camera glitch after updating IOS 26.1

Nani30 wrote:

Seriously regretting the iOS 26.1 update 🙂. Having multiple problems: camera shows a blank screen, contact posters disappear, battery is draining super fast, and the phone is heating up! The camera issues affect other apps like Snapchat and WhatsApp too. Anyone else facing this mess? #iOS261 #Apple #iPhoneProblems #TechSupport"

Sounds like the phone needs repair.

The process of erasing and setting up again can very often fix a glitch.

Resources…

Backing Up: How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

Restoring: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

 If that fails, prepare it for repair and Official Apple Support

Your phone doesn’t need a repair.. mine is doing the SAME exact thing since updating it to 26.1! It’s so annoying! My camera will open and if it loads from a black screen at all-it freezes after 2 seconds of it being opened. Hopefully they fix this fast!

Mamasarah14 wrote:

Your phone doesn’t need a repair.. mine is doing the SAME exact thing since updating it to 26.1! It’s so annoying! My camera will open and if it loads from a black screen at all-it freezes after 2 seconds of it being opened. Hopefully they fix this fast!

LD250 never suggested their phone needs a repair. Unless you have the ability to test a phone, like Apple can test a phone, you don't know if a phone needs a repair or not. If you're having an issue, waiting for a fix to magically fly through the air, doesn't seem a prudent decision. Most people aren't having issues like you're seeing. Schedule an appointment at your Apple Store Genius bar to have your phone tested.

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

You need to have Apple perform diagnostics on your iPhone. It can be done in person at an Apple Retail Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can also contact Apple Support and request remote diagnostics.

If you’re in the US, please call  1-800-MY-APPLE, or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada, call 1-800-263-3394.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Official Apple Support

janeabaker wrote:

I spoke too soon, it’s back to doing the same thing 😔

I didn't think changing a lock screen setting would affect the camera itself.

Intermittent problems often point to flakey hardware. Flakey hardware reacts to change, is all.

Wonderful tip Embraosrs! Thank you very much! I did what you suggested and it works great! The only thing I additionally did was the reset restart (pressing volume up, volume down, and press the right (big) button until it restarts and shows the apple logo. When it started I tested the camera and everything was working normally.

You need to have Apple perform diagnostics on your iPhone. It can be done in person at an Apple Retail Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can also contact Apple Support and request remote diagnostics.

If you’re in the US, please call  1-800-MY-APPLE, or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada, call 1-800-263-3394.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Official Apple Support

I have a very similar problem, though for me it is not necessarily consistant. So far, when I use the camera app, everything is fine and it will be for a few hours/days, though every other app (snapchat, instagram, files, etc.) cannot access the camera; the screen is simply completely back for both the front and back cameras. What has worked has been to simply restart my phone and after that it'd be alright, however it is quite annoying especially when doing things like document scans, video calls, etc. Hope they fix this with an update soon!

Same issue here. When the phone is restarted, camera works for a while, but then crashes. Face ID works fine, even when the camera isn't. When the problem starts, the Camera app opens for a few seconds, but then it blurs and doesn't take any photos or videos. Other apps also display a black screen for the camera. This problem definitely started with iOS 26 or 26.1 and is definitely related to that iOS version. I'm using an iPhone 14 Pro.

Was really hoping that would help me but nope it doesnt. i can open the app seems fine for a second but if i try and zoom or switch between modes the camera become blurry and pauses. I've reset my settings and tried turning off the lock screen swipe and nothing works.

Just upgraded my iPhone and now there is no more portrait setting on my camera. It has been a great camera for years and now it's like downgrading to a basic point and shoot. There are only two settings: video and photo. That's it. I use to have panorama, portrait, slo-mo and others. Where did they go? This is bad.

WAIT! I figured it out. The photo modes are really hidden. You have to slide the "photo" button (when you're in the camera) until they appear. If you want to access things like 4:3, exposure, "live" and all that, you have to tap the photo button. Those settings used to be accessible by tapping the little arrow-like button at the top of the frame but no more. The "live" setting could be turned off a lot more easily than it can now. Now, you have to tap the photo button until the settings appear, then tap the "live" button to turn it off. Meanwhile, your subject has moved... Personally, I don't like "live" unless I want to capture movement. What would be great is if there were a way to turn off "live" for more than one photo. Even though it's a relief to have found all this stuff, what a completely useless update. I don't care about the jelly-looking stuff; I just want the phone and the camera to work. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I have had serious issues with audio when recording videos at music events after updating my iPhone 15 proMax to iOS 26. I did take it to a "genius" at the local Apple Store. Friendly "Genius" didn't have a clue even after running an audio test, saying that he'd never heard of this being a problem, and that I should call Apple Support. Seemed weird to me since I thought he was Apple Support. After reading enough posts on Reddit and other online sources which would suggest that it seems to be a problem with the Camera App's processing of the audio, I filed a bug report with Apple. I have since started using the blackmagic camera app which seems to process audio fine.

Exact same issues since updating to 26.1. Tried several things to fix it but all only fix it for a while and then the same issue reoccurs.

Symptom: screen turns greyish or black when opening Camera or any other app using the camera.

Have tried:

1 hard reset (voluptuous, volume down, holding right button till appte logo appears)

2 Reset iPhone (settings - general) which involves reconfiguring Face ID, Apple Pay, all accessibility settings erc

3 turned off the camera setting Lock screen swipe to open camera

I have an iPhone 12. Really wondering what else I can do. So many people face these issues since iOS 26.1.

About time that Apple provides a fix!!

or does anyone still have some tip?

This what I keep getting anytime I try and use my camera. If I try and zoom or if I try and switch from photo to video it freezes. We’ve had two RC builds an neither of them fixed the camera. I got a iPhone 17 pro max and a uses camera

drdre74 wrote:

This what I keep getting anytime I try and use my camera. If I try and zoom or if I try and switch from photo to video it freezes. We’ve had two RC builds an neither of them fixed the camera. I got a iPhone 17 pro max and a uses camera

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/8ffc2059-8afd-4a8b-9607-4f6077409d4e

Since you mention RC Builds, this means you're using Beta Software on your iPhone. And you can't discuss possible issues with Beta software, per the NDA you signed when you became a Beta Tester. Use the feedback link you were provided.