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Top 8 Ways to Fix Pixel Camera App Not Working

by Pankil Shah

Pixel’s camera has always been one of its biggest selling points. And that’s mainly due to a combination of Pixel’s excellent camera hardware and its highly optimized software of the Camera app. But all this is of little use when the camera app stops working on your Pixel. That’s exactly what’s been happening to some Pixel users. Surprisingly, the issue is not limited to older Pixel devices, as Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro users have also been let down by similar issues with the camera app.

If you’ve been frustrated with such camera issues on your Pixel device, we’ve prepared a list of a few troubleshooting fixes that might help. So, let’s check it out.

1. Clean the Camera

If the image quality in the camera app seems hazy or out of focus, then you can start by cleaning the camera lens. If you’re using a case or a screen protector, remove it first. Then take a soft cloth and clean the camera lens. 

2. Restart Your Phone

Next, restart your phone. Doing so can help fix a myriad of issues and could be what your phone needs.

Press and hold the power button to turn off your Pixel device. Wait for a minute or two before turning it on again. This will take care of any minor Software issues with your Pixel device which might end up fixing the camera not working issue. 

3. Clear Camera App Cache

Just like any other app, the camera app on your Pixel device also gathers cache data. If that cache data has become corrupted or inaccessible then it may not work as expected. Here’s how to fix it.

1. Long press the Camera app icon and tap on the info icon.

Open Camera App Info

2. Go to Storage and cache and tap on the Clear cache option. 

Clear Camera Cache on Pixel Phone

Restart the camera app and see if it works fine now.

4. Update All Apps

Keeping your apps updated is a solution that Google recommends to avoid such anomalies with your Pixel device. Apart from new features, these app updates also carry bug fixes and improvements that are crucial for apps. 

Long press on the Play Store icon and select My apps from the menu that pops up. Then tap on Update All to download and install any pending updates.

Update All Apps on Pixel Phone

5. Update Phone’s Software

Pixel phones are among the first ones to receive major Android updates. Apart from new features, these early builds can sometimes carry minor bugs that might be responsible for the camera app not working issue.

Fortunately, it shouldn’t take long for Google to resolve such bugs in the following updates. Thus, besides updating the apps, it’s also advisable to update your phone’s software.

To check for software updates on Android, open Settings and navigate to System > System update. Download and install any pending updates to see if that fixes the camera app.

System Update on Pixel Phone

6. Disable and Re-enable the Camera App

If you’re still having issues with the camera app on your Pixel phone, you can try disabling and enabling it again. This method helped several users fix the issue with the Camera app. You can also give it a try. Here’s how to do it.

1. Long press the Camera app icon and tap on the info icon.

2. Tap on Disable. Select Disable app when prompted. 

Disable Camera App on Pixel Phone

3. Wait for some time and tap on Enable the app from here.

Enable Camera App on Pixel Phone

Now restart your Pixel device and see if the Camera is working alright.

7. Try Safe Mode

Third-party apps and services can also interfere with your phone’s working from time to time and lead to such issues. To rule this out, you can try botting your phone into Safe Mode. Doing so will start your phone without any third-party apps and services. 

To enter Safe Mode, press and hold the power button. Then long press on the Restart button and select OK when prompted to enter Safe Mode.

Restart Pixel in Safe Mode

If the camera app is working fine in Safe Mode, then you can try removing some of the recently installed apps from your Pixel device and try using the camera app again.

8. Try Alternative Apps

If nothing seems to work, then you have no option but to move to a third-party app. There are plenty of third-party camera apps on the Play Store that you can use to fulfill your camera needs. 

Smile, You’re on Camera

While such camera issues can effectively ruin your Pixel experience, it’s nothing that you can’t fix yourself with the solutions above. In most cases, clearing the Camera cache or updating the software should do the trick. If not, you can always switch to a better third-party camera app.

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