iPhone 7 Plus - Camera focus issue

To rule out a software issue, try these steps:

1. Force restart the phone by holding the sleep and volume down button for about 10sec, until the Apple logo comes back again. You will not lose data.

2. In case this does not work, set it back to factory settings, without using the latest backup. Test the camera. If it works, restore from the backup.

Use iTunes to restore your iOS device to factory settings - Apple Support

3. If factory resetting does not help, get the phone checked by Apple:

Start a service request

Find an Apple Authorized Service Provider

Make an Apple Store appointment

I've had lots of camera issues with my 7s 256gb rose gold iPhone. Sometimes it's completely out of focus and touching the screen does nothing. Sometimes it flashes back and forth between focused and blurry endlessly, again no remedy. It's random that it does this. I've found that if I use the camera when on a phone call, the issues have (so far) not presented themselves. Issues are fairly frequent but random. I called Apple Care, they are aware of the problem and suggested it was hardware and that I should exchange the phone at my Apple Store or they'd send one if secured by a credit card (as I have to mail back the original). I made an appointment to exchange at the Apple Store. I just hope my new phone doesn't present the same problem. The irony is that the improved camera is the #1 reason I upgraded from my 6s Plus. Clearly, from this thread alone, this is a common occurrence. Good luck, everyone!

Hi,

I think I have a fix for this (at least it worked for me anyway). If you swipe up from bottom when on your home screen, then switch flashlight, then go back to the camera it should work. You only need to do this once.

seems to be an issue with LED flash not working in IOS 10.1 until you switch the flashlight on.

Luckily I discovered this myself as apple support did not suggest this and my new phone was due to be collected and replaced today!!

Last night I was going to go to the Apple Store in Nashville while traveling to ask them about the problem and before I went there I tried to take a picture and the camera went almost black and I got the yellow focus rectangle and it started strobing between this black and sort of trying to focus and then black etc. While something told me not to, because I wanted the Apple Store to see this, I decided to close the camera app and restart it and it just started doing the same thing again, thankfully. When I got to the Apple Store I turned it on and it was still doing the same thing and they gave me a new phone. There's clearly a problem with it that was not going to go away. Those cameras are awfully tiny and it's amazing that they can get the percentage of them to work that they do. It's faulty hardware, I'm sure.

I have just taken my iphone7 back to the Apple Store with this problem and they swapped it for a brand new iPhone. They conducted a diagnostic check first which showed my phone, camera and battery were in perfect health. They asked if i'd tried resetting the phone to which I replied that I had (even though I hadn't) by holding the Home button and volume down together, but the problem persisted.

I now have a brand new iphone7 which I'm sure will have the exact same problem. A major plus for me is that the screen on my iphone7 had a very small crack in it, which would have cost me £25 to repair under Apple Care, but now that problem is solved also 🙂.

I shall report back if there are any problems.

They swapped mine for a new handset. Take yours back, tell them its happening regularly but intermittently and that the phone isn't fit for its purpose. Tell them you've reset the phone numerous times but the problem persists. They will give you a new phone, and so they should, after all its cost you upwards of £700 for this premium phone.

yes i had that problem too. with the same thing that others have mentioned that a temp fix is to switch to video and then back to photo. i found a longer term fix was settings/general/reset all settings. this messes up your display, loses your stored wifi connections and moves your apps around but all other data is saved. worked for me and much less hassle than a full factory reset

The actual easy fix is one I guess I discovered myself and nobody else knows about yet! Just switch the camera to "Video" mode and then back to "Camera" mode. You just click on the word Video above and to the left of the shutter button on the screen and then back to Photo to its right. It takes almost one second and yes it's a huge pain but it's a thousand times faster and easier than restarting the phone and it works just as well. You're welcome!

today apple released new software 10.1 that says it will address the blurry camera screen. I've also had this provlem, so I'm hoping the update will fix it!

I've had the same issue on two occasions—the first of which was immediately following its initial set up on 9/16. The second occasion was yesterday, nearly two weeks later. For me, exiting the camera app did not resolve the issue. Rebooting the phone DID help.

I just experienced this last night on my 7+. Brought up the camera, and the image was totally out of focus. It kept trying to focus, but it was just going from really bad, to horribly bad focus. The image was also very dark.

Shutting down the app and relaunching it didn't fix it for me. It also wouldn't let me switch between cameras by clicking the zoom indicator (it wouldn't toggle between 1x and 2x.) Switching to video and back did work, although I swear I tried that as well the first time and it wouldn't let me switch. It could be that it needed both.

I do have it in a case, but the case stays well away from the cameras.

I've had this happen to me more than a few times and I've found switching to video and switching back fixes the problem as well. I can only assume it's a software issue, because otherwise that simple thing wouldn't fix it.

I returned my iPhone7 to the Apple Store Genius Bar with this same problem. I couldn't replicate it at the store but they exchanged my phone for a new one anyway. My new phone is fine, and doesn't have this problem.

I use Pro Cam instead of the standard camera ap. When I use the standard app I have the same problem. I never happens with Pro Cam or Stage Cam. Try downloading a camera app and using it until Apple fixes the problem.

I had the same problem and I tried everything tuned it on and off updating it the lot but I found my camera works with Snapchat so I took my phone to apple and there was a problem with the camera so they fixed in the shop.