iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing? Solutions and Answers

Nick deCourville

3 minute read
| How-To
  • You can find your flashlight in Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your Home screen if you want to test it.
  • Try testing both the back and front-facing cameras by using the switch button in the bottom-right corner of the main camera app.
  • Remember that the orange dot at the top of your screen reminds you when your camera is on. 

If you’re having issues where your iPhone camera keeps refocusing, then I have got the solution for you. I love my iPhone 15 Pro, and getting to constantly snap photos with it can be a great experience. However, I recently came across an autofocus issue and was growing annoyed by the constant refocusing. Fortunately, I found a suitable solution. Let’s take a look. 

Why Is My iPhone Camera Constantly Refocusing?

A variety of factors can contribute to your iPhone camera refocusing. This includes reasons such as hardware-related problems, software glitches and factors in your environment. You can prevent many of these issues by not exposing your device to moisture or extreme temperatures, keeping your camera lens clean and ensuring you keep your iPhone’s operating system up to date. 

How Do I Stop My iPhone Camera from Auto Focusing?

Before you move on to more advanced solutions, consider these simple answers first. 

  • Clean your camera lens: Use a microfiber cloth and if anything is covering your lens, such as a case, remove it. 
  • Check for a software update
  • Avoid third-party camera apps: Try your built-in Camera app to see if this fixes your issue. 
  • Restart the Camera app: Swipe up from the bottom of your Home screen to bring up the App Carousel. Swipe up to close your Camera app. 
  • Restart your iPhone

1. Disable Auto Focus

Time needed: 1 minute

If you’re having issues with persistent refocusing and your iPhone camera, disabling your autofocus feature may just do the trick.

  1. Open your Camera app.

  2. Point your camera at what you want to shoot. 

  3. Hold down the screen until you see the AE/AF lock. This locks your focus and your exposure. You can still use pinch-to-zoom to zoom in and zoom out. 

    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing AEAF Lock

2. Try Adjusting Camera Settings

Note icon NOTE
Not all iPhones will have all of these Settings.

It may be a certain setting is giving you issues. You can try turning them on and off to see if this helps your situation.

  1. Open your Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and go to Camera. 
    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing Select Camera
  3. You may need to scroll down, but look for the settings Lens Correction and Macro Control.
    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing Disable Lens Correction and Macro Control  
  4. Turn one of them off to see if your Camera works. If it doesn’t, turn the feature back on and then turn the other one off. If that doesn’t work, try turning both of them off. If you have Scene Detection, try turning this on and off as well. 

3. Reset Your iPhone Settings or Perform a Factory Reset

Note icon NOTE
This will either reset all of your settings back to their factory defaults, or the final couple of steps may erase your iPhone entirely. Only use these as a last resort. 

If you’re still having issues with your iPhone camera autofocusing randomly, you may just need to reset all of your iPhone settings. Since it’s in the same area, you also have the option to perform a factory reset. I will be sure to keep these distinct, but here’s how you reset your settings. 

  1. Open your Settings app. 
  2. Go to General.
    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing Tap General
  3. Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing Transfer or Reset iPhone
  4. Tap Reset. 
    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing Select Reset
  5. Select Reset All Settings. Confirm your decision.
    iPhone Camera Keeps Refocusing Transfer or Reset iPhone
  6. If you want to erase your iPhone and start from scratch, navigate to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings and follow the instructions on the screen. Remember that this will erase your iPhone entirely, so make a backup first.

Why Does My iPhone Camera Keep Blurring In and Out?

There can be several reasons that your iPhone camera continues to blur in and out. Probably the most likely reason is that you have a dirty camera lens, and it needs to be wiped clean with a dry microfiber cloth. It may also be a software bug preventing your issue, so try restarting your camera app or your iPhone to see if this solves your problem. If you feel that it may be a hardware issue, you may want to consider contacting Apple Support or visiting an Apple Store. 

Why Does My iPhone Camera Keep Coming On?

If your iPhone camera keeps coming on, it’s likely a software bug causing the issue. Restart your iPhone or check for a software update to see if either solves your issue. You can also try resetting all of your settings. It may also be that you’re having an issue with your camera indicator. Finally, while rare, you may have your Back Tap accessibility feature turned on, which performs actions when you tap the back of your iPhone. Check via Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Ensure it is off. 

Conclusion

Being able to take the perfect shot with my iPhone is one of the major reasons I chose the device in the first place. However, having a constantly blurring camera can be an extremely frustrating issue. Fortunately, an effective solution is possible. While not iPhone models are created equal in terms of the camera, you’re still getting something quite powerful whenever you go with an Apple product. Hopefully, the solutions above can solve your auto-focus issues.

If you have any suggestions or additional ideas, feel free to let us know in the comments. 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.