How to Fix "Can’t Connect to the Camera" Issue

There are several reasons for your camera app, or even third-party camera, to not function. Here are a few reasons why your camera can misbehave.

Regardless of what Android phone you are using, when faced with the can’t connect to the camera issue, you’ll probably be looking for a can’t connect to the camera solution to fix this problem. Like it was mentioned before, there are several solutions available and we will be discussing them here. Let’s get started. Before you use the following solutions, if you can’t connect to the camera please check if the flashlight is open. Sometimes, your camera will not turn on when the flashlight is turned on.

There are some Android users who have reported that they were able to solve their camera issue after restarting their device. What this means is that, if your camera bogs down, and you are looking for a quick fix, you will need to restart your device first.  You may need to turn your device off an on again several times until your camera starts working again. If you can’t connect to the camera please make sure to close other apps then check if this fixes your problem. If not, you can restart your device.

You can also do a soft reset on your device by removing the battery while it is still turned on. This is only applicable to smartphones that have removable batteries, such as older Android phones. Unfortunately, recent smartphones have built-in battery, but you can still do the first solution by restarting your device.

Android phones come with “Safe Mode” where, when you restart your device in this mode, only the basic apps and features are accessible. This is a useful tool if you want to troubleshoot your device since any apps you’ve downloaded will be disabled in the meantime. This can help you determine whether the presence of a third-party app is causing the camera to not work properly. To restart your device in Safe Mode, you should hold the power button until you see the shutdown menu on your screen. Tap and hold the Power Off option for a couple of seconds then confirm that you want to go on Reboot to Safe Mode.

Once you are in the Safe Mode, you should try and access the system camera app. Take a few shots if you can, then exit the application. Repeat the steps to see if you are still able to capture photos with your camera. If your camera still works, it means that a third-party app is the one that is causing the issue with your camera.

Once you have determined that a third-party app is causing your camera to malfunction, you should uninstall apps that have access to your camera like WhatsApp, Snapchat, and the like. Remove the apps one by one while testing the camera in between. This way, you will be able to determine which apps are causing your phone to display a can’t connect to the camera message. Make sure that you test your camera’s panorama, video, and other features. If the error message doesn’t appear and you can activate your camera easily, then you have fixed the problem.

If your phone’s camera app is not responding when you access it, you might want to try installing third-party camera applications instead. The good news is that there is no shortage of camera apps in Play Store. Some examples of these apps include Candy Camera, Camera 360, Open Camera, and Camera for Android. If these apps do work, then the problem lies on your phone’s camera application itself.

To fix this problem, you should go to your Android Settings then tap on Apps to find Camera. Remove all updates for it, if it is possible, then clear the cache and data. You will need to force stop the camera app, then re-install the updates again. Test your camera if it is running again.

These steps let you wipe any information stored by the camera but will not remove the photos you’ve taken. Here’s what you need to do:

Like it was mentioned before, removing and re-installing updates on your camera may help solve this problem. Follow the steps mentioned above, and if there is an option to remove any updates, do it. Afterwards, go back to the Play Store and look for recent updates. Once updated, test if your camera is already working. Don’t stick with the old versions for updates as they may be the reason why your camera is not working properly.

Android Marshmallow is known for its app-based permission system. You will need to confirm that the camera application that you are using has permission to access the camera. If it doesn’t have permission, it will usually ask for one when you launch it. To give your camera app permission, you should go to the App Settings and tap on Camera. Tap Permissions then check if the camera permission slider is on the right side. Turn it off then on again. Check if your camera is working.

If these fixes don’t work and you are still receiving a can’t connect to the camera error, the following steps may be tried. However, make sure that you have backed up everything in your device before attempting these solutions.

This solution is for clearing the temporary system data on your device that may be cluttering things up and may even degrade it too. What it does is that it helps remove any leftover files after a system upgrade. You can access this option when your phone is in the Recovery Mode. In order to clear the cache partition, you will need to turn off your device then hold the volume down and power button to start your device.

You will see that your Android robot will be under maintenance. When this appears, you should follow these steps:

Once done, reboot your Android device then check if your camera app is working again. Take note that your device may be using different button combinations to access the Recovery Mode. You should check what combination your phone uses to toggle the Recovery Mode on your smartphone.

You can also reset all of your apps’ preferences to check if your camera will work afterwards. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:

Restart your device and see if this solution works in making your camera work again.

Your phone’s gallery is closely linked to your device’s camera. Basically, if there are any errors in your gallery app, it can also cause problems with your camera. This is why, you end up with an error message when you open your camera. Deleting the data files and cache of your gallery app can help you figure out if the gallery app is the reason why your camera is showing an error. To clear cache and erase data files, you will need to do these steps:

Double check if these steps made your camera work normally.

If your camera is still displaying the error message that it cannot connect to the camera, and you’ve done all the solutions listed above, a factory reset may be the solution that you need. This should be your last resort when it comes to fixing the error. When you do a factory reset, it will wipe all data stored on your phone. Before attempting this solution, make sure that you have backed up your data. Otherwise, everything that is stored in your device will be deleted and you won’t be able to recover them easily.

There are two ways for you to put your phone into a factory reset:

From Recovery Menu

If you have finished restoring your device to factory setting, but your camera is still displaying the error message whenever you activate the camera feature, the problem may be in the hardware itself. If your device is still under warranty, you can return your smartphone back to the seller. On the other hand, if the warranty has already expired, look for a repair shop that can check the hardware of your device. You can even wait for the next update to see if this will work on your device too. If you don’t want to wait, you can contact QwikFone for a quick repair service, or browse our refurbished smartphone collection to replace your phone with a pristine one that works as good as new!

Having a malfunctioning camera on your smartphone can be frustrating, 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 bring it to a service center just yet. Since there are different reasons for your phone’s camera to not work, 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.