When the Instagram camera is not working, check whether the phone has blocked Instagram's access to the camera: Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera on iPhone, or Settings, Apps, Instagram, Permissions on Android. If access is already on, force close Instagram, update the app, restart the phone, and open the phone's own camera app to see whether the problem is Instagram or the phone. Reinstalling is the last step.
Tell the cases apart first
"Camera not working" can mean a few different things, and the answer to the first question below decides where to look.
- Does the phone's own camera app work? If it also shows a black screen or crashes, that points to the phone, not Instagram. Skip to fix 5.
- Does only the Instagram camera fail? Then look at permission, the app, or a stuck session. Work through fixes 1 to 4 and 6.
- Does the camera open but an effect or filter fails? That is a different problem from the camera itself. Our guide to mastering Instagram filters covers applying and removing post filters.
- Does it fail only when you open the camera inside a Story or Reel? Start with fix 1 (camera permission) and fix 2. Choosing a photo or video from your camera roll does not use the live camera, so you can keep posting that way in the meantime (see the last section).
Fix 1: Allow Instagram to use the camera
Apple says apps are required to ask your permission before they use the camera, and Google describes the same Allow or Don't allow choice. Both let you change the answer later. If you tapped Don't Allow once, even by accident, switch the permission back on below.
iPhone: Apple's support page says to go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then tap Camera. The list shows the apps that requested access, and you can turn access on or off for any app on it. Find Instagram and make sure it is on. Apple adds that whenever an app uses the camera, a green indicator appears on the screen.
Android: Google's support page says to open Settings, tap Apps, tap Instagram (if you cannot find it, tap See all apps), then tap Permissions. Tap Camera and choose Allow, or Allow only while using the app. Google says Don't allow means the app cannot use the permission even while you are using it. Google's page also describes a device-wide switch: Settings, then Security & privacy, then Privacy, then Privacy controls, where turning off Camera access disables the camera on the device. Check that it is on.
If access was already on, switch it off, wait a few seconds, switch it back on and reopen Instagram. We found no Instagram page that recommends this toggle, but it is free and quick.
Fix 2: Force close Instagram and reopen it
If the camera feed is black or frozen, closing the app completely is a cheap test. Close Instagram, not just minimise it, then reopen it.
- iPhone: Apple's support page says to swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-click the Home button on older models), find the app and swipe up on its preview to close it.
- Android: open the recent apps screen and swipe Instagram away. Google's support page says that if an app does not respond you can try to close or force stop it.
Then open the camera again the way Instagram describes: tap Create and choose Story or Reel, or swipe right from anywhere in Feed.
Fix 3: Update Instagram and your phone
Instagram's Help Center says that if something is not working in the app on iPhone or Android, the recommended step is to update to the latest version. Its Troubleshooting page also says you should be running the latest version of your phone's operating system.
- iPhone: update Instagram in the App Store, then check Settings, General, Software Update. Apple's camera troubleshooting page also lists updating to the latest version of iOS among its camera steps.
- Android: update Instagram in the Google Play Store and check your phone's system update screen. Google's Pixel camera page lists updating the Camera app and checking for an Android system update as steps; on other phones the screen name varies by maker.
Fix 4: Restart the phone
Instagram's Troubleshooting page says to always try restarting your phone first if you are having trouble with Instagram. Apple's camera page and Google's Pixel camera page both list a restart as one of their first steps too. Restart the whole phone, wait for it to start, then open Instagram's camera before opening anything else.
Fix 5: Test the phone's own camera app
This fix shows whether Instagram is at fault.
- Open the phone's own Camera app and take a photo, then switch between the front and back camera.
- If it works, the phone's camera is working, so look at Instagram. Go to fix 6.
- If it shows a black screen or crashes, that points to the phone, not Instagram.
iPhone: Apple's support page lists a black camera screen as a case it covers. Its first steps are to remove any case or accessory that might block the camera and to restart the iPhone, and its camera troubleshooting then starts with updating iOS. It also says that if your iPhone has a front and a rear camera, check whether one or both are not working, which you can do by tapping the rotate button. For a black screen it describes a diagnostics test, and says that if the test finds an issue, you should get service.
