Samsung Galaxy smartphones have a great camera and are capable of taking photographs. However, the Camera app or the software malfunctions at times and the “Camera Failed” error message pops up on the screen. It is a common and frustrating error that, thankfully, can be easily solved. In this article, we are going to lay down some basic and common fixes that apply to all Samsung Galaxy smartphones. With the help of these, you can easily fix the Camera Failed error that is preventing you from capturing all your precious memories. So, without further ado, let’s get fixing.
Fix Camera Failed Error on Samsung Galaxy
Solution 1: Restart the Camera App
The first thing that you should try out is to restart the camera app. Exit the app by either tapping on the back button or directly tap on the Home button. After that, remove the app from the Recent apps section. Now wait for a minute or two and then open the Camera app again. If it works then fine otherwise proceed to the next solution.
Solution 2: Restart your Device
Irrespective of the problem that you are facing, a simple reboot can fix the problem. Due to this reason, we are going to start our list of solutions with the good old “Have you tried turning it off and on again”. It might seem vague and pointless, but we will strongly advise you to try it once if you haven’t done it already. Press and hold the power button until the power menu pops up on the screen and then tap on the Restart/Reboot button. When the device starts up, try using your camera app again and see if it works. If it still shows the same error message, then you need to try something else.
Solution 3: Clear Cache and Data for the Camera App
The Camera app is what allows you to use the camera on your smartphone. It provides the software interface to operate the hardware. Just like any other app, it is also susceptible to different kinds of bugs and glitches. Clearing the cache and data files for the Camera app and help eliminate these bugs and fix the Camera failed error. The basic purpose of cache files is to improve the responsiveness of the app. It saves certain types of data files that enable the Camera app to load the interface in no time. However, old cache files often get corrupted and cause different kinds of errors. Thus, it would be a good idea to clear cache and data files for the Camera app as it might fix the Camera failed error. Follow the steps given below to see how.
1. Firstly, open Settings on your device then tap on Apps option.
2. Make sure that All apps are selected from the drop-down menu at the top left-hand side of the screen.
3. After that, look for the Camera app among the list of all installed apps and tap on it.
4. Here, tap on the Force stop button. Whenever an app begins to malfunction, it is always a good idea to Force stop the app.
6. Now tap on the Storage option and then click on the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons, respectively.
7. Once the cache files have been deleted, exit settings and open the Camera app again. Check if the problem persists or not.
Solution 4: Disable Smart Stay Feature
Smart Stay is a useful feature on all Samsung smartphones that constantly uses the front camera of your device. Smart Stay may be actually interfering with the normal functioning of the Camera app. As a result, you are experiencing the Camera failed error. You can try disabling it and see if that fixes the problem. Follow the steps given below to see how.
1. The first thing that you need to do is open Settings on your phone.
2. Now, tap on the Display option.
3. Here, look for the Smart Stay option and tap on it.
4. After that, disable the toggle switch next to it.
5. Now open your Camera app and see if you are still facing the same error or not.
Also Read: How To Hard Reset Any Android Device
Solution 5: Reboot into Safe Mode
Another possible explanation behind the Camera failed error is the presence of a malicious third-party app. There are a lot of third-party apps that make use of the Camera. Any of these apps can be responsible for disrupting the normal functioning of the Camera app. The only way to be sure is to reboot your device in a safe mode. In Safe mode, the third-party apps are disabled, and only the System apps are functional. So, if the camera app works fine in Safe mode, it is confirmed that the culprit is indeed a third-party app. Follow the steps given below to reboot into Safe mode.
1. To reboot in Safe mode, press and hold the power button until you see the power menu on your screen.
2. Now continue pressing the power button until you see a pop-up asking you to reboot in safe mode.
3. Click on okay, and the device will reboot and restart in safe mode.
4. Now depending on your OEM, this method might be slightly different for your phone, if the above-mentioned steps do not work then we will suggest you to Google your device’s name and look for steps to reboot in Safe mode.
5. Once your device reboots into safe mode, you will see that all the third-party apps have been greyed out, indicating that they are disabled.
6. Try using your Camera app now and see if you are still getting the same Camera failed error message or not. If not, then it means that some third-party app that you recently installed is causing this problem.
7. Since it is not possible to pinpoint exactly which app is responsible, it would be advisable that you uninstall any app that you installed around the time when this error message started to show.
8. You need to follow a simple elimination method. Delete a couple of apps, restart the device, and see if the Camera app works properly or not. Continue this process until you’re able to fix the Camera failed error on Samsung Galaxy phone.
Solution 6: Reset App Preferences
The next thing that you can do is reset app preferences. This will clear all default app settings. Sometimes conflicting settings can also be the cause of Camera’s failed error. Resetting app preferences will restore things to default settings, and that can help fix this problem. Follow the steps given below to see how.
1. Firstly, open Settings on your device.
2. Now tap on the Apps option.
3. After that, tap on the menu option (three vertical dots) on the top right-hand side of the screen.
4. Select Reset app preferences for the drop-down menu.
5. Once that is done, restart your device and try using the Camera app again and see if the problem persists or not.
Solution 7: Wipe Cache Partition
If all the above methods do not work, then it is time to bring out the big guns. Deleting the cache files for all the apps installed on your device is a guaranteed way to get rid of any corrupted cache file that might be responsible for the Camera failed error. In earlier Android versions, this was possible from the Settings menu itself but not anymore. You can delete cache files for individual apps, but there is no provision to delete cache files for all the apps. The only way to do that is by Wiping Cache Partition from the Recovery mode. Follow the steps given below to see how.
- The first thing that you need to do is to switch off your mobile phone.
- To enter the bootloader, you need to press a combination of keys. For some devices, it is the power button along with the volume down key while for others, it is the power button along with both the volume keys.
- Take note that the touchscreen does not work in the bootloader mode, so when it starts using the volume keys to scroll through the list of options.
- Traverse to the Recovery option and press the power button to select it.
- Now traverse to the Wipe cache partition option and press the power button to select it.
- Once the cache files get deleted, reboot your device and see if you’re able to fix Camera Failed Error on Samsung Galaxy phone.
Solution 8: Perform a Factory Reset
The final solution, when everything else fails, is to reset your device to factory settings. Doing so will remove all your apps and data from your device and wipe the slate clean. It will be exactly the way it was when you first took it out of the box. Performing a factory reset can solve any error or bug that is related to some app, corrupted files, or even malware. Opting for a factory reset would delete all your apps, their data, and also other data like photos, videos, and music from your phone. Due to this reason, you should create a backup before going for a factory reset. Most phones prompt you to backup your data when you try to factory reset your phone. You can use the in-built tool for backing up or do it manually; the choice is yours.
1. Go to the Settings of your phone.
2. Tap on the Accounts tab and select the Backup and Reset option.
3. Now, if you haven’t already backed up your data, click on the Backup your data option to save your data on Google Drive.
4. After that, click on the Factory Reset option.
5. Now, click on the Reset Device button.
6. Finally, tap on the Delete all Button, and this will initiate a Factory Reset.
7. This will take some time. Once the phone restarts again, try opening your Camera app again and see if it works properly or not.
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We hope that you find this information useful and were able to fix Camera Failed Error on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Our smartphone cameras have almost replaced actual cameras. They are capable of taking stunning pictures and can give DSLRs a run for their money. However, it is frustrating if you are not able to use your Camera due to some bug or glitch.
The solutions provided in this article should prove sufficient to solve any error that is on the software end. However, if your device’s camera is actually damaged due to some physical shock, then you need to take your device to an authorized service centre. If all the fixes provided in this article, prove to be useless, then do not hesitate to seek professional help.