How to fix Google Pixel 3 camera app keeps crashing issue

If you find your camera app crashing frequently on your Google Pixel 3 for no apparent reason, this post should help. Learn how to deal with camera app issue by following our suggestions below.

Problem: Google Pixel 3 camera app keeps crashing issue

My Pixel 3 used to be flawless, but after some 2 months of use the camera app for no apparent reason started crashing. I would be able to use it without issues sometimes, some other items it would crash after switching the photo modes or I was even unable to take photos at all.

Solution: Fixing camera app issues is usually easy and can be performed on a user level. Follow our troubleshooting steps below.

Refresh the system

In many cases, temporary bugs are the cause of minor annoyances or app problems. As the first troubleshooting step, you want to ensure that you refresh the system by doing a forced reboot. The process was usually to disconnect the battery from the device. You can’t obviously do that since your Google Pixel 3 has a non-removable battery pack. To force reboot your device, you can press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds. After restarting it, check for the problem again.

Force close camera app

Sometimes, manually closing a problematic app is all it takes to fix a problem. Make sure to do that for each and every app you’re having a problem with. Here’s how to do that:

Open Settings app.
Tap Apps & notifications.
Select an app. If needed, tap App info before the app.
Tap Force stop.

Install app updates

Like Android operating system, apps regularly need updates to stay in optimum shape. Make it a point to install app updates whenever they are available.

Open your device’s Play Store app.
Tap Menu icon.
Tap My apps & games.
Apps with available updates are labeled “Update.”
If an update is available, tap Update.
If more updates are available, tap Update all.

Install Android OS updates (system updates)

Android evolves so new bugs and problems may happen from time to time. To minimize the chance of bugs from developing, you want to make sure that the software runs the latest Android version. Make sure to set your Pixel 3 XL to automatically install updates so you’ll not miss anything.

Delete camera app cache

One of the ways to directly deal with the camera app itself is by deleting its cache. Like your Android Operating System, apps also need a temporary set of files called cache to do tasks quickly. Sometimes, this cache may become corrupted causing problems. To ensure that your camera app has good cache, you can clear the current one. Here’s how it works:

From a Home screen, touch and swipe up to display all apps.
Go to Settings.
Tap Apps & notifications.
Tap See all ‘xx’ apps.
Tap the appropriate app.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear cache.
Restart your Pixel 3.

Reset camera app settings to defaults

If clearing of camera app cache won’t work, you can then try to clear the camera app’s data. This will delete all user data for this app and return all of its settings to defaults. Follow the steps below on how clear an app’s data:

From a Home screen, touch and swipe up to display all apps.
Go to Settings.
Tap Apps & notifications.
Tap See all ‘xx’ apps.
Tap the appropriate app.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear data.
Restart your Pixel 3.

Check for third party app

The most likely reason for the problem is a bad app. Sometimes, a poorly coded app may interfere with Android which then lead to problems. To check if one of your downloaded apps is to blame, you want to restart the device to safe mode. When a device is booted to safe mode, all downloaded applications will be suspended. So, if one of the apps is the cause of the problem, the camera app should work properly on safe mode.

For reference, these are the steps to boot the phone to safe mode:

Press and hold the Power button.
On your screen, touch and hold Power off.
Tap OK.
After you see “Safe mode” at the bottom of your screen, wait to see if the problem goes away.

Remember, safe mode blocks third party or downloaded apps. If the problem goes away in safe mode, you can bet one of the apps is to blame. To identify which of your downloaded apps is causing the problem:

To exit safe mode, restart your device.
One by one, uninstall recently downloaded apps. After each removal, restart your device. See whether removing that app solved the problem.
After you remove the app that’s causing the problem, you can reinstall the other apps that you removed.

Return all software settings to defaults

If none of the solutions above help, you should not hesitate to restore your device’s software settings to defaults. Factory reset will erase all user data such as photos, videos, documents, contacts, etc. so be sure to back them up ahead of time.

To factory reset your device:

Create a backup of your personal data.
Make sure to know the username and password for Google account in the phone.
Open Settings app.
Tap System.
Tap Advanced.
Tap Reset options.
Tap Erase all data (factory reset) and then Reset phone. If needed, enter your PIN, pattern, or password.
To erase all data from your phone’s internal storage, tap Erase everything.
When your phone has finished erasing, pick the option to restart.
Set up your phone and restore your backed-up data.