Find that your front camera on your iPhone is not working after the iOS 13.4 update?
Apple has been known to release a new version of iOS every once in a while. What’s great about this is that they extend the compatibility of the latest software version even on older models.
With the release of iOS 13, Apple still supported older devices like the iPhone SE, 6s, and 6s Plus. This means that if you own an older iOS device, you would still be able to receive the latest security patches, updated applications, and performance optimization.
However, with the latest version of iOS 13, which is 13.4, iPhone owners have reported unusual behavior with their front camera. Some experienced problems using the front camera on third party applications but works perfectly well on the camera app.
Just like any problem, there is always a solution. Today, we are going to show you simple ways on how to fix the front camera not working after the iOS 13.4 update.
Let’s get right to it.
- 1. Restart Your iPhone.
- 2. Force Close the Camera App.
- 3. Reset Your iPhone Settings.
- 4. Check Your iPhone’s Camera Permissions.
- 5. Get Expert Help (Contact Apple).
1. Restart Your iPhone.
The easiest way to possibly fix your front camera after updating to iOS 13.4 is to do a restart. Restarting your phone will close all background processes which can be using your front camera like the Face ID.
To restart your iPhone, you can follow the guide below.
- Locate your iPhone’s Power Button, then press and hold it until the Slide to Power Off option pop-up.
- Next, hold the Power Slider on the screen and drag it to the right your iPhone’s screen turns black.
- After that, wait for the iPhone’s screen to completely power off. This can usually take 5 to 8 seconds.
- Now, wait for at least one minute. Then, press on your iPhone’s Power Button again until the screen turns on.
- Lastly, wait for your iPhone to boot up and enter your Passcode if applicable.
After restarting your iPhone, try using the front camera on the stock Camera app or other third party applications like Messenger, Instagram, and Snapchat.
Alternatively, you can also try force restarting your iPhone, which can possibly fix the problem with your front camera.
If you are still experiencing problems with your front camera after doing a restart, proceed to the next step below.
2. Force Close the Camera App.
If you are having problems using the front camera on third-party applications, you can try force closing the stock Camera app. If the Camera app is using the front camera in the background, it would not be available for use to other applications until you remove it on the recently used applications.
The process of force closing the Camera app may vary depending on your iPhone model. You can proceed to the guide below and find the steps for your iPhone.
How To Force Close the Camera App on iPhone with Home Button (5, 5s, 6, 6s, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and SE).
Force closing applications on iPhone with Home Button is more straightforward compared to newer models with all-screen displays. To force close the Camera app on your iPhone, you can follow the steps below.
- Turn on your iPhone and unlock it. After that, while on the Home Screen, double-tap the Home Button.
- Next, a list of your Recently Used Applications will appear. Find the stock Camera app and swipe it upwards until it disappears on the list.
- Now, find the application you are having problems using the front camera and force close it too.
After force closing third-party applications and the stock Camera app, Relaunch the third party application and try using the front camera to see if the problem is resolved. However, if your front camera is still not working, you can proceed to the next method.
How To Force Close the Camera App on iPhone with All Screen Displays (X, Xs, Xs Max, XR, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max).
Now, for the latest iPhone models, the process of getting into the recently used applications is a little different due to the new swipe gestures.
You can proceed to the steps below to guide you in force closing the stock Camera app.
- Open your iPhone and make sure that it is unlocked. Then, on the Home Screen, touch the bottom middle part of your iPhone’s screen and swipe it slowly.
- Next, This will prompt the Recently Used Applications to appear. Find the Camera app and drag it upwards until it is removed on the Recently Used Applications list.
- Now, you might also want to force close the third-party application that you are having problems using the front camera.
After closing the Camera app, open the third party application that you want to use and try testing the front camera. However, if the front-facing camera is still not working, jump to the next method below.
3. Reset Your iPhone Settings.
If you recently updated your iPhone, there’s a chance that the settings related to your camera got mixed up, or you unknowingly changed some front camera related settings on your iPhone.
Resetting the configuration on your iPhone will roll back your phone’s settings back to default, which is set by Apple, so you are sure that it is the best settings for your iPhone.
You can follow the steps below to guide you on the process.
- On your iPhone’s main screen, find and open the Settings app.
- Next, Inside the Settings app, find General and tap it.
- Now, under the General tab, press the Reset button.
- After tapping the Reset button, it will display a list of reset functions like Reset Location & Privacy or Reset Keyboard Dictionary. For this guide, tap on Reset All Settings.
- If applicable, it will prompt for your Passcode. Enter your iPhone’s Passcode.
- Then, your iPhone’s screen will turn black and restart a few times until the process is completed.
After resetting your iPhone’s settings, test your front camera. Try opening the Camera app or the third-party application that you are having problems using the front camera.
If still no luck, proceed to the next method below.
4. Check Your iPhone’s Camera Permissions.
If a third party application is having problems using the front camera, then it is possible that the iOS 13.4 update reverts the permission access for your camera. Due to privacy reasons, Apple created a feature where you can control the applications that can access your camera.
If you want to grant permission to third-party applications, you can proceed to the steps below.
- Open your iPhone and Unlock it. Then, find the Settings app and open it.
- On the Settings app, find Privacy and tap it.
- Next, Inside the Privacy tab, scroll down and find Camera, then tap on it.
- After that, find the third party application that you want to grant access to your camera.
- Now, tap on the switch next to the application to allow it to access your camera. You will know if an app has access to your Camera if the switch on the right side has a green highlight on it.
After granting access to your camera, reopen the third party application that you want to use and try testing the front camera if it is already working.
Now, if you are still experiencing problems with your front camera, go ahead to the next solution below.
5. Get Expert Help (Contact Apple).
After performing the possible fixes above and your front camera is still not working, there’s a chance that it is a hardware problem, or your iPhone’s software got corrupted while doing the software update.
In this case, it is best to let the experts deal with the problem. Visit the nearest Apple Store in your region and have them take a look at your faulty iPhone.
Sadly, due to the current situations with COVID-19, it is best to check first the available support for Apple devices in your country. With this, you can know possible repair options or product replacement for your iPhone. If applicable, you might need to send your device via a courier.
Hopefully, this simple guide helped you in fixing problems with your iPhones front camera. These are the best troubleshooting techniques that you can do to try and solve problems with your camera.
If you know other ways to get around this problem on iOS 13.4 update, please let us know in the comments section. We would happily give you credit once we updated this article.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
