Sony makes some of the sleekest and best cameraphones around. Some Sony Xperia users are having problems with their smartphone cameras. This problem results in a message that says “Error! Camera not available“.
It is a fairly common error on Sony Xperia smartphones. Which is odd, considering that the brand has a strong legacy in photography.
Here is a tweet in which someone asked me for help with hers:
Please when i turn the camera on.,it just opens and shows “Error! Camera not available” mr mo pls do you have an idea? @moverick
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— #OLUWA LISA (@LisaOvoke) November 7, 2014
Solutions to “Error! Camera not available” on Sony Xperia smartphones
A quick Google search showed that there were quite a number of Sony Xperia phone users who have experienced the same issue. What happens is that the error often shows up at random via not just the camera directly but also via any other app that needs to use the camera.
This can be a very frustrating experience for users, of course. The camera is one of the most used tools in a modern smartphone.
What causes the “Error! Camera not available” problem?
The Camera not available problem is often due to the camera app data getting corrupted. In some cases, a 3rd party app may be responsible for triggering it. Lastly, in some cases, the problem is because the camera got dislodged.
How to fix ‘Error! Camera Not Available’ problem on Sony Xperia smartphones
I was able to do some research to find a number of solutions that have worked for others. Come have a look. Try each of these one after the other, progressing to the next solution only if the previous one does not work.
To be sure that the error is not being caused by a 3rd party app, do this: If you remember installing an app just before the error started, delete or uninstall that app, then restart your phone and try using your camera again to see if the error persists. If the error, disappears, then the app was to blame and you are now good.
If the error still shows up, then you have to go on to try the following solutions. Don’t freak out: they are all simple and easy to carry out.
Option A: Clear Camera Permissions
- Go to Settings on your Xperia
- Select Apps
- Click on the Settings cog wheel at the top
- Clear all permissions for the Camera
- Restart your phone
This option usually solves the problem in most cases. But there is a possibility that after doing this, the error persists. Please, follow the instructions in Option B below.
Option B: Clear Camera Data
- Go to Settings on your Xperia
- Select Apps
- Select All
- Select Camera
- Select clear everything (Data / Cache)
- Restart your phone
Option C: Try Another Camera App
If the above do not work, perhaps downloading and installing another camera app for the phone can help.
Option D: Software Update
If there is an available software update for your Sony Xperia smartphone, this is a good time to download and instal it. manufacturers often address issues like these with a system update.
Option E: Physically adjust the camera lens
Some users report that in their own situations, they found that it was a hardware problem: the lens had dislodged. According to their reports, gently pushing against the camera lens or hitting the back side of the phone, resolved the problem.
You might want to explore this, but note that you do this at your own risk. Neither myself nor MobilityArena.com is responsible for the outcome. If you want to proceed, here goes:
- Turn off the phone
- GENTLY (!) push against the camera lens until you hear a “snap” sound
- Turn the phone back on
- If the camera still doesn’t work, then simply hit the back side of the phone several times (someone reported getting it right after the 16th try).
Again, you do this at your own risk.
Option G: Try A Service Centre
If the above tip does not work in getting rid of the “Error! Camera not available” message, it is a good idea to have a Sony authorised service centre have a look at your phone.
If any of the above tips helped you resolve this issue with your phone, do leave us a comment to say so. Also, if you use a Sony Xperia or other Android phone, have encountered the above error and solved it using another method, do share for the benefit of others. Thanks.
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Way back from the days of EPOC, Symbian, Palm, PocketPC/Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/BB10, webOS, Windows Phone, Firefox, Ubuntu Touch, to Android, iOS, and KaiOS operating systems, founder of MobilityArena, Mister Mobility, has owned a few hundred smartphones and tablets, and counting.