Android (Pixel): Google's Pixel camera help lists restarting, clearing the Camera app's cache (App info, then Storage & cache, then Clear Cache), updating, and testing in safe mode to see whether another app is the cause. It also says that if other apps crash when they use the camera, it is likely a hardware issue. On a phone from another maker, check that maker's support page, because the steps vary.
What the test tells you: a camera that works in the phone's own app but fails only in Instagram points at Instagram's permission or app state, which is why fixes 1 and 6 matter. A camera that fails everywhere points at the phone and is not something Instagram can fix.
Fix 6: Clear the cache or reinstall Instagram
If the phone's camera is fine and the permission is on, the last step is a clean copy of the app.
Android: Google says clearing an app's cache deletes temporary data and that some apps may be slow the next time you open them. Open Settings, then Apps, then Instagram, then Storage (some phones call it Storage & cache), then Clear cache. Avoid Clear storage unless you are ready to log in again, because Google says it permanently deletes all app data.
iPhone: iPhone has no cache button for individual apps. Apple says Offload App frees the app's storage but keeps its documents and data, so offloading is not a clean reset. To clear the app, delete it and reinstall it.
Instagram's Troubleshooting page describes reinstalling:
- iPhone: touch and hold the Instagram icon, tap Remove App, reinstall from the App Store, and log in. Instagram says your photos and profile info are saved by Instagram.
- Android: open Settings, tap Apps, tap Instagram, tap Uninstall, reinstall from Google Play and log in.
Before you reinstall, deal with unfinished work. Instagram's page on drafts says drafts are saved on your device, cannot be reached from another device even if you log in, and are lost if you uninstall the app. Post them or, for Reels, save the draft to your camera roll first.
After reinstalling and logging in, the phone may ask for camera access again. If it does, allow it; if it does not, check the permission from fix 1.
If it still fails: report it
Instagram's page on reporting a technical problem says that if the app is still not working after updating you can report it. Tap your profile picture, then Menu, then Help below More info and support, then Report a Problem. Instagram says the kind of phone you use, what you were doing and a screenshot may help. Tell it which phone and operating system version you use, and that the phone's own camera works.
While the camera is down
You do not have to stop posting. Record the video or photo in the phone's own camera app, then upload it from your camera roll. Instagram's Help Center describes adding a video from your camera roll when you record a Reel, and selecting a photo from your phone's library when you create a post. You lose the live camera effects, but Instagram's pages on post filters and on the Reels tools describe adding filters and effects after you have the clip.
Once your camera is back, UpGrow's free Instagram audit is a quick way to check the account behind it: it takes a public username without the @ and estimates whether the account shows few, some or many signs of fake followers. For lag and loading issues beyond the camera, see our guide to Instagram lagging.
If you want help growing the audience that watches what you post, UpGrow's Instagram growth service targets people you choose and does not need your Instagram password.
FAQ
Why is my Instagram camera black?
Two things to check are whether camera access is turned off for Instagram and whether the camera itself is working. Test the phone's own camera app: if it works, check Instagram's permission and reinstall; if it also shows a black screen, that points to the phone.
How do I give Instagram camera access on iPhone?
Apple's support page says to go to Settings, Privacy & Security, then Camera, and turn on access for Instagram. A green indicator appears whenever an app is using the camera.
How do I give Instagram camera access on Android?
Open Settings, tap Apps, tap Instagram, tap Permissions, tap Camera and choose Allow or Allow only while using the app. On phones from other makers the menu names can differ.
Will I lose my posts if I reinstall Instagram?
Instagram's Troubleshooting page says your photos and profile info are saved by Instagram when you remove the app on iPhone. Drafts are the exception: Instagram says they are stored on your device and are lost if you uninstall.
Instagram's camera works for Stories but not for Reels. What should I do?
We found no Instagram page that explains a Story-only or Reel-only camera failure. Run the same fixes: permission, force close, update, restart. If one still fails, report it to Instagram from Help and say which one.
