Summary
- Restarting your iPhone 18 Pro Max or the Camera app can clear temporary glitches that cause camera blinking issues.
- Using the right settings for specific camera options can help fix blinking or flickering.
- If your iPhone’s camera blinking issues persist after trying all the fixes, contact Apple support.
Are you experiencing blinking or flickering issues with your iPhone 18 Pro Max camera? Various factors can cause this, so don’t assume it’s a hardware issue and take it to an Apple Store just yet. Go through these troubleshooting steps first.
1. Close the Camera App and Open It Again
One of the first fixes is to close and relaunch the Camera app. Doing so will reset the app’s state, eliminating any temporary data that may be corrupt and cause blinking issues. Here’s what you need to do:
-
Open the App Switcher (by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and pausing in the middle).
- Swipe to the Camera app and then swipe up to close it.
- Reopen the app and check if you encounter the blinking issue.
Closing and relaunching apps is also one of the best solutions if your iPhone apps keep crashing.
2. Disable Macro Mode
Even after restarting your Camera app, the camera blinking issue might persist. In such cases, the built-in macro mode that helps you take detailed close-up photos might be the culprit. If you experience blinking or flickering problems only when taking close-ups, this might be due to your camera switching to the ultra-wide lens.
Disable macro mode by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and select Camera.
- Turn on Macro Control. When you get within macro distance of your subject, tap the Auto Macro On button in Camera to turn off automatic macro switching.
3. Manually Adjust Your Camera’s Exposure
Your iPhone’s camera automatically adjusts the exposure (amount of light entering the lens) depending on the environmental conditions. It will reduce exposure in a bright environment and increase it in a dark environment. This automatic adjustment might not always be ideal. Sometimes, your iPhone 18 Pro Max might find it difficult to settle on a specific exposure value, which leads to blinking.
To solve this, you should manually adjust the exposure by following these steps:
-
Tap the Camera Controls button or swipe up from the camera modes at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Exposure, then drag the slider to adjust the level.
- Once you’re satisfied with the outlook in the Camera preview, tap the Shutter button to take a picture.
4. Enable Lock Camera in Settings
Macro mode isn’t the only feature on your iPhone that switches camera lenses to help you snap the best shot. Your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max will also switch lenses automatically at any point while shooting a video to try and give you the best results. However, this can also cause camera blinking and flickering issues if your device can’t quite get it right.
Fortunately, Apple allows you to prevent the Camera app from switching lenses while recording a video. Here’s how to turn off this default behavior:
- Open the Settings app and select Camera.
- On the next page, tap Record Video.
- Toggle on Lock Camera.
5. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max
Restarting can fix most smartphone problems, so it’s no wonder it’s commonly recommended in almost every guide on fixing most issues. Restarting clears all the data stored in memory, thus removing any temporary glitches causing irregular behavior, such as your iPhone camera blinking.
It also releases all resources and restarts all apps afresh, including the Camera app, which can help fix the issue. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Hopefully, one of our fixes helped you sort out your iPhone camera’s blinking or flickering problem. However, if you’ve tried all the solutions above and the camera is still blinking, it’s time to contact Apple support.
You can easily get tech support for your iPhone using the Apple Support app. If the issue is hardware-related, you’ll need to take your iPhone 18 Pro Max to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for lens replacement. But this may cost you a lot of money unless you’ve purchased an AppleCare+ warranty.
