Xiaomi camera doesn’t run: 10 proven ways to solve it

Are you trying to take a selfie or run a video call, but the camera on your Xiaomi stubbornly refuses to work? Black screen, the error "failed to connect to the camera" or the app just shuts down? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, Poco and Mi smartphones - from the budget Redmi Note 10 to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra. In 80% of cases, the fault can be fixed yourself without going to the service center.

The causes of camera failure range from software conflicts to hardware breakdowns, most often to blame:

• 🔄 Failures in the OS (especially after updates) MIUI)
• 📱 Application conflicts (for example, messengers or modified firmware)
• 🔧 Incorrect settings (disabled permissions or energy saving)
• 💥 Physical damage (falls, moisture intrusion)

In this article, we'll look at step-by-step solutions, from the simplest to the most radical, and when to carry your phone for repair. Let's start with diagnostics!

1. Basic diagnosis: identify the type of problem

Before you start repairing, it is important to understand which camera is not working (main, front or both) and under what conditions the failure occurs, which will save time and help you to more accurately determine the cause.

Do a quick test:

1. Open the standard Camera app and try switching between modules.
2. Run a third-party app (like Google Camera or Snapchat) – does the camera work there?
3. Try taking a photo via WhatsApp or Telegram.
4. Check if the image appears in mode AR-masks if available).

Critical: if the camera does not work in any application, including system applications (e.g. scanner) QR-The problem is 90% hardware, in which case self-repair is not recommended - a module or plume diagnosis is required.

2.Reset and validation of permits

Start with the simplest one, which is to reboot your smartphone. This helps 30% of the time, especially if the failure is caused by a temporary conflict of processes. Press the power button and select Reboot (don't turn it off or turn it on manually!).

If the reboot didn’t help, check the permissions for the Camera app:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the camera and open the permissions.
3. Make sure it's on: 📸 Camera. 📁 Storage (to save photos) 📍 Location (for geotags, if necessary) 🔊 Microphone (for video recording)

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 13/14 There's a bug where permissions are reset after updates. If you've recently updated your firmware, manually check them!

Also make sure that the Camera application does not activate the power saving mode:

• Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
• Find the camera and select No Limits.

3. Cleaning the cache and data of the Camera application

Accumulated cache or corrupted temporary files often cause crashes. Cleanup won't delete your photos, but it can bring the camera back to life.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Camera.
2. Press Warehouse.
3. Choose Clear the cache (it is safe).
4. If it doesn’t help, click Clear Data (this will reset the app settings, but won’t delete the photo in the gallery!).

After cleaning the data, you may need to reconfigure the application (for example, selecting the default shooting mode). If the camera is working, but after a while it stopped working again, the problem is deeper, and the next steps are needed.

For advanced users: If the cleanup didn’t help, try removing the Camera app updates (if it’s system-based):

1. Same menu (Settings) → Annexes → Camera) press three dots in the top corner.
2. Select Remove Updates.
3. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Poco) F3, Redmi K40) After removing the updates, the camera may not work properly. In this case, update it again via Google Play.

4.Secure Mode and Application Conflicts

If the camera is not working because of a conflict with other software (such as GCam, Snapchat or antivirus), Safe Mode will help.

How to turn on:

• Press the power button before the off menu appears.
• Press and hold your finger on Turn off the power.
• Confirm the transition to Safe Mode.

In safe mode, check the camera:

• 🔵 If it works, it's the third-party app's fault. Uninstall the newly installed programs one at a time, starting with the ones that requested access to the camera.
• 🔴 If it doesn’t work, there is a problem in the system or hardware.

Top.-5 Apps that conflict with the camera on Xiaomi:

• 📷 Google Camera (GCam) – Unofficial ports can block the system camera.
• 🔒 Antiviruses (Avast, 360 Security) – sometimes block access to drivers.
• 🎮 BlueStacks (MuMu) emulators use a virtual camera.
• 📱 Launchers (Nova Launcher, Hyperion) – can interfere with system services.
• 🤖 Automation applications (Tasker, MacroDroid).

5. Reset camera and system settings

If previous methods have failed, the next step is to reset the camera settings or (at last) completely reset the phone.

Resetting the settings of the Camera application:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Camera.
2. Click Additional (three dots) → Resetting settings.
3. Confirm the action.

Hard Reset: Use if the camera doesn't work even after resetting.Warning: this will delete all data from the phone!

1. Make a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.

Once it's reset, it's back to factory settings. Don't restore it right away, check the camera first. If it's up, the software was the problem. If it's not, it's the hardware.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi models 12/13 s MIUI 14 After reset, you may need to re-activate the camera through Settings → Additionally. → Special facilities → Camera activation.

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Setting resets are the last software method before you go to the service, and if it doesn't work, 99 percent of the problem is in the camera module or the plume.

6. Checking the hardware: what can be done independently

If the software methods didn't work, it's a physical malfunction.

• 🔍 Camera lens - often contaminated or taped with protective film (especially after purchase.
• 💧 Moisture traces -- if the phone fell into the water, the contacts could oxidize.
• 📱 Phone case – if after falling the camera stopped working, could move the plume or crack module.
• 🔌 Battery – a bloated battery can press on the motherboard and cause failures.

How to check the camera plume (for power users only!):

1. Turn off your phone and remove the back cover (it’s glued on most Xiaomis – use a mediator and hair dryer).
2. Disconnect the battery carefully (necessary for safety!).
3. Find the camera plume (a thin flexible cable running from the module to the motherboard).
4. Check if it's tightly connected. If you can, reconnect it carefully.

Important: if you're not sure about your skills, don't take your phone apart on your own! Mistakes can cause the device to fail completely.

If the camera doesn’t work after the check, there are two options:

• 🔧 Contact Xiaomi Service Center (Warranty Repair if the phone is new).
• 🛠 Replace the camera module yourself (only if you have experience in electronics repair).

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Before visiting the service, back up your data via Mi Cloud or your computer. After repair, you may need to reset your settings.

7. Features for specific Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi models have unique camera issues, and here are the most common cases:

For Xiaomi. 12/13 The Leica optics series has an autofocus problem after the updates:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Camera → Storage.
2. Clear the cache and data.
3. Reboot the phone.
4. Launch the camera and manually switch shooting modes (photo) → video → portrait).

If you have Poco F4 GT or Redmi K50 Gaming, check if the game mode is activated (Settings) → Special facilities → Turbo mode can block background processes including the camera.

FAQ: Frequent questions about a broken camera on Xiaomi