How to Fix Google Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL Camera Problems


These are some of the tips you can follow to fix camera problems on the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones. Google Pixel 2 camera has the highest-rated camera hardware in a smartphone, yet it doesn’t come without its fair share of issues. Google Product Forums are full of people reporting problems with the camera. Most popular being the camera performance under certain LED lighting or the white balance issue when set on auto.

The problems with the Pixel 2 camera are mostly software related and can be fixed by following a few possible solutions. As mentioned earlier, our own Pixel 2 XL has seen camera problems with the white balance and LED lighting. Some of these solutions have been reported to work well with Pixel 2 users.

Google Pixel 2 Camera

How to Fix Google Pixel 2 Camera Problems

Google has addressed a lot of the said issues in their latest February 2018 system update for the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. And people have reported the issues solved after the update. If you still face any problems or issues with the Pixel 2 camera, try out the following tips and solutions and see if these work for you.

NOTE: These same tips may also apply to the first gen. Google Pixel and the Nexus phones as well.

1. Reboot Your Pixel 2

Google Pixel 2 - Reboot Phone

If you have problems with the Pixel 2 camera, your first step should be to try the good old “reboot fix”. Like all software / hardware related problems, a simple reboot of your device may fix the problem you are having with the Pixel 2 camera. There may be several factors why this happens, and a usual reboot-trick does the job.

  1. Press and hold your device’s Power button.
  2. Tap Power off.
  3. After your phone turns off, press and hold the Power button until your phone turns back on.

2. Clean Camera Lens and Laser Sensor

Google Pixel 2 Hardware Diagram

Are your pictures coming our blurry or out of focus? If you are having focus / clarity problems in your videos, you may want to check and clean your camera lens. Wipe it gently with a soft, microfiber cloth to avoid getting any scratches.

For those of you who have the latest Google Pixel 2 phones, or any of the first Pixel or the Nexus 6P / Nexus 5X, you should also clean the laser sensor. In some low quality cases, they may cover this sensor area where the cutouts are not made properly. This is another reason why your pictures may be coming out out of focus. Take off the case (or screen protector) and then check how the camera performs.

3. Clear Camera App Cache

How to Fix Google Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL Camera Problems 1 How to Fix Google Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL Camera Problems 2

Clearing out cache has worked out wonders for a number of camera, apps and battery related issues on the Google Pixel 2. What’s the point of having an amazing camera on the Pixel 2 if you cannot even use it properly. If the stock camera app on the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL is not working properly, crashing or giving out random errors, you can try clearing up the cache of the app. In several reports, this has worked out to fix a number of Pixel 2 camera related problems.

Follow these easy steps to clear the camera app cache on your phone:

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Tap Apps & notifications > See all apps
  3. From the list, look for the Camera app and tap on it
  4. Now tap Storage and then tap Clear Cache button

Open your camera app now and see if the problems are still there. In most cases, your Pixel 2 camera app should work fine without any issues now.

4. Update All Apps

Google Play Store - Update Apps

At times, there are apps and services that may be incompatible with other apps and may cause crashes and abnormal behavior of your phone. In such a case, always check for new app updates if they have arrived on your phone. Google rolls out updates (for new and old apps) in stages. And in most cases whenever there is a bug found, you can expect a new update rolling out soon.

Google Pixel 2 uses a number of components (and apps) along with the camera app to function properly when taking pictures. If you are having issues with the picture quality, update all your apps.

  1. Open the Google Play Store app
  2. Tap the menu button at the top-left corner and select My apps and games
  3. Check if there are any app updates available

5. Check Third-Party Apps For Problems in Safe Mode

Google Pixel 2 - Safe Mode

Just like in Windows OS, Android also has a built-in Safe Mode which allows you to run the phone with just the default system apps. This allows anyone to check if their Google Pixel 2 (or any other device) has issues with a system app, or a third-party / downloaded app is causing problems.

Whether you are trying to troubleshoot problems on your Google Pixel 2 yourself, your asking for help from a Google representative, Safe Mode always comes in handy.

Follow these steps to boot into Safe Mode and check for problems with your Pixel 2 camera app.

  1. Press and hold your device’s Power button.
  2. On your screen, touch and hold Power off.
  3. Your device starts in safe mode. You’ll see “Safe mode” at the bottom of your screen.
  4. Open your camera and check if the camera is working.

If Google Camera works in safe mode, another app might be the problem.

  1. To stop using safe mode, restart your phone.
  2. Uninstall your most recently downloaded app.
  3. Open your camera and check if the issue is fixed. If not, repeat the previous step.
  4. If the problem is fixed, reinstall any apps you removed.
Haris Nadeem
Haris Nadeem

Haris lives on everything Android; has countless devices, apps and games to play with everyday. Currently serving as the Chief Editor at Team Android. Connect on Twitter: @harisn

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