# Cel phone - "Camera Failed".  Why?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cel-phone-camera-failed-why/729633>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 1, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cel-phone-camera-failed-why/729633 "2015-09-01T19:08:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cel-phone-camera-failed-why/729633/1 "2015-09-01T19:08:19Z")

</div>

I’ve been trying to use my camera on my cel phone (Samsung Galaxy Mini) and a box pops up and says “Camera Failed” with no other information.

If I try to take a picture through Instagram, a different message box comes up that says “Cannot connect to camera”. Anybody know what might be going on? 😕

The battery is not low, and it gives the message even when it’s plugged into the charger.

The memory isn’t low enough that it should make a difference. I’ve had the phone with the memory lower (where you get an icon with the “not all operations will work” message) but even then, the camera would work. But it’s not now.

Any thoughts or suggestions before I head down to my Verizon dealer (which I really don’t have time for right now)? Thanks!

🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cel-phone-camera-failed-why/729633/2 "2015-09-01T19:16:21Z")

</div>

Try resetting the phone (however you do that on this phone).  
If that doesn’t work, the camera is dead.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cel-phone-camera-failed-why/729633/3 "2015-09-01T19:52:14Z")

</div>

Lol, that did it. Rebooted, so to speak, and it appears to be working normally. Probably should’ve been obvious, but I’ve had lots of things happen to that phone before but never that, so from this techno-dummy, a big thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cel-phone-camera-failed-why/729633/4 "2015-09-02T10:34:53Z")

</div>

Basic computer tech advice. If it won’t work - switch it right off and then back on. Clears most faults.