In this troubleshooting guide, we’ll walk you through solutions to fix your iPhone camera stuck on 0.5X, 2X, 3X, or 5X zoom in photo, portrait, or video modes.
While the iPhone’s rear camera typically switches between zoom modes smoothly, it can occasionally get stuck in one mode, affecting your photography. This issue is usually caused by temporary system glitches, operating system bugs, or hardware problems. Here’s how to diagnose and resolve it.
Keep in mind that not all zoom modes are available on every iPhone. For example, the 5X zoom button is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max, while the 3X zoom button is found on the iPhone 15 Pro, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max.
Close and reopen the camera app
This is the simplest step to take when an iOS app freezes, gets stuck, or behaves unexpectedly. Force quit the camera app and reopen it a few times, and then try tapping the 1X zoom button to see if it resolves the issue.
Wait a few minutes if your iPhone is hot
When your iPhone gets hot, you might experience issues like a noticeable drop in screen refresh rate, the camera app malfunctioning or failing to open, or the screen not responding properly. If the back of your iPhone feels excessively hot, place it in a cool, well-ventilated area and allow it to cool down.
Force restart your iPhone
If the problem persists, try a simple restart by turning your iPhone off and then back on again. If that still doesn’t solve it, do a hard restart, and see if that helps.
Update your iPhone
Based on user reports on Reddit and other forums like Apple Communities, some users started encountering this issue on older models, such as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, after updating their devices. Interestingly, while one update may introduce a problem, a future update often resolves it.
If you’re experiencing this issue on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest iOS version available. If no updates are pending, you may need to wait for the next release.
Update the third-party app in question
You can also use direct camera zoom inside third-party apps, like WhatsApp. If it gets stuck, try updating the app in question via the App Store. If that doesn’t help, try deleting and reinstalling the application.
Free space on your iPhone
In rare cases, your iPhone camera app may crash or glitch if there is little to no free local storage. Delete unnecessary apps, videos, and files to free up space. Afterward, restart your iPhone and reopen the Camera app to see if the issue is resolved.
Does the camera zoom fail to work when using Camera Control?
If your iPhone 16 camera zooms in and out fine using the buttons but not when launched via the dedicated Camera Control button or when zooming with this button, restart your device and update its software.
Check if all cameras work
Recent Pro and Pro Max iPhone models feature three rear cameras: a main, an ultra-wide, and a telephoto lens. Regular and Plus models lack the telephoto module. Perform the following test on your iPhone to ensure all lenses work.
- Open the Camera.
- Put one finger over one of the cameras to cover it. Now, since you can’t tap the direct zoom buttons (i.e., 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x, or 5x), try zooming in and out by touching and holding those buttons and dragging the slider or using the Camera Control on the iPhone 16 series. Based on the zoom level, your iPhone will switch to using the camera sensor you’re covering. When that happens, you’ll see a red image (due to blood under your skin) or a black image (due to a lack of light) in the camera viewfinder. This confirms that the particular camera module you’re covering with your finger is working. You can also take pictures and then go to the Photos app to see which camera (main, ultra-wide, or telephoto) was used.
- Repeat the above steps to verify that all rear cameras are working properly. Remember to do this when pointing the iPhone camera at both a nearby object at your arm’s length and something far away, like the other side of your room.
I followed the above tip to ensure that all three cameras — the main camera, ultra-wide camera, and telephoto camera — on my iPhone 15 Pro Max work.
If one of the camera lenses doesn’t work for you, there may be a hardware problem. Follow the remaining troubleshooting tips to hopefully fix the issue.
Reset all iOS settings to default
Reset all settings if you’re still unable to zoom in on photo, portrait, and video modes in your iPhone Camera. Note that this action won’t delete personal data like apps, photos, or music, but it will restore all settings to default.
Erase your iPhone and set it up again
If none of these tips have worked for you, consider waiting for a future iOS update to fix this issue. If waiting isn’t a viable option, erase your iPhone and set it up again.
Get your iPhone inspected at an Apple Store
Lastly, if you still can’t zoom when snapping pictures on your iPhone, take the device to an Apple Store or authorized service center and get it inspected. If you recall dropping your iPhone on a hard surface, submerging it in water, or a similar incident, chances are your phone has suffered hardware damage, which can be expensive to repair since it’s not covered under warranty.