iphone 6s camera lag

I’m experiencing an issue with my iPhone 6s where the camera app is sometimes very laggy when starting up. Most of the time things are fine – I open the camera app and instantly see images from the rear camera. However, on occasion I will get either the last photo taken showing or (more often) see really slow updates (like a frame a second) from the camera for 5-6 seconds before it becomes usable. I haven’t seen anything online about others experiencing this issue, so it would be good to know if this is an isolated hardware issue or something others are seeing (and likely to be fixed by a future software update). FWIW I have done a complete restore on the phone via iTunes without the issue being solved.

Posted on Oct 4, 2015 7:56 AM

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318 replies

Apr 9, 2016 5:30 AM in response to pjosborne

I ve been calling and mailing with 2 dutch Apple senior advisors. I uploaded a movie that i made from my iphone with my ipad. Also gave them the link to this apple communities page.

They forwarded everything to engineering and after the reply of engineering, the senior mailed me back.

Engineering is aware that this problem exists on a number of newer iphones. They are confident that this is not a hardware but a software problem and that it will hopefully be resolved in a future ios update. They also wrote that this would most probably not be a common update but specific for the affected devices. They also write that replacement or reparation is not a solution as some of you have already been experiencing yourself that the issue was not resolved with a new iphone.

They ended the mail with the advice to keep an eye on future ios updates and the statement that they have no further solution for the moment.

Apr 11, 2016 1:33 AM in response to apple-a-day-doc-away

apple-a-day you are right. i have always believed that must be a software problem since in-app cameras such as whatsapp's never have this problem. The camera is instantly ready when using a in-app camera, so problem lies here with the stock camera app which could be fixed with a software update.


lets keep fingers crossed that Apple wont take to long to see and address to this.

Apr 15, 2016 5:43 AM in response to pjosborne

Just wanted to add one more person to the list of people who have this exact camera problem. Ever since I got my 6s 128gb it has had this problem. I have had it replaced once with no change. Sometimes the lag can get into the 10-15 second range! I switched back to my iPhone 6 for awhile because i couldn't stand the lag with the 6S. Its crazy that the 6 works perfectly and the 6S has crazy amounts of lag. This is regardless of any IOS updates. I know no one has the answer yet but maybe one day! Or Apples new fix will be go out and buy the iPhone 7. Wouldn't doubt that by the time they fix this issue with the 6S it will be time for the newer phone. Pretty crappy for all of us who have this problem and still stay loyal to the Apple products...


P.s. If apple could push this up the ladder for software fixes the phone would be almost PERFECT.

Apr 25, 2016 6:56 AM in response to Robber80

Hi, I bought a 6s 128 gb on September, had it changed for a new one, because of the camera lag, and the new one has the same problem. Bought a 6s Plus 128 gb on January, has the exact same problem, camera lag, very annoying. Both are on iOS 9.3.1. I also believe it has to be a software problem, a had one phone exchange and both 6s and 6s Plus have the same problem and where bought on different months. Yesterday with family members, asked them for the problem, and they all had it, two 6s and one 6 Plus. That's why I think it has to be a software problem. Very rare Apple didn't do something on iOS 9.3 This is very annoying. Apple do something!!!!!

Apr 29, 2016 8:34 PM in response to gussein

Now, i inform to all of you, i had found cause for camera issue. When i turn on camera app and then i still keeping it on background. next time, i turn on camera app again, I am sure that have camera issue.


How to fix problem: we must switch off camera app after we use, never keep it on background (double click Home button and slide up to switch off camera app).

May 10, 2016 5:41 AM in response to pjosborne

Hi All,


Yes I have this exact same problem. Sometimes lag is around 15 seconds. This is very annoying and makes the device useless for me. I am using iPhone 6S Plus 128. I have thoughts that this happens at some versions of 6s and 6s plus phones, not all. I think here we are all the unlucky ones here.


I don't think this is a software issue. If this is a software issue than everyone should be going to Apple as this bug makes impossible to shoot photos. This device is advertised for best shooting capabilities. Apple can not survive with thousands of people who can not shoot the moment right after they took the phone out of their pockets. Also for the ones here who think that whatsapp or camera+ apps do not have this problem should think twice as these apps do not utilize all the core aspects of camera module of the device at once. Only the apple native camera app reaches to deep core elements of the camera. This is why, having others apps using the camera working normal can not be a medium here.


Like some other people, I am currently getting rid of this silly bug with closing the camera app evertime I use it. This is the only real solution for now to be able to make a guarantee shoot immediately we open camera app. I am very busy with my works nowadays, but when I have more time to deal with this issue, I will be after getting a refund for this as it is allowed in my country that if a device makes the same problem 3 times it goes to service, than customer has the right to ask a refund.


I hope everyone will own a good working iPhone someday.

Best Regards,

May 12, 2016 5:53 AM in response to pjosborne

Since my last post I had an upgrade on my cell phone account. So since I have a iPhone 6s 128gb I wanted to try a iPhone 6s Plus. Got it all restored from my current back up and sure enough camera lag. Seemed to work good for the first night. But during the days to follow, the lag got just as bad. Sometimes so bad I would have to close the camera and restart it just to get it to work.


After that I returned the iPhone 6s Plus and got a new iPhone 6s 128gb. I have a business so I Figured I'd use my older 6s as a backup. The new iPhone 6s has the exact same camera lag.


So to date I've Had:


1st Iphone 6s 128 gb had camera lag and Apple Replace it


2nd Replacement iPhone 6s had camera lag


3rd Got a brand new iPhone 6s Plus 128 gb from Verizon wth one of my upgrades had the camera lag


4th Returned iPhone 6s Plus for another iPhone 6s 128 gb, this phone currently has camera lag


My wife, Employee, and Friends all have 6s versions of iPhones and none of them have the problem. I'm almost 100% that something inside my backed up data is being transferred to the new phones.


I've been backing up my iPhones since i started using them in 2011. I can't even bare the idea of starting fresh without restoring them. I love being able to get a new phone or swap phones and restore it. That way I start off right where I left it!

I hope Apple can look into a fix for this.

May 23, 2016 9:10 AM in response to rezamomeni

I have iPhone 6s 64 GB, and I suffer from the camera start lag .......... very annoying thing as I have missed so many shots because of this lag .....shame on you Apple fix this issue.


recently I read some where that you have to close all Apps in the background including camera stock app, someone claiming that this issue related to the RAM & background apps, so try as hard as possible to keep all Apps or Apps that you don't use daily closed in background, my iOS is 9.3.2 and still waiting Apple to send update to fix this nasty issue .


Apple do something I'm about to leave my iPhone for the HTC 10.

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iphone 6s camera lag

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