iPhone 5 camera not working after 8.3 update

Hello everyone,

I opened a case for this with apple after doing several iphone resets and still having the same issue. They suggested doing a restore from iTunes to determine whether it was a software or hardware problem. If the restore worked then it was 8.3, if not it was my phone.

Needless to say, the restore did not work for me. I find it hard to believe that all of a sudden both of my cameras stopped working. I have a genius bar appointment tomorrow so i will update my post then. My phone is out of warranty so hopefully I get someone helpful.

rma

Good luck! I hope you come back with good news. (My phone is out of warranty as well)

I'm having the same issue. I hate to have to restore, but looks like it's worth a try.

Well I hate to bail on you guys but my replacement phone was under warranty so I canceled my genius bar appointment.

I hope you all are able to recover your phones with the information posted and maybe an apple person will see these and care enough to help hundreds of people who have a $600+ piece of equipment that apple ruined. this just kills me. i looked through the kb for the release notes and didn't see anything:

iOS 8.3

About the security content of iOS 8.3 - Apple Support

Congrats! 🙂

In the meantime I disconnected the battery for 5 minutes hoping it will fix the problem, but unfortunately, did not work.

My next plan: Replace Camera in a fun DIY project 🙂. Nothing to loose at this point.

Hi Everyone,

So i wanted to let everyone know my story so they don't bother spending money when they shouldn't. I purchased an iPhone that had both a smashed front screen and back screen. I replaced both screens to then find the front camera wasn't working. The first thing i thought was to check to see if it's a hardware problem as I rely on apple to test their software before releasing (clearly they didn't). I checked the connections and made sure there wasn't any dirt or damage. There wasn't ,but the only other thing i could do was replace the front camera. I did this and was extremely annoyed to find it STILL wasn't working. APPLE FIX THIS!!! It's clearly not hardware related if this many people are having the same problem at the same time!!!

All,

My IPhone 5 also lost all camera and flashlight function. No front or rear camera. Just a black screen.

This all just happened after the recent update.

Also not sure if it was mentioned but when you open the camera app the button to take a photo or record on the screen does not work.

I have tried resetting as new and no luck...

Also downloaded Awesome Camera with no luck as well.

This must be a software issue.

I'm having the same issue with my camera after upgrading to iOS8.3. The back camera suddenly doesn't work, but the front cam does. And, when you try to flip the camera, you get a black screen that does nothing else. So yesterday, I called "Customer Support". The representative told me she hadn't heard about this problem at all. So, I directed her to this page and many more explaining this problem. Then, after an hour of resetting, backing up, and various futile attempts to get tha camera working, the representative was told by her superiors that the problem ALL of these people were having with their cameras after upgrading to iOS8.3 "had nothing to do with the upgrade. And, was purely coincidental". Then, she tried to set me a "fix" appointment, in which I would have to pay for the fix. BAD bad bad move, Apple! In your weak attempt to "pass the buck", you showed me that you, like so many other American corporations, lack integrity and honesty. I would've been satisfied with, "Yes, many people have reported this problem and we're doing what we can to resolve this issue....Thank you for your patience.", but no....you chose the lame route, instead. TODAY, I'm buying a Samsung Galaxy! Peace out, Apple! Try NOT LYING the people that MAKE you!

It seems to be hardware issue (at least in my case) because:

- I ordered a new OEM camera online, together with a new battery. After I replaced both, my phone is back online. I spent ±20 EUR and about 2 hours, so it's definitively worth it -> Not a SW issue and for sure cheaper than a new Samy.

See, your flash still worked, so replacing just the camera would make sense, but for others (including myself) with both flash and camera not working, it has to be software as I went to a 3rd party Apple authorized specialist to replace my camera and flash. They replaced it, but still didn't work after service and repair. Luckily they didn't charge me as the process failed, but this goes to show that it's not hardware when it comes to both flash and camera not working.

So, after being BSed by an Apple representative telling me that the camera issue had nothing to do with the software and was purely coincidental after updating to iOS8.3, then updating today to iOS8.4, the camera and flash still don't work! Stoked on my new Samsung Galaxy, though!

Yes, I tried the iOS 9 beta to see if it would fix the camera but it didn't. Apple blamed the beta software for the camera not working even though it didn't work before! I also have proof that it didn't work before because I was with Apple support 3 times back when the update first happened 3 months ago! This is unbelievable!

I am having this exact same issue immediately after updating to 8.3 for the first time. Only front camera works, rear camera and flashlight do not work.

Also had this problem on 8.3 and iPhone 4s, still having it on 8.4. Can't access the branched discussion linked at the top of the page, get this error:

Unauthorized

@CBennett2498, I would agree that it's a software issue, not hardware-related. My 5s had no back camera/flash, only front working, and buggy at that. Although it's interesting, I was on the phone with a TMO apple specialist and after trying everything he could think of, he determined it's a hardware issue. Apple folks said it's a software issue, but had no fixes for me. So at this point, we know it either is or it isn't, which leaves us no better off than when we started.