How to Fix iPhone camera not working after iOS 18 update

Learn how to fix the problem if your iPhone’s camera stopped working after iOS 18 update
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by Moses Johnson

  • If your iPhone camera won’t work after iOS 18 update, there are a number of quick fixes you can try.
  • To diagnose if it’s just the Camera app that won’t work, check other apps that also use the camera, like FaceTime or Instagram.
  • To fix your iPhone camera problem after iOS 18 update, you should close and reopen the Camera app, as well as restart your phone and make sure it’s updated to the latest iOS 18.
  • If this doesn’t work, you could try resetting your iPhone to its factory settings — or contact Apple for further support.

Camera in Photo mode, with other modes to the left and right below the view finder. Buttons for Flash, Camera Controls, and Live Photo appear at the top of the screen. The Photo and Video Viewer button is in the bottom-left corner. The Take Picture button is at the bottom center, and the Camera Chooser Back-Facing button is in the bottom-right corner.  

The Camera app on your iPhone is the only way to take photos and videos. So, if your iPhone camera stopped working after iOS 18 update, you’ll need to fix it as soon as possible. Fortunately, in most cases, getting an iPhone camera working will take mere seconds.

Here’s how to do it.

Test the Camera on other apps

If your iPhone’s camera is showing a black screen when loaded, is slow or lagging when you tap to snap, or is having other performance issues after iOS 18 update, first check if it’s the Camera app itself. You can do this by launching another app that uses the iPhone cameras, like FaceTime or Instagram.

Switch cameras

If the camera is working in other apps, then try switching between the back and front camera. Toggling from the forward-facing to the rear-facing camera usually resets the Camera app, bringing the view through the selected lens back into focus.

Person holding iPhone 14 Pro with back of the phone to camera

Restart the camera app

While Apple’s motto is “it just works,” sometimes it doesn’t. Apple isn’t perfect, so its operating systems certainly aren’t immune to glitches from time to time — sometimes they aren’t properly loaded up when launched. In this case, you should try force quitting the Camera app and relaunch it. This is how the iPhone Camera not working after iOS 18 update problem resolved for me. Here’s how:

Double-tap the home button on an iPhone 8 or earlier, or swipe up from the bottom of your screen on an iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or higher and then swipe up to close the camera app, and relaunch it seconds later. This will usually get it to work properly.

Restart your iPhone

If the camera app is still glitchy after trying the above solution, shut your iPhone down and wait a minute, then power it on and try again. . A good reboot of the hardware fixes an array of issues and could be what your iPhone needs. After all, a reboot refreshes the device’s memory and clears caches. Here’s how:

Go to settings > General > Shut Down.

Update to the latest iOS 18 version’

If restarting your iPhone didn’t fix the camera problem, try updating it. . Not only do new versions of iOS patch previous issues, but they also make your phone more secure and less vulnerable to security exploits. Here’s how:

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

make sure your iPhone’s camera is not obstructed

Make sure your iPhone camera isn’t physically blocked by a case, another surface, or even your own fingers. So, if there’s something obstructing your camera and causing it not to work properly, remove it and continue using the camera as normal.

A back view of iPhone 12 Pro shows off the lenses of the device’s pro camera system.

Reset all settings

Still no luck? Then reset all settings on your iPhone. In the Settings app, go to General, then scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone. On the next screen, tap Reset. Choose Reset All Settings and confirm.

Reset your iPhone to factory settings

If your camera is still not working and you’ve tried all the solutions listed above, you should try resetting your iPhone to it’s factory settings. This should be your last resort when it comes to fixing iOS 18 camera problems on iPhone. When you do a factory reset, it will erase all data stored on your iPhone. Before attempting this solution, make sure that you have backed up your iPhone. Otherwise, everything that is stored in your phone will be wiped and you won’t be able to recover them easily.

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Go to General.
  3. Tap on Transfer or reset iPhone.
  4. Tap on erase all content and settings and follow the onscreen instructions.

Contact Apple support

If you have restored your iPhone to its factory settings, but your camera is still not working, then it may be an issue with your hardware. The only way to fix that is to contact Apple support. If your iPhone is still under warranty, Apple can repair it free of charge. On the other hand, if the warranty has already expired, look for an authorized repair center to see what they can do. Alternatively, wait for the next iOS 18 update to see if this will work on your device too.

Camera not working after iOS 18 update: Fixed!

It’s frustrating if you’re iPhone camera stops working after iOS update, especially when you need it for calls, taking photos for your work, and the like. Fortunately, there are several solutions that may help fix this issue without having to take your device to an Apple Store just yet. Since your iPhone’s camera stopped working after iOS 18 update, we can safely say the problem is software related. It would be a good idea to try out the fixes mentioned above to see which one works for your device. On the other hand, if your camera is still not working, you can always have it fixed by a professional.

Avatar for Moses Johnson

Author: Moses Johnson

Moses Johnson is the Editorial Director of GeeksModo.com, who has a keen eye for news, rumors, and all the unusual stuff around Apple products. Moses is commonly referred to online as The Professor, with decades of experience in tech under his belt.

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