camera glitch after updating IOS 26.1

Puthoven wrote:

Really? Just searching for camera issue iOS 26 gives plenty hits. Including articles eg from the MacObserver and several YouTube videos with tips on how to try fixing it.

Possibly It only affects phones with iOS 26.x in combination with some other app (upgrade) or iOS setting or whatever. Yet the issue was not there prior to the iOS 26.1 upgrade and I didn’t install new apps for a while.

bottom line: to me it is an iOS issue.

There's absolutely no issue on any of our devices which are all updated to the most current iOS 26.2. I also know a LOT of people on iOS 26.2, none of whom are having any issues with the camera on their devices.

I'm curious what Apple said you should do when you showed them the issues you're having?

I also know people with an iPhone on iOS 26.1 that don’t have the camera issue. Yet am just saying that quite some folks do have the issue post the 26.1 update as indicated by several posts, articles and YouTube videos around this. And the folks reporting this have all kinds of iPhones; 13, 14, 16, 17. Ruling out that this would be some hardware issue that all of sudden surfaced for all those impacted.

This cannot be ignored and Apple should take this seriously.

Previous time I got it checked the guy did a hard restart and the problem then is that it seems solved. Yet couple hours or day later or so the issue reoccurs. Totally frustrating. As mentioned earlier even reset of all settings did not help. And I read the same in other posts.

Sorry, your logic is flawed. Apple has a base of over 1 billion installed iPhones. That fact that different model iPhones fail when updating and concluding that it must be software is not a conclusion that it must be the software update or even related to any software. There will always be iPhones that fail when updating. There will always be iPhones that fail when dropped. There will always be iPhones that fail when they get wet. There will always be iPhones that fail when you set them down and when you pick them up, they failed. A fact of life is electro mechanical devices will always fail. Some fail prematurely and are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. The others will fail for a mired of reasons. But they all fail at some point.

Next step, if you haven’t done so already, open a support ticket by calling Apple Support, visiting an Apple Retail Store or Authorized Service Provider. Then follow up with Apple Support and take notes on the calls and request that Apple escalate the service issue. Apple will eventually resolve the issue, but unfortunately resolution isn’t always in the owners favor. When that happens, remember all devices eventually failed and make future purchasing decisions based on your overall customer experience. Good luck!

Like many things in life, reality lies somewhere in the middle. Some iPhone owners have broken/defective cameras. Some iPhone owners have a software issue. Whether it was caused by the update, a prior incident that finally manifested itself or just a coincidence, owners are upset. If the hardware is defective, no update is going to fix defective hardware.

How do you determine hardware is defective? Apple and some authorized service providers can diagnose most hardware failures. However, it’s not able to 100% of the time. That leaves the alternative of getting the defective module replaced, but at an expense if device is out of warranty. The other option is wait for an update. Screaming and writing juvenile comments doesn’t get the issue resolved and faster. The update will come out when Apple’s engineers feel it’s ready and resolves the issues they’ve been able to diagnose and find a solution.

I’ve been an Apple user since the early 1990’s. In the mid 2000’s I went to work for Apple and then retired some years later. I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of bug updates during that time. In my experience, if the third or fourth update doesn’t resolve the issue, it’s a hardware failure. You may disagree, and that’s your prerogative. Wait for iOS 27 if it makes you happy.

The choice comes down to having a working camera or not. Either fix it and start taking pictures or wait. If you’ve got another camera or older iPhone, wait. If you don't have another camera, weigh out losing all the memories (photos) while you wait for a fix that may never come. So, is waiting a month or more worth the cost of the repair or are the photos lost of equal or greater value. No one here can answer for you.

I wish you luck and a happy new year.

IOS2.26.1

Same odd behavior here with camera. Also with Siri. Time to call support. I have an iPhone 16 ProMax. This shd NOT be happening.

Same issue here once I use the zoom screen turns grey.

Turn off the new setting for the camera app that says Lock Screen swipe. Turn your phone off and turn it on. That’s what I did to my friends phone and this problem stopped.

Facing same annoying camera blurry issue and until restarting, can't take any picture. But again same problem after sometimes 🥲

Magic trick! This worked, thank you so much!

same, mine only work when i go to video & then it tries taking pictures using videos

[Edited by Moderator]

I’m having the same issue

Having same issues since updating to 26.1. Is Apple doing anything about this?

Did you slide/swipe right?

Apple didn't take Portrait or any other option away. Read this and you'll learn how to change through the camera options --> Use Photographic Styles with your iPhone camera - Apple Support (VN)