Samsung Galaxy Camera Failed: How to Fix It on Android

This guide will be helpful for Samsung Galaxy models owners:

• S22/S22+/S22 Ultra
• S21/S21+/S21 Ultra
• A12, A31, A32, S21
• Note 20/ Note 20 Ultra
• S20/S20+/S20 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10/Note 10+
• Samsung Galaxy S10/S10+
• Galaxy S12, S9, S7, S8, S9, S10, Mega 2

The users of Samsung Galaxy occasionally face an unpleasant issue: the Camera app won't launch. Instead of starting the Camera, Android notifies its user that a failure has occurred.

A service centers will tell you to bring your device for diagnosis to find out the cause of the camera failure. The cause might be a software glitch or hardware failure. However, there are several methods to diagnose the cause and even fix the problem with the Android Camera yourself. We're going to talk about simple, but quite effective methods to skip the error.

The easiest way to fix Camera: rebooting phone

It might seem this method wouldn't solve any issues with the Camera, however a simple restart of a phone can bring its operation back to normal. The method is simple and absolutely safe.

If you want to fix the problem with your Camera through a reboot:

1. Open "Power" menu. (In order to access the corresponding menu press the "Power off" button.)
2. Wait for your phone to turn off and turn on again, showing the Samsung logo during this process.
3. Check if the Camera works.

Install the Camera app from Play Market

There are many third-party apps to replace the Samsung Camera system app. Perhaps one of these apps can help solve the problem.

1. Select one of the apps in Play Market
2. For Samsung Galaxy, you can also download the application from Galaxy Store.
3. Install the app on your phone
4. Launch the application and check the camera's operation.
5. If the third-party app works, then the problem is with the standard Camera. In this case Hard Reset will help (see other ways).

Checking and removing a memory card

Another quick and effective way to solve the problem with the Camera on Samsung phones is to remove a memory card (if it is not working). While the memory card is removed, try opening the Camera app.

If the Camera app is running without a memory card, it's likely to continue working after the SD card is reinserted. However, take your time and first check your card for reading errors before re-inserting. This can be done via chkdsk utility.

Fow to fix:

1. Connect your memory card to a computer via a card reader.
2. In the context menu of the drive, select "Properties" > "Tools" tab > Check.
3. Wait until the end of the checking process (at this stage chkdsk will fix the errors)
4. Insert the memory card back into your phone.
5. Check the operation of Camera app.

Clearing the cache of failed Camera

Cache stores the data needed for quick operation of Android or Samsung store apps. Quite often the culprit of all sorts of glitches is cache.

Data cleaning has to be performed in Camera and Gallery apps. Use the following steps:

1. Go to the "Settings" and find the "Apps manager" app (or just "Apps").

2. Select "Camera" and tap on the corresponding menu item.

3. Find "Storage" section, tap on the "Clear cache" button.

4. Close the settings and check whether the Camera is working.

5. In order to delete data from the Gallery, go back to the "Apps" , find the item called "Gallery" and clear its data and cache in two taps.

Note. You should delete unneeded information and get rid of the cache on your phone on a regular basis and not only when an error with the Camera app occurs. This ensures efficient operation of all programs and prevents some possible failures of Android OS. In order to quickly remove cached files, we recommend using a free mobile app called CCleaner.

Fixing Samsung Camera app in Recovery Mode

If standard data cleaning didn't help to fix the system app and camera keeps stopping, you can perform a "wide" cleaning via special Recovery Mode.

In order to to fix camera error on Android (on Samsung phone in particular ), you have to:

1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy.
2. Press the Power off, Home and Volume Up buttons at the same time.
3. After a few seconds, Recovery Mode will be enabled on your phone.

To fix camera failed, follow these steps in Recovery mode:

1. Via the Sound Control button, select "Wipe Cache Partition" from the menu.
2. Clear the cache from all the apps installed on your smartphone.
3. Restart your phone via the menu item called "Reboot System Now."

Update Android and Samsung Camera app

In some cases, the camera stops working due to system app conflicts or Android operating system failure. Installing the latest updates will help avoid conflicts and system problems.

Therefore, if you notice that the camera on your Samsung Galaxy is unstable, follow the steps below:

1. Go to "Settings".
2. Find "About phone" > "System update", or "Software update" (depending on your device) in the list.
3. Restart your phone via a Power button, if it didn't occur automatically.

How to fix Samsung camera via Safe Mode

One of the distinctive features of all Android gadgets is Safe Mode, which allows running an initial diagnosis on a device. In this way you can find out why the Android camera failed on your phone.

You can enter Safe Mode on Samsung in the following way:

1. Turn your phone off via Power button.
2. Turn on your smartphone and wait for the Samsung logo to appear on the screen.
3. Hold down the Volume Down button until Android OS launches completely.
4. If you see the "Safe mode" sign at the bottom of the screen, you have performed everything right.

