How to Fix iPhone Camera Black Screen: 6 Solutions That Actually Work

Picture this, you are out with your friends and to capture the moment you bring out your iPhone. You open the camera app as usual by clicking on the icon but everything is black. You see the interface but there is no feedback from the camera.

This issue is more common than you think. And yes this is a real story which happened to one of my friends. He was beyond worried when that happened and I can understand why one would be worried. You buy a phone this expensive of course you are going to expect it to work fine 24/7.

But as with everything, no device is 100% perfect as issues might arise just about any day. Which is why today in this blog we will cover 6 easy solutions which you can do to fix your iPhone’s camera showing black screen, straight from your home. Let’s not wait further and dive straight in.

Solution 1: Force Restart Your iPhone

Yes, this might seem very simple or just too good to be true but in majority of the cases the black screen issue is caused by a temporary software glitch. This glitch may prevent your camera from working properly.

Closest example to this would be when your computer freezes and a restart gets it up again.

For iPhone 8 and newer models:

• Press and quickly release the Volume Up button
• Press and quickly release the Volume Down button
• Now press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo appear (this usually takes 10-15 seconds)

For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus:

• Hold the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake button at the same time
• Keep holding both buttons until the Apple logo shows up on your screen

For iPhone 6s and older models:

• Press and hold both the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button together
• Don’t let go until you see the Apple logo

Once the restart is done completely, open your camera app and see if black screen issue still arises. In most cases this simple restart fixes the problem. It is definitely worth trying before any complex methods as this is very simple and has a high success rate.

Solution 2: Switch Between Front and Rear Cameras

Here’s a quick test that can tell you a lot about what’s going on with your camera. Even though you’re seeing a black screen, the camera app is still running in the background.

Open your camera app and look for the camera flip icon usually located at the bottom of your screen. Tap on it to switch between your front-facing camera and rear camera.

You can also try swiping up or down on the screen to switch cameras on some iPhone models.

Now here’s what this test tells you:

• If one camera works but the other shows black screen, you’re likely dealing with a hardware problem with that specific camera
• If both cameras show black screen, it’s probably a software issue
• Sometimes just the act of switching back and forth refreshes the camera connection and fixes the issue

Try switching between cameras a few times and test taking actual photos with both. I’ve seen cases where the switching itself resolved the black screen problem completely.

Solution 3: Close and Reopen the Camera App

Sometimes the camera app gets stuck or conflicts with other apps running on your iPhone. The solution? Close it completely and start fresh.

Using App Switcher:

• On newer iPhones: Swipe up from the bottom of your screen and pause in the middle
• On older iPhones with home button: Double-tap the home button
• You’ll see all your open apps. Find the Camera app preview
• Swipe up on the Camera app preview to close it completely

After closing the camera app, wait about 10-15 seconds before reopening it. This gives your iPhone time to clear any cached data that might be causing the problem.

When you reopen the camera, try opening it from the home screen rather than the control center or lock screen. Sometimes different entry points can make a difference.

This solution works because it clears the app’s temporary memory, refreshes camera permissions, and resolves any conflicts with other apps that might be using camera resources.

Solution 4: Disable VoiceOver Feature

This might seem surprising at first glance but the VoiceOver feature can sometimes interfere with your camera and cause this issue. The VoiceOver feature is designed for people with visual impairments as it basically speaks out what’s on the screen. However this feature can sometimes interfere with other apps and cause software glitches.

To check if VoiceOver is causing the problem:

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver
• If the toggle switch is green, VoiceOver is active and might be the culprit

To turn off VoiceOver:

• Simply toggle off VoiceOver in the Accessibility settings
• Alternatively, you can triple-click your side button (or home button on older models) if the VoiceOver shortcut is enabled

Quick shortcut method: If your camera suddenly went black and you’re not sure why, try triple-clicking your side/home button. This toggles VoiceOver on or off if the shortcut is configured.

How do you know VoiceOver might be the issue?

• Your screen speaks when you touch different areas
• Apps behave differently than usual
• Your camera was working fine before and suddenly stopped

After disabling VoiceOver, close and reopen your camera app to test if the issue is resolved. VoiceOver can be accidentally activated especially by kids playing with your phone or even when the phone is in your pocket.

