iPhone 12 Pro Max Camera Issue: Works on Lock Screen/FaceTime but fails everywhere else (Blurry/Black Screen)

Hi everyone,

I’m facing a very specific and frustrating issue with my iPhone 12 Pro Max cameras and I’m hoping someone has encountered this before.

The Context: This issue started immediately after a software update. Prior to the update, the phone and camera were working perfectly. There has been no physical damage or drops whatsoever.

The Problem:

• Native Camera App (Unlocked): When I open the camera app while the phone is unlocked, it works for 1-2 seconds, then tries to autofocus, and immediately goes completely blurry. After that, both the rear and front cameras stop responding properly.
• Third-Party Apps (Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, etc.): The camera view is completely black. It doesn't initialize at all.
• The Weird Part: If I open the camera directly from the Lock Screen, it works perfectly fine. Also, during FaceTime calls, the camera works without any issues.

What I've tried so far:

• Restarting the phone.
• Force closing all camera-related apps.
• Checking for any subsequent updates.

It seems like a software glitch rather than hardware since the lenses work in specific scenarios (Lock screen/FaceTime). Has anyone seen this "lock screen vs. unlocked" bug after an update? Any suggestions on how to fix this without a full factory reset?

Device Info:

• Model: iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iOS Version: [iOS 26.2.1]