, not from inside the app itself (Solution 3). Before deciding it is a defect, test the camera inside another app such as WhatsApp: if it works there but not in the built-in app, the problem is software and Solution 4 usually sorts it out. If nothing can open the camera anywhere, boot the phone into safe mode (Solution 7) to find out whether an app you installed is in the way. Only consider a repair shop after safe mode fails too.
What causes this problem
- Another app is holding the camera in the background - a video call that ended halfway, a QR code reader, or a banking app that opened the camera and never handed it back.
- A corrupted camera app cache, usually after a system update or an update to the app itself.
- Camera permission denied by mistake, or removed automatically because the app went unused for a long time.
- Full storage: with no room to save the photo, many phones open the camera and close it immediately.
- A recently installed third-party app competing for camera access, such as filters, screen recorders or security apps.
- A physical fault in the lens or the internal connector, which usually shows up as a black screen in every app and with no error message at all.
- Restart the phone once before anything else. A good share of stuck-camera cases clear up with that alone, because the restart kills whatever app was holding the sensor.
- Test the camera inside another app, such as WhatsApp or the keyboard's camera. If it works there, the hardware is fine and the problem belongs to the camera app.
- Remember when the problem started: right after an update, after installing a new app, or out of nowhere? That detail shortens the path a lot.
- Check free space under the storage section of Settings. Below roughly 1 GB free, the camera can fail without explaining why.
- Look at the lens from the outside. A badly seated case, an overhanging screen protector or heavy dirt cause a black screen that looks like a software error.
Solutions, in the order to try them
1Force stop the camera app
Closing it from the recent apps screen does not always end the process for real. Force stopping kills the whole app so Android opens a clean instance next time, which clears most camera freezes.
- Open the phone's Settings and go into the app list.
- Find the camera app in the list (it usually shows up as Camera).
- Tap Force stop and confirm.
- Go back to the home screen and open the camera again.
2Find out which app is holding the camera
Android only lets one app use the camera at a time. If another app got stuck with the sensor open, the camera app reports that it could not connect. The usual suspects are video calls, QR code readers, banking apps and screen recorders.
- Watch for the camera indicator at the top of the screen: many phones show a dot or icon when an app has the sensor active.
- Pull down the notification shade and end any call or recording still running.
- Open recent apps and close everything, one by one.
- If you used a video call or banking app shortly before the error, force stop that one too, the same way as in Solution 1.
3Clear the camera app's cache
The cache holds temporary files the app reuses to start faster. When one of them goes bad, the camera fails at the same point every time. Clearing the cache deletes neither your photos nor your settings, so it is a safe step to try early.
- In Settings, open the app list and tap the camera app.
- Go into Storage (on some phones it reads Storage usage).
- Tap Clear cache.
- Test the camera. If the error persists, come back to the same screen and tap Clear data or Clear storage: that returns the app to its factory state and erases only its own preferences, such as filters and chosen resolution.
4Check the camera permission
Without the permission, the app opens to a black screen or closes at once. This happens when someone denies the prompt by mistake, and also when Android removes permissions from apps that have gone months without use. It is worth checking both the camera app and the app where the camera fails.
- In Settings, open the app list and tap the app that is misbehaving.
- Go into Permissions and find Camera.
- Select the option that allows access while the app is in use.
- Also check that the Microphone permission is granted if you record video.
- Look as well in the privacy settings to see whether camera access is blocked for the whole phone by a privacy toggle.
5Free up storage space
Many phones open the camera and close it straight away when there is no room to save the file, without saying that is the problem. High resolution video fails first, because it needs a lot of continuous space.
- Open Settings and go to the storage section to see how much is free.
- Delete old videos and downloaded files, which usually take up more space than photos.
- Empty the gallery's trash: what you deleted keeps occupying space for a few weeks.
- Leave at least a few gigabytes free before testing the camera again.
6Update the camera app and the system
When the camera stopped right after an update, a fix has probably already been published. That goes for the camera app, which on many phones is updated through the store, and for Android itself.
- Open the phone's app store and look at the list of pending updates.
- Update the camera app and also the app inside which the camera fails.
- In Settings, find the system update option and install whatever is available.
- Restart the phone after updating and test again.
7Boot into safe mode to test third-party apps
In safe mode Android loads only what came from the factory and disables everything you installed. It is the test that separates a system problem from one caused by an app. If the camera works in safe mode, an app you installed is to blame.
- Hold the power button until the power off menu appears.
- Touch and hold the power off option until the prompt to reboot into safe mode shows up, then confirm.
- With the phone in safe mode (the label usually appears in a corner of the screen), open the camera.
- If the camera works, restart normally and uninstall the apps you added around the date the problem started, one at a time, testing the camera after each removal.
- To leave safe mode, restart the phone normally.
8Try another camera app and, as a last resort, back up and reset the phone
If no app can open the camera, safe mode included, two possibilities remain: a deep system fault or a physical defect. A factory reset separates the two, but it erases everything on the phone, so make a full backup first and keep this step for last.
- Install an alternative camera app from an official store and see whether it can open the sensor.
- If even that one fails, back up photos, contacts and messages before going further.
- In Settings, find the option to reset to the original configuration and read carefully what will be erased.
- If the camera still will not open after the reset, the problem is hardware: look for a repair shop, preferably an authorised one if the phone is still under warranty.
Applies to
| System | Status |
|---|---|
| Android 13, 14 and 15 | Confirmed |
| Android 10, 11 and 12 | Confirmed |
| Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola and other brands | Each maker renames the menus; search for the setting by name in the Settings search box |
Menu names can change slightly between versions. If a step above does not match what you see on screen, the official support page from the manufacturer has the most current wording for your version.
Frequently asked questions
Last checked: Jul 2, 2026 · We review this guide whenever the manufacturer changes the process.