Camera not working in third party apps iOS 18.6

I can confirm this is a bug in iOS 18.5+. I’m an app developer and we’ve received dozens of support tickets from customers saying their camera does not work. A hard restart, tap volume up, tap volume down, and then holding down the power button for 15 seconds until the Apple logo appears fixes this issue for almost everyone the first try. I’m concerned because people think our app is broken, and we’re losing sales and getting bad reviews as a result. We’ve seen a dip in our ratings since iOS 18.5 specifically.

"sorry but it's not helpful at all. this is a BUG in iOS since 18.5 i guess. because many people complain for months here & in other social media like reddit. i'm not the only one who has the problem with not working camera in third-party apps."

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Report this Bug to Apple:

Do your Part: Provide Apple with feedback on this, letting them know about this issue.  Apple may not get back to you directly, but the more feedback they receive on this, the more they will know what is occurring, and what bug fixes to include in updates to come. Apple will know nothing of this, if you don't report it to them.

1. Go Here: Feedback - iPhone - Apple
2. Select: "Bug Report" for the "Feedback Type"
3. Comment: on when this all began, and how you've troubleshot it, thus far. Include the URL of this thread.
4. Proceed from there as necessary

"Camera not working in third party apps iOS 18.6: [...]I had to constantly restart my phone for the normal functioning of the camera. [...]So I thought this was a bug in iOS 18.5 and hoped that they would fix it in iOS 18.6. And then it came out, I updated my iPhone, but the problem did not go away."

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Troubleshooting a Black Camera App:

A. First, Go Here: If the Camera or Flash on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch isn't Working - Apple Support

B. Uncover the Camera:

Is there anything covering the camera? If so, remove it.

C. Update All Apps:

See if you need to update your apps. Keep them up-to-date to install bug fixes and feature updates. Not all third-party apps have the option to update, but, some may.

D. Any Ungenuine Camera Message?:

Did you recently get the camera replaced? If so, contact the person(s) who performed the replacement, and have them place a genuine camera in there.See Here: About Genuine iPhone Cameras - Apple Support.  They should have known better.

chmanie wrote:

I’m experiencing the same issue using iOS 26.0.1 on an iPhone 17. I had the same issue on the iPhone 15 with iOS 18.x

It’s extremely annoying, especially with bike/scooter rental apps where you have to snap a picture to return it.

I always have to restart my phone.

Have you gone to Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera - you need to give whatever app is requesting access to the camera access to the camera there.

"sorry but it's not helpful at all. this is a BUG in iOS since 18.5 i guess. because many people complain for months here & in other social media like reddit. i'm not the only one who has the problem with not working camera in third-party apps."

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Update your iPhone:

What you are reporting is a phenomenon that's being reported on these forums for years. iOS18.6 was recently release, as of this thread. So, back up your iPhone, and then perform the update. With a backup, you can have something to restore it from, should anything go wrong after the update. Other than updating on on the iPhone itself, you can update using a computer. Go Here:  Update your iPhone Using a Computer - User Tip

It's not always the iOS update's fault!  Many things can cause phone problems.  If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix or find a solution for the real issue.

Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!

Was/Is your device Jailbroken? If that's the situation, please be informed that attributing the issues to iOS updates may not be accurate.

iOS updates aim to enhance user experience, boost security, and fix bugs rather than disrupt core features. The majority of the issues after updates might stem from underlying, unmentioned factors. Updates won't typically alter personal data but may refine settings or features. Backup before major updates for safety. Review Apple's update details and backup advice for a smooth process.

Kindly consider checking your settings and addressing any device issues before attributing the issue to external factors. This could be a pure coincidence that the iOS update affected the iPhone functions.

Before initiating a standard iOS update, it's advisable to create a backup. Have you completed this step? If yes, proceed with the restoration from the backup.

See what each update does: About iOS 18 Updates, About iOS 17 Updates, About iOS 16 Updates, About iOS 15 Updates, About iOS 14 Updates, About iOS 13 Updates, About iOS 12 Updates, and so on...

It surely is not iOS 18.5/18.6 because...

I conducted a thorough search of this forum using the term 'camera in third party apps update iOS' and uncovered numerous posts detailing similar issues across various iOS updates. This suggests that iOS updates may not consistently be the root cause. Below are a handful of examples extracted from then search

Posted 2 Years ago -->

• Re: 3rd Party App - iPhone 14 Pro camera not focussing
• Camera not dectected in third party apps for Intel based Mac
• Re: iphone 14 Pro - Front camera blurry in 3rd party apps

I've had my iPhone 16 Pro for about 1-2 months, and I've been facing the exact same issue with the camera connection from third-party apps (like Locket, Instagram, or e-banking apps for QR payments). I experience this frequently, about once every 1-2weeks.

I've tried checking the camera permissions for all third-party apps, but everything seems normal; however, the camera still won't connect, except for the default Camera app. Whenever this happens, I have to restart my iPhone, and then everything works fine. But after 1-2 weeks, the error reappears, and I have to restart it again. This is getting so annoying.

Since I bought the phone, I've updated the iOS twice, but this problem hasn't improved at all.

I’m experiencing the same issue using iOS 26.0.1 on an iPhone 17. I had the same issue on the iPhone 15 with iOS 18.x

It’s extremely annoying, especially with bike/scooter rental apps where you have to snap a picture to return it.

I always have to restart my phone.

How does your app work under the latest version iOS 18.7.1? How does it work under the newest iOS, iOS 26.0.1?

I’m having the exact same issue. iPhone 15 Pro Max. Third party apps just display a black screen when I try to use the camera through them. The only exception I’ve found is Snapchat.

if I restart my phone, the issue is temporarily fixed, but then starts again within a day or so. This has been the case for 18.5 and 18.6 so far.