Blurry photos are frustrating, but the fix is often something you can check in under a minute before assuming the camera itself is damaged.
Clean the lens
Pocket lint, fingerprints, and smudges on the camera lens are the single most common cause of blurry photos. Wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth.
Check for a cracked lens cover
The glass covering the camera lens can crack from a drop even when the rest of the phone looks fine, scattering light and blurring every photo.
Tap to focus manually
Auto-focus doesn't always land where you expect, especially in low light or on close-up subjects. Tap directly on your subject in the camera app to force it to refocus.
Remove your case near the lens
A poorly fitted case or a case with a lens attachment can sit slightly in front of the camera and throw off focus, especially on phones with multiple rear lenses.
Restart the camera app or phone
Occasionally the camera's auto-focus motor gets stuck in software. Force-closing the camera app, or restarting the phone, resets it.
If the lens is clean and undamaged but photos are still consistently blurry across lighting conditions, the focus motor itself may have failed and the camera module may need replacing.
Still having trouble?
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