iPhone Xs Max Camera Stopped Working?

[Phil77354]

I have just noticed that the main camera of my Xs Max iPhone is not working - I only get a black screen when I open the camera app.

The small green indication at the top of the screen is slow blinking off and on when I first open camera, but the screen remains black. Changing the camera modes (photo, portrait, pano, etc.) has no effect. I can switch to the front facing camera and it works fine. Switching back to rear (main) camera and I still have nothing, although when I do that then the green camera indication at the top of the screen no longer turns on.

I've restarted my phone (twice) and the problem persists.

There is no visible damage to the camera (or anywhere else on the phone) that I can see.

I am using iOS 14.0.1.

I don't know when the problem began since I don't necessarily use the camera every day.

Does anyone have experience with this or any suggestions on how to troubleshoot? I haven't tried a hard reset to the phone, I do keep it backed up to the cloud so that is probably the next thing I can try, short of taking it to an Apple store to be checked.

 

[Phil77354]

As a further comment - looking into the Apple support website and thinking of making an appointment at one of the Apple stores to have this checked and presumably repaired, I find that Apple has a fixed $599 fee for repair regardless of the issue (for 'other damage' out of warranty). Screen repair and battery replacement have separately defined costs.

I could probably take it to Best Buy or another Apple Authorized repair facility and see if they would charge less, but the lesson for me here is that the cost to repair is quite high and so I'll be thinking about a new phone, perhaps, which is not what I was otherwise planning (this phone is just over 2 years old).

 

[Mamaman]

Hey I have the same problem. Did u fix your camera. Please let me know

 

[Phil77354]

I have not fixed it yet. I'm probably going to take it to the closest Apple Store and see what they will charge to fix it. It will be expensive but still quite a bit less costly than purchasing a brand new phone, which I really don't need.

 

[Phil77354]

Visited the Apple Store yesterday, had made an appointment with Genius Bar to have the phone and camera checked.

Camera requires replacement and they have ordered the part so I'll need to return to the store when it is received. Cost is only $79 plus tax. I'm very happy that the repair cost will be so reasonable. I'm going to have them replace the battery at the same time, my battery is at 84% for my 2 year old Xs Max, not quite to the point of 'requiring' replacement but this will get the phone back to 'like new' condition.

As noted in my earlier post, based upon what limited information is stated on Apples website regarding out-of-warranty repairs, I was expecting a much higher bill for this work.

Wasn't able to really browse and look at other Apple stuff while there - their current policy is for a 'shopping appointment' to be made for them to have a sales specialist available. So I'll do that for our next visit, get the phone fixed and look at other stuff while that is being done.