When the one of the services used by the camera in your Samsung Galaxy Note 8, or any Android device for that matter, failed to initialize or if the hardware itself failed to sync with the software, that’s when the error or warning “Camera failed” shows up. But unlike the “Unfortunately, Camera has stopped” error, the former is more on a hardware side. We’ve encountered similar issues in the past that we were able to fix so there’s a chance we can still fix this.
In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy Note 8 that’s bugged by this error. There’s one solution we know that may work for you and that’s what I will share with you today. However, I cannot guarantee that your problem will be fixed that’s why I also provided a step-by-step troubleshooting guide in the later part of this post. Continue reading as this article may be helpful to you.
Before we move on to our guide, if you have other issues with your device make sure you visit our Note 8 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this device. Find problems that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If you still need our help after that, then fill up our questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.
Quick fix for the “Camera failed” error on Galaxy Note 8
The following solution is based on my personal encounter with this error and feedbacks from our readers who have also encountered it. It may work to some users but not to others because it depends on how serious the problem is and how it started.
To quickly fix this error, all you need to do is to reset the camera of your phone by clearing its cache and data. Don’t worry, none of your pictures and videos will be deleted if you did this as they’re saved somewhere and Camera only has the capability to manage them.
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Scroll to and tap Camera.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
- Tap Clear data and then tap OK.
If the error shows up every after you take pictures, then the issue might be with the Gallery and not the camera, so do the same but this time look for Gallery…
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Scroll to and tap Gallery.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
- Tap Clear data and then tap OK.
However, if the error keeps showing even after doing these methods, then you should spend some time troubleshooting your device.
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Troubleshooting Galaxy Note 8 with “Camera failed” error
We’ve also encountered similar issues before that were caused by an update in the firmware as well as apps installed on the phone. Assuming the error didn’t disappear after resetting both the Camera and Gallery, then it’s time to know what the real issue is. Follow these procedures as they might be able to help you…
Open Camera while in Safe mode
We need to find out if the apps you downloaded and installed have something to do with this error. By running the phone in safe mode, you’re actually temporarily disabling all third-party apps.
- Turn the device off.
- Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
- When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
- Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
- Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
- Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
- Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.
Once you’re in this environment, try opening the camera to see if the error would still pop up. If it doesn’t, then it’s clear there’s an app that’s causing all this. Find that app and then uninstall it to fix the issue…
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Tap the desired application in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display pre-installed apps.
- Tap the desired application.
- Tap Uninstall.
- Tap Uninstall again to confirm.
Reset all settings
You only have to do this if the error is still popping up even if the phone is in safe mode. It rules out the possibility that the problem is caused by some messed up or incorrect settings. It basically has the effect of a full reset only that none of your files and data will be deleted. So, it’s safe to do but very effective in dealing with firmware issues and incorrect settings:
- From a Home screen, swipe up or down from the center of the display to access the apps screen.
- Navigate: Settings Settings icon > Backup and reset.
- From the Reset section, tap Reset settings.
- Review the info then tap RESET SETTINGS.
- If presented, enter the current PIN, password, or pattern.
- To confirm, review the info then tap RESET SETTINGS.
After this, open the camera to trigger the error and if it still shows up, you have no other choice but to reset your phone.
Backup your files and data and reset your Note 8
This is your last resort and if the error would still show up after the reset, then we can say the issue is with the firmware and you need a technician to further test your device. But before you actually reset your phone, make sure to make a backup of your personal files and data as they will be deleted during the process. After which, don’t forget to disable the Factory Reset Protection by removing your Google account from your phone so that you won’t be locked out after the reset. Once everything is set and ready, follow these steps to reset your Note 8:
- Back up data on the internal memory. If you have signed into a Google account on the device, you have activated Anti-theft and will need your Google credentials to finish the Master reset.
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
- Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe data / factory reset.
- Press Power button to select.
- Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
- Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
- When the master reset is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
I hope this troubleshooting guide can help you. If you have other concerns, feel free to contact us.
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