Solution 5: Update Your iPhone

With updates being released frequently by Apple to squash bugs, not updating might leave you vulnerable to them. Now if you do not update your iOS regularly there is a chance that the last update you installed contained a bug or a new bug surfaced from somewhere and affected your camera.

To check for updates:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update
• Your iPhone will automatically check for available updates
• If an update is available, make sure your phone has at least 50% battery or is connected to a charger

Before updating:

• Back up your iPhone through iCloud or your computer
• Make sure you’re connected to a stable Wi-Fi network
• Check that you have enough storage space (iOS updates typically need several GB of free space)

To install the update:

• Tap “Download and Install”
• Follow the on-screen instructions
• Your iPhone will restart several times during the installation process

After the update:

• Test your camera right after the setup is complete
• Check both front and rear cameras
• Try different camera modes like Photo, Video, and Portrait

I’ve seen many cases where a simple iOS update resolved camera black screen issues that seemed really serious. Apple often fixes hardware compatibility problems and app crash issues through these updates.

If no updates are available, your current iOS version might already include all the necessary fixes, so move on to the next solution.

Solution 6: Reset All Settings

Before you panic about this one, let me clarify something important:
This will NOT delete your photos, contacts, messages, or apps.

 

It only resets your system settings back to default.

What gets reset:

• Wi-Fi passwords
• Wallpaper and brightness settings
• Accessibility settings
• Privacy settings
• Apple Pay information

What stays completely safe:

• All your photos and videos
• Contacts and messages
• Apps and app data
• Music and downloaded content

Before you reset:

• Make note of important Wi-Fi passwords you’ll need to re-enter
• Take a screenshot of any custom settings you want to remember
• Make sure your iCloud backup is up to date

How to reset all settings:

• Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone
• Select “Reset“
• Choose “Reset All Settings“
• Enter your passcode when asked
• Confirm by tapping “Reset All Settings” again

Your iPhone will restart automatically after the reset. You’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and adjust your wallpaper and other preferences, but test your camera first.

This solution has a very high success rate for software-related camera issues because it clears out any corrupted system preferences, resets camera permissions, and eliminates conflicting settings that might be causing the black screen.

Try this solution if the previous ones didn’t work, but before you consider that your iPhone might need professional repair.

When You Need Professional Help

If you’ve tried all six solutions above and your iPhone camera is still showing a black screen, it’s time to consider that this might be a hardware issue rather than a software problem.

Here are some signs that indicate you need professional diagnosis:

• The camera works sometimes but randomly goes black
• You can see part of the image but with strange colors or distortion
• There’s visible physical damage to your iPhone or the camera lens area
• The camera makes unusual sounds when opening
• Other camera-related features like flashlight also don’t work

At this point, trying the same software solutions repeatedly won’t help. What you need is professional diagnostic equipment that can pinpoint exactly what’s wrong with your iPhone’s camera hardware.

This is where Apple Gadgets Care comes in. We specialize in iPhone repairs and have the tools and expertise to properly diagnose camera issues that home troubleshooting can’t solve. Our technicians can determine whether it’s a camera module problem, a logic board issue, or something else entirely.

We understand how important your iPhone camera is to you. Whether it’s for capturing family moments, work presentations, or social media content, a broken camera can really disrupt your daily life. That’s why we focus on providing quick, reliable repair services with genuine parts and competitive pricing.

Our diagnostic process is thorough but fast, and we’ll explain exactly what’s wrong and what your options are before doing any work. We also consider warranty status and help you choose the most cost-effective solution.

Conclusion

Most iPhone camera black screen issues can be resolved with these six solutions, especially the force restart and settings reset methods. The key is to try them in order and not skip steps.

Remember, expensive doesn’t mean perfect, and even the best devices can have occasional glitches. The good news is that most of these problems are fixable without spending money on repairs.

If none of these solutions work for you, don’t stress about it. Sometimes hardware issues do happen, and that’s exactly what Apple Gadgets Care is here for. We’ll get your iPhone camera working like new again so you never have to miss capturing those important moments.