Photos app freezes when opened, cannot save new photos.

Question

Level 1

4 points

Photos app freezes when opened, cannot save new photos.

For about a month, I have been unable to use my Camera app to take pictures, or use the Photos app at all: it simply freezes, albeit showing the thumbnails for the most recent images in the album. I have:

Closed the App
Made certain that iCloud sync is disabled. (Never used it for photos)
Updated all apps and OS.
Disabled Google Photo backups
Reset all settings
Completely reset the phone and reinstalled from backup.
Performed a complete restore (vol-up, vol-down, hold power, tell iTunes to completely restore OS)
Checked in Windows Explorer: (yes, this is PC) There is nothing in the Internal Storage folder.
Tried to use the free version of iMobile's PhoneClean to clear my photos: it can't find any.

This is an iPhone SE 3rd Gen, 128GB, with 48 GB in use. I am guessing that my photos have become completely corrupted, and my only recourse will be to wipe the phone again and manually install all my apps. If anyone can think of a way to wipe the dead photo data short of that, I would appreciate it.

On an aside note, before I restore from backup, the photos and camera apps work fine.

iPhone SE, iOS 18

Posted on Sep 9, 2025 12:23 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 11, 2025 09:05 AM in response to Seschat

I'm suspicious of "iMobile's PhoneClean" and of "iTunes to completely restore OS." Cleaning apps are known to mess up phones, and don't get how you did the restore.

Do you use iCloud Backup? Can you turn it on-- Settings>[account]>iCloud>iCloud Backup.

iCloud backup will back up all your data (more or less) that isn't already kept in other iCloud sections like iCloud Photos or iCloud Drive. A restore from that backup is what you do when you buy a new phone, so this safety, if you have it set, requires you to erase everything on your phone and replace it with the backup. That might be the best way to go.

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Answer 2

Seschat Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 11, 2025 11:46 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

I deliberately do NOT use iCloud backup, preferring to backup directly to my desktop. Unfortunately, trying to turn ON said backup locks up the Settings app, so whatever is wrong with the cursed images disagrees with that too.

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