20 Ways To Fix Camera Failed Warning On Samsung Galaxy Phones

Life would be different in many ways if there was a pause, stop, rewind, or redo button; but perhaps part of its beauty is that things don't happen exactly as they are at any given time. Maybe we wouldn't even need photos or cameras if we could relive the experience.

But since that's not really an option, we need our cameras working to capture those moments in time that we can't get back. That's why to receive the message

Camera Failed

can be frustrating, infuriating, even tragic.

Unfortunately, as a Samsung owner, it is also likely that the Camera failed error is an error you will face. You're in luck, though, because there are plenty of possible solutions. Also, fortunately, the problem is more often software-related than hardware-related. Just follow these tips to get your solution.

Must read:

10 Best Android Camera Smartphones for the Budding Photographer

1. Restart the camera app

You might have to do this out of necessity because sometimes the camera app crashes and closes along with the error message. Hopefully, when you recover it, you will never see the error message again, but unfortunately this method is sometimes only a temporary solution.

2. Restart the phone

There's nothing like a fresh start to do good for all your struggling apps. Hold down the power button until you see the option to

To restart

.

3. Clear Camera app cache/data

Go to

Settings > Application Manager

and swipe right or left to the tab

All

. Select app

Camera

itself (you may need to select first

More > Show system apps

to display the default applications).

Force to stop

app, then clear its cache. While you're at it, clear the app data.

This can cause loss of settings and preferences, and it will clear your temporary files, but it could also clear the cause of your problem. This is one of the most recommended ways to fix camera failed warning on Samsung Galaxy phones.

4. Remove memory card

There have been cases where the problem is related to the

SD card

. Try ejecting the card and then check if the camera behaves better. If so, you may need to replace the SD card with a new one.

5. Take Photos in Safe Mode

You might as well delete all the trouble-causing apps that you don't really use. If you're not sure which app is causing your problems, try testing it with the

Safe mode

.

Safe mode starts your phone in a default state so you can compare the behavior of the apps that come with your phone to the behavior of your phone with all of its third-party apps. If your phone doesn't have this problem in safe mode, chances are your problem is a third-party app.

On the S8, you can enter

Safe mode

by first turning off your device. Long press the power button and you will first see the model name appear, but continue until you see the logo

Samsung

. Once you release the power key, immediately press volume up until the phone finishes rebooting. On other devices, such as the Samsung 7, you will continue to long press the power button until you see an option to

Restart in safe mode

.

>6. Uninstall third-party apps

If you determine that an app is your problem, remove it. Go to

Settings > Application Manager > All

and select the app. Choose

Uninstall

. Or long press the app and drag it to the option

Uninstall

.

A prime suspect is any other camera app you may have downloaded. Unfortunately, the process can be tedious and time-consuming, but you can seek help from apps that can perform batch uninstallations.

To download

:

Easy Uninstall app uninstaller

7. Wipe cache partition

You might lose data and settings by wiping your cache partition. This process may vary by device, but you will want to enter recovery mode. For example, we will use the

Samsung Galaxy S8

. Turn off your S8, then long press the keys

volume up

and

Bixby

.

power

r. When the Android logo appears, release all keys. Use the key

Volume down

to have access to

Wipe cache partition

, and the

Power

to select it. A reboot is recommended afterwards.

8. Factory Reset

If all else fails, try a factory reset. First of all,

backup

your Samsung to save any changes you may have made. To backup and reset all in one go to

Settings

>

Backup & reset

. Press on

Back up my data

. Then navigate to

Factory data reset, Reset my device

and

Reset all

.

This is probably one of the most drastic ways to fix camera failed warning on phones.

Samsung Galaxy

.

9. Disable Smart Stay

Smart Stay is a setting on some models to control how long your screen stays on before going to sleep. Unfortunately, this is known to sometimes have a negative effect on the camera. Go to

Settings > Display > Smart Stay

and disable it. Restart your Samsung.

10. Refresh Camera Settings

Sometimes all you need is a fresh start. Go to

Settings > Backup & reset

Where

General management > Reset settings

. The phone settings will return to their default values.

11. Clear Cache/Gallery Data

Don't worry, none of your photos will be deleted. However, don't expect your custom settings to stay the same. Go to

Settings > Application Manager

and swipe right or left to the tab

All

. Select app

Gallery

. Press on

Storage

and the options for

Empty the cache

and

Erase data

should appear.

12. Talk to your dealer

See what your carrier will do for you, especially if your Samsung is newer or under warranty. You may have received a faulty device.

Other options are to take your phone to a third-party technician (not recommended if it's under warranty) or contact Samsung itself. Some customers have been offered replacement devices.

13. Pull the battery, if applicable to your Samsung

If you have reason to believe that the problem may be power-related, try this. This problem and its solution may be similar to what laptop users have experienced for a long time, where some components do not work until the battery is removed. However, not all phones have a removable battery. Don't lift your phone if removing and replacing the battery isn't easy.

14. Open the Gallery app for a moment

Some say this helps solve the problem by allowing the app to search for images on the device and create a cache. We say it's pretty easy and harmless to try.

15. Connect the charging cable

Like pulling the battery, connecting your Samsung to a charger can help if the problem is related to a power fault, such as faulty power capacitors.

16. Stop using SD/MicroSD to store photos

It may also suffice to simply free up space on the SD card.

17. Update software

To find and apply system updates, visit

Settings > More > About device > Software update > Update

. You can also visit

Samsung Download Center

and enter information specific to your device.

18. Flash Firmware

Flashing even stock firmware is not without risk, so back up your data first. You can use programs like Odin or Smart Switch, depending on your device and your comfort level.

We have many articles on how to flash firmware on our site, and most likely we have such an article for your particular device if you are looking for it. This is definitely a drastic way to fix camera failed warning on Samsung Galaxy phones.

19. Try another app

If your current and/or default camera app is not working,

there are many other options

. For example, there is Camera for Android. A favorite in photo editing is Snapseed, which many compare to – and some even say is better than – Photoshop. And it's free.

To download

:

Camera for Android

To download

:

Snapseed

20. Force Stop Camera App

If your camera app is crashing and not working, you can force stop it and unfreeze its frozen state. Go to

Settings > Application Manager

and swipe right or left to the tab

All

. Select app

Camera

. You may need to select first

More (three dots) > Show system apps

to view default apps. Press on

Force stop

.

Conclusion

Most of the solutions will work on all types of Samsung devices, although the path and how to do this may differ.

On a large scale, this problem usually does not require replacing the phone to fix the problem, but can usually be fixed with a little troubleshooting. Try all 20 solutions until you find your answer. If nothing works, it's probably time to contact your carrier.

Let us know what you did to fix the dreaded “Camera Failed” error. Maybe you found a solution that is not listed here. Share with us and others in the comments.

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