How to Fix Front Camera Not Working on iPhone XS on iOS 16

Is the front camera not working on your iPhone XS running on iOS 16?

It is always a hot topic when Apple releases new versions of iOS. This is especially true when it is a major update, like iOS 15 to iOS 16. 

When Apple released iOS 16, many users rushed to update their devices to enjoy new features and functions. However, things are not always as perfect as many Apple fans think. For instance, many iPhone users complained that their cameras were not working after updating to iOS 16.3. 

Based on what we’ve found out, this issue seems to affect many iPhone XS users, and the front-facing camera is the one that doesn’t function. 

In this guide, we will show you what to do if your front camera is not working on iPhone XS running on iOS 16.3. 

Let’s get right into it!

1. Restart Your Device. 

Before changing anything, we recommend restarting your device if you encounter issues with the camera. This way, we can ensure that there’s nothing wrong with your system and there are no temporary bugs and glitches. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. First, press and hold either of the volume buttons + the side button
  2. Release the buttons once the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears. 
  3. Lastly, wait for your device to turn off and power it on after a few seconds. 
front camera not working on iphone xs

Once done, head back to the camera app and see if the problem is solved. 

2. Force Restart Your Device. 

If restarting your device does not solve the problem, you can try force restarting it. This should refresh your operating system and clear its temporary cache and data. 

See the steps below to force restart your device: 

  1. First, press and release the Volume Up button
  2. Next, press and release the Volume Down button
  3. After that, hold down the Side button and release it when the Apple logo appears. 
Force Restart iPhone

Wait for your device to initialize and see if the problem is solved. 

3. Check Your Storage. 

Users might think that their front camera isn’t working due to the recent iOS update. However, it is also possible that they are running out of storage, which can also cause their cameras not to work. 

Follow the steps below to confirm this: 

  1. Access the Settings app on your device. 
  2. Now, go to General > iPhone Storage
  3. Finally, check if you have storage left. 
iPhone Storage


If your device is low on storage, we suggest removing unused applications, deleting old photos and videos, or consider upgrading your iCloud storage. 

4. Reset iPhone Settings. 

You can also try resetting your configurations if the front camera on your iPhone XS is still not working. You might have changed some settings on your device, which caused problems with the camera. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Launch the Settings app on your device. 
  2. After that, navigate to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
  3. Finally, tap on Reset All Settings.
front camera not working on iphone xs

Once done, try using your camera again to check if the problem is solved.

5. Wait for An Update.  

If none of the solutions above worked, the last thing you can do is wait for Apple to release an update. The latest version of iOS might have an issue that causes your front camera to malfunction. 

To ensure that you get the latest updates on time, follow the guide below: 

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device. 
  2. After that, go to General > Software Update
  3. Finally, go to Automatic Updates and enable all the options under it. 
front camera not working on iphone xs

Your iPhone should restart after installing the update and enter a loading screen with an Apple logo on a black background. 

That ends our guide on what to do if your front camera is not working on iPhone XS running on iOS 16.3. If you have questions, please drop a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • John Sixto

    John is a staff writer at Saint and comes from a SAP ABAP development background. He has a Bachelors in IT and has been writing since 2018, with over 500 posts published. He loves to build PCs and has a deep curiosity in understanding how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time, researching and testing the software and apps, before he proceeds to write about it. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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