Snaps and chats are two of the most used features on Snapchat and if you’re seeing the “Snapchat camera not working” error, you’ve got a serious problem on your hand as none of your snaps or photo stories will go through.
If you’re facing a camera issue on Snapchat, that’s not a big deal as such glitches are common in anything online and anything tech.
Here we’ve discussed 10 ways using which you can fix the “Snapchat camera not working” error on your Android or iOS device.
Restart your phone or try the Airplane mode
One of the easiest and straighforward way to resolve almost any problem in your smartphone is to give it a quick reboot. Not only does it refresh the device but also clears any cached background processes that might be slowing down the device or hindering an app’s functioning — the camera error in this case.
You can also try putting your device on Airplane mode and taking it off in a minute.
Also read: How to block someone from seeing your Snapchat story?
Update your Snapchat app
App updates bring bug fixes and improvements. If you haven’t updated your app in quite sometime, it’s possible that your installation is riddled with bugs that need fixing.
Go to the Play Store on Android or App Store on iOS and check for updates to the Snapchat app. If you find one, update the app and then check if the camera issue is fixed.
Updating Snapchat on Android
Open the Play Store and follow the steps mentioned below to update Snapchat.
- In the Play Store, tap on the hamburger menu icon in the top-left.
- Tap on My apps and games.
- You’ll be able to see all apps that require an update here. If you see the Snapchat app, update it and your issue should be resolved.
Updating Snapchat on iOS
Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad and follow the steps mentioned below to update the apps on your device.
- Tap on the profile icon at the top-right of your App Store’s homepage.
- Scroll down a bit to see a list of all the app updates available on the next screen.
- If you see an update available, tap on the Update button beside Snapchat.
Also read: How to see someone’s Snapchat friends?
Check if Snapchat is down
Now this doesn’t happen very often since Snapchat is built to support the hundreds of millions of users it boasts, still you can check if its server is down and that’s causing the camera not working error.
One of the best ways to ascertain whether Snapchat is down is through their official Support Twitter handle, where the company is pretty active and puts out server error notifications. If you want to double-check Snapchat’s server, you can also do that through third-party websites like Downdetector.
Log out of your Snapchat app
Go to the app’s camera homepage and follow the steps mentioned below to logout of Snapchat.
- Tap on the profile icon at the top-left of the screen.
- Then on the next page, tap on the Gear (Settings) icon at the top-right of the screen.
- On the next page, scroll down to the bottom and tap on Log Out under Account Actions.
- On the confirmation pop-up prompt, tap on the Log Out button.
Also read: Valorant server status: Is Valorant down?
Reinstall the app
If the Snapchat camera not working error still persists, you might want to uninstall and reinstall the app on your device. Any issues should go away with a fresh installtion, alongwith all the app data and cache.
Reset app preferences
You can also try resetting app preferences, which makes sure all app settings go back to their factory defaults. This will not delete any app data.
- Head over to your phone’s settings and tap on Apps & notifications.
- Tap on Show all apps.
- Tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right.
- Select Reset app preferences from the dropdown options.
Clear Snapchat app cache
App cache can often cause issues with the smooth functioning of an app. Follow the two methods below, which will help you clear Snapchat’s cache via in-app settings on iOS and Android, and via Android’s device settings.
Clear cache via app settings
Open the Snapchat app and follow the steps mentioned below to clear app cache.
- Tap on the profile icon at the top-left of the screen.
- Then on the next page, tap on the Gear (Settings) icon at the top-right of the screen.
- On the next page, scroll down to the bottom and tap on Clear Cache under Account Actions.
Clear cache via Android settings
Open your Android device settings and follow the steps mentioned below to clear Snapchat app cache.
- Tap on Apps & notifications
- On the next page, if you’ve recently used Snapchat, it will appear under Recently opened apps at the top. If it doesn’t, tap on the See all apps option. Then find and tap on the name of the app whose cache you want to clear.
- On the next page, tap on Storage & cache.
- Then tap on Clear Cache.
Also read: How to clear app cache and stored data in Android?
Disable Snapchat filters
You can also try disabling filters in your Snapchat app and see if that solves the camera not working issue.
- Tap on your profile icon at the top-left of the app’s camera homepage.
- On the next page, tap on the Settings (Gear) icon.
- Then scroll down and tap on Manage under Additional Services.
- Then uncheck the Filters box.
Update your phone
While this has nothing to do with the app directly, sometimes newer versions of the app contain features that are better suited to work with the latest version of your phone’s operating system. If you’ve got a pending Android or iOS update, follow the guides below to get your device up to date.
On Android
Open your device’s settings and follow the steps mentioned below to update your Android smartphone.
- Scroll down and tap on System.Â
- On the next page, tap on Advanced.
- Then tap on System Updates to check if any updates are available.
On iOS
Open your device’s settings and follow the steps mentioned below to update your iPhone.
- Tap on General.
- Tap on Software Update to check for any pending updates and install them.
If you see an update, install it and see if this fixes your issues; if not, move on to the next method.
Also read: How to get GIFs on Snapchat snaps and messages?
Factory reset your phone
If none of the things above seem to resolve the Snapchat camera not working error, as a last resort you can factory reset your iPhone or Android device, which should fix any issues in the phone and the app.
On Android
Open your Android’s settings and follow the steps mentioned below.
- Scroll down and tap on System.
- On the next page, tap on Reset options.
- Then tap on Erase all data (factory reset) on the next.
Note that these screenshots have been taken from a OnePlus device but it should be similar (if not exactly the same) for most other Android devices.
On iOS
Open your device’s settings and follow the steps mentioned below.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- On the next page, scroll down to the bottom and tap on Reset.
- On the next page, tap on the second option from the top Erase All Content and Settings.
The methods listed above should help you fix the Snapchat camera not working error on your Android or iOS device.
