Have you ever picked up your iPhone to get a good image shot or and discovered that the whole screen is black? You tried again, and it still wouldn’t display anything. This experience is called an iPhone camera black screen. It is familiar to the recent generation of iPhones. You don’t have a cause to panic, this problem has a simple solution, and in this article, we will take a quick look at how to fix the iPhone camera black screen in a simple step-by-step process. But before that, let’s quickly review what causes the iPhone camera’s black screen before fixing the problem.
What causes the iPhone camera black screen?
There are several causes of the black screen problem. You may have to have more than one Solution to see the one that solves your situation perfectly.
App Malfunction
One of the significant causes of camera black screen is app malfunction. You are most likely to experience a black camera if your camera app crashes during use.
Improper Booting
Another cause of iPhone camera black screen is improper booting of iPhone. The camera app may function quite poorly if your iPhone doesn’t load properly.
Specks of dirt
The third thing that may cause an iPhone to experience a camera black screen is specks of dirt. Bits of dirt on the camera lens would block out light which is needed for image formation during shots.
Inserting your casing upside down
For users of old models of iPhone, you may insert your iPhone casing upside down. If you have your iPhone casing upside down, it blocks the lens and prevents your camera from capturing images. However, in recent models of iPhones, it is not likely that you insert your casing upside down because the camera is protruding.
App permission
An app that requires the camera to function, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, ticktock, is likely to experience an iPhone camera black screen if you don’t permit them to use your phone camera.
Using a third-party camera app
The third-party camera app is prone to crashing. Once the app crashes, your cameras are likely not to function correctly.
Hardware problem
iPhones are relatively strong devices, but they are still gadgets that can develop a fault. If your phone falls inside water, pool, or any other kind of liquid, it may affect the camera. Some iPhones are water-resistant. However, the protective component degrades over time which may reduce its effectiveness. Moreover, if your device falls from a high altitude, it may result in hardware issues.
How to fix iPhone Camera black screen
There are multiple causes of iPhone camera black screen. Therefore, there are equally several solutions for the problem as well. To fix the iPhone camera’s black screen, we will have to take several options and find the one that addresses the root cause of the problem you are experiencing.
General Solution To iPhone Camera Black Screen
There are some general steps you can follow to resolve the camera black screen of most iPhones and below is a list of each solution.
Solution 1
The first and common fix to this problem is to close and open the camera app. As stated before, a common cause of this problem is app malfunction. Opening and reopening your apps would likely correct app malfunction. However, if the problem persists, there is a need to try out other options of viable solutions.
Solution 2
Reboot your iPhone. There are several ways to reboot an iPhone depending on the version you are using. Follow the procedure of your own model and restart your phone. It would most likely solve the problem.
Solution 3
Wipe off any dirt or grit hanging on your camera lens. Please pick up your phone and turn it over to the back. Pick a rag or handkerchief and wipe the screen of the camera. Clean it gently until you are sure all dirt is gone. After that, try to retake a shot. If the problem is with dirt, this will resolve it.
Solution 4
Check your casing and ensure it is properly inserted. Avoid covering the camera with the phone casing.
Solution 5
- Go to your settings
- Browse to the app that needs permission
- Click on the app (for example, if it’s Instagram, go to settings and browse to Instagram app settings)
- Click on the permission toggle to turn it on.
Solution 6
- Go to settings
- Go to general
- scroll down to profiles and device management. If you didn’t install profile management apps, you will likely not see this option in your settings which means that this Solution does not apply to your black screen problem.
- Click on profile and device management.
- Locate any of the profile and device management settings that may have restricted your camera use.
Remove the profile, and your iPhone camera should be back to normal. (it may require you to enter your passcode to do this)
Solution 7
If you are using a third-party camera app to capture images and discover that you are experiencing a black camera problem, stop using the app.
Close and restart the app to correct the crash.
However, it is advisable to use the inbuilt camera app for iPhone because it functions better than any third-party app you may use.
Solution 8
If you have tried all the solutions above and it still does not resolve the black screen problem of your iPhone, it may point to a hardware problem. You shouldn’t try to fix your hardware problem yourself. Tampering with your phone’s hardware may void your warranty. It would help if you took the phone to an accredited engineer to help you fix the phone. And if the phone is an older model, you can opt for a newer and stronger device.
Specific Solution for models of iPhone Black Screen
In this section, we will solve the problems for specific models of iPhones with difficulties that might be out of the scope of the generic camera black screen problems for iPhones.
How to fix iPhone Camera Black Screen in iPhone 6/6s/7/8
Camera black screen problems in this model of iPhone are usually caused by software updates, data overload, or settings issues. To resolve the problem, simply update your iOS or clear out some unwanted files on your device. Also, hard reset your device if the problem persists. If the issue still remains unsolved, it may be a result of a hardware problem.
How to fix iPhone Camera Black screen in iPhone X and Xs
Several issues may cause the camera black screen problem for iPhone X and Xs. Some of it may be hardware, while other cases may result from phone settings or installed software. For the settings problem, follow the instructions below. But before then, try most of the general solutions mentioned above. If they don’t work, proceed with the steps outlined below.
Solution 1
- If the problem is a result of settings issues
- Go to settings and scroll to the camera option
- Locate the auto HDR function
- Turn of your auto-HDR
- Choose a new record settings
- Close settings and launch your camera app to see if this solves the problem
If the black screen camera persists, you may have to hard-reset your device.
Solution 2
- Bring your phone to the home screen
- Push once at the up button
- Push once at the down button
- Hold down your power button until the screen of your iPhone turns off.
- When this is done, it will display the Apple logo on your screen
- After that, your phone would restart, and it would restore most of the phone function to default.
- Launch your camera app to see if the problem is resolved.
If the problem persists, reach out for expert support because it may be a hardware problem, or you may also need to update your iOS.
How to fix Camera Black Screen in iPhone 11/12/13
iPhone 11 is an upgrade to previous models of the iPhone. It has several design and software functions that supersede the capacity of previous models. The first thing to check when your camera experiences a black screen is the casing. Ensure that it is not covering the phone camera. Clean the lenses and follow most of the steps suggested in the general Solution. However, if the problem persists.
Solution 1
- Upgrade the iOS:
- Go to settings
- Tap on general
- Tap on software update. If you notice that the iOS is outdated, install the updated version.
Solution 2
- Perform a hard reset for your phone. Follow a similar process to iPhone X.
Solution 3
- Conduct a total reset of the phone settings.
- Go to settings
- Go to general
- Scroll down and locate the reset
- Click on reset all settings
- Enter your passcode.
- Click reset all settings until your phone restarts and display the Apple logo on the screen.
- This Solution should correct all settings problems on your phone.
If the problem persists, it would be a result of hardware problems. It is best to take the phone for expert help.
Final Word
It doesn’t matter how much knowledge you acquire about resolving iPhone problems. You may still need to consult an expert for some kinds of iPhone problems. Each time you encounter this kind of problem, ensure you reach out to an expert. They are trained to solve this kind of problem. They understand how to fix iPhone camera black screen problems and every other problem you may encounter. They will save you the cost of replacing your phone with a new one, and they will also prevent you from damaging your phone totally.