In Safe Mode on Samsung only a limited number of apps will run. All third-party programs are blocked.

If you manage to start the Camera on your smartphone in this mode, it means that there are some problematic third-party apps which most likely have been installed recently. In such case you have to:

1. Start your phone in the ordinary mode (after leaving Safe Mode)
2. Delete new apps one by one until the Camera launches again.

If the Samsung camera failed even in Safe Mode, proceed to the next option.

Factory data reset

Rolling your smartphone back to its factory settings is pretty much a last resort. Its main drawback is the consequence of deleting absolutely all personal data from the internal memory of a phone. However, "zeroing" your Samsung can solve the problem with the Camera.

Before resetting, make sure to create a backup copy of important user files. For example, move all data to a cloud or another device. In order to create a full backup of Android OS, we recommend using Titanium Backup app.

There are two ways to reset data on Android:

1. Via Android system settings. In order to do this, open your phone "Settings" ( "Settings" > "General management" on Samsung Galaxy) and then "Restore and reset." Find "Reset settings" among all the menu items.

2. Via Recovery. This option is for advanced users who know how to handle this add-in. (We have described above in detail how to use Recovery mode.)

The solution:

1. From the Recovery menu, select "Wipe All Data".
2. Wait a few seconds until the system deletes all data.
3. Restart your Samsung phone and check the Camera.

Camera app is still unavailable

If none of the methods listed above were helpful, it's highly likely that your phone has a more serious issue than just a Camera failure. In order to eliminate the “camera failed” warning, it's better to contact a Samsung service center, where experts can conduct a full diagnosis of your device and, if necessary, replace some of its parts.

Contact customer support

Since you have bought a phone from a famous brand, you can use the service.

Therefore, if Samsung Galaxy Camera failed:

1. Contact Samsung Mobile Support team, describing the problem in detail.
2. If the camera failure cannot be fixed remotely, you will be offered to go to the nearest office.
3. Your mobile device will be taken for diagnostics.
4. If the warranty is valid, the repair will be performed free of charge.

Uninstall conflicting apps

If you have installed mobile apps on your phone, there is a chance that the camera doesn't work due to a system conflict. Recall which apps were recently installed and uninstall them.

The solution:

1. Go to the App Manager (Settings > Apps).
2. Sort the list by when the apps were installed.
3. Uninstall the recently installed applications.
4. Remove unneeded apps.
5. Restart Android.

This camera fixing method is not very effective, but it avoids hard reset or putting your Samsung Galaxy phone into safe mode.

Avoid high temperatures

When Samsung Galaxy's temperature exceeds the average allowable temperature, Android slows down performance and reduces screen brightness.

As a result, mobile applications start working slower, application conflicts are possible. In particular, the Camera app may not open or close against the will of the user.

The solution:

1. Move the phone to a cooler environment.
2. You can check the phone's temperature through the AIDA64 application or CPU-Z.
3. Wait until the device temperature drops below 38 degrees Celsius.
4. Check if the Camera app is working.

FAQ

I have a Samsung Galaxy phone. How to quickly fix Camera Failed Error?

1. Hard Reset quickly solves all software errors (extreme method)
2. Update all applications and OS (slow, but very reliable way).
3. Installing an alternative Camera app (won't help if the error is not software-based).
4. Formatting the memory card (if there is an SD card reading error).
5. Take the phone to a service center for warranty service.
6. Cleaning the camera app cache (the most popular way).

Samsung Galaxy S21 phone vibrated for about 20 seconds. After that, the main camera will not turn on. What to do?

Your phone's camera or other components may have mechanical damage.

The solution:

1. Perform a Hard Reset.
2. If it doesn't help - take it to the service center.

Of course, the problem can not be solved for free, but diagnostics will help you to find out whether it makes sense to repair the phone.

The camera stopped working on the Samsung Galaxy S11. Before that, the screen was replaced, and after the repair the camera worked. I deleted unnecessary apps - after that the camera does not work

Perhaps, there is a software failure. The solution:

1. Reformat the memory card.
2. Check the memory card for errors.
3. Clear the cache of the Camera app.
4. Reset the phone (as a last resort).

Taking photos through the Camera app (Samsung front camera). No files are saved in Gallery. Tried Total Commander, can't find photos

In the settings of the Camera application, specify where the photos are stored: the SD card or the internal memory. If pictures have been previously stored on the memory card, check it for errors and format it.

I have a camera on my Samsung Galaxy 10 asks for formatting. What should I do?

Format it with Android tools or with the desktop SD Formatter program. Then check for errors with via chkdsk.