Christopher Finke writes about software, woodworking, and other creative endeavors.

iPhone 5 shuts off when opening Camera

I’ve experienced a strange iPhone 5 or iOS 6.0.2 bug three times in the last week. Here are the steps to reproduce:

  1. Use phone until battery level is at the most 40%.
  2. In in an environment with a temperature below 50º Fahrenheit, play music through the phone speakers for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Confirm that the battery level is above 15%.
  4. Open Camera app, with or without stopping the music playback.
  5. Phone immediately shuts off as if the battery was dead.
  6. Attempt to turn phone on; screen shows “no battery” symbol.
  7. Plug phone in to a power source. The phone will turn back on after a few seconds, showing at least 15% battery power.

These specific steps are the result of me using my phone as a stereo while I work on projects in my garage in Minnesota in the winter.

I’ve reported the problem to Apple; has anyone else experienced this? I don’t know if the temperature, music playback, or actual battery level are relevant, but it’s definitely due to opening Camera.

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Christopher Finke

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39 responses to “iPhone 5 shuts off when opening Camera”

  1. Julien Avatar
    Julien

    Bonsoir
    Content de ne pas être le seul à avoir ce problème.
    J’ai eu ce problème 3 fois depuis le début de l’année.
    Batterie inférieure à 40%, utilisation en extérieure avec température proche de 5 degres.
    Après une dizaine de textos envoyés, j’ai voulu prendre une photo et l’appareil s’est éteint.
    Impossibilité de le rallumer. “Batterie à plat”.
    Je rentre chez moi, je le branche, la batterie était supérieure à 35%.
    Que faut il faire pour éviter ce problème à l’avenir?

    Translation:

    Good evening
    Content not to be the only one with this problem.
    I had this problem 3 times since the beginning of the year.
    Battery below 40%, in use with external temperature close to 5 degrees.
    After a dozen text messages sent, I wanted to take a picture and the camera is turned off.
    Unable to turn it on. “Dead battery”.
    I get home, I plug the battery was above 35%.
    What should be done to avoid this problem in the future?

    Reply
  2. Connor Avatar
    Connor

    I’ve had exactly the same issue on three occasions. About to use runkeeper to record run activity, take a few photos of the group before setting off, camera switches off. At all times temperature between 3-10 Degrees, battery over 35% full. Try to switch on and get the red flat battery indicator. Wait about 10 minutes and it powers up normally and works ok. Pain in the neck when you’re about to start a race and the phone dies.

    Reply
  3. Luc Masson Avatar
    Luc Masson

    Same problem here… but no music. Level of the battery is at about 25% and I sued the Flash!

    Weird!

    Reply
  4. Alejandro Avatar
    Alejandro

    Same problem here, when I open the camera and take 2 or 3 pictures with flash, the phone turns off, even when 45% battery. Unable to turn it on, until I plug the charger for a few seconds, after that, unplug the charger, and if I dont take pictures with flash, everything is ok.

    Reply
    1. H.peiris Avatar
      H.peiris

      I have same problem what can I do for fix it…

      Reply
  5. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    This has happened to me several times. Both in ios 6 and even today with ios 7. Phone was at 50%. Took a few pictures and it shut down telling me to recharge. Upon plugging it in it started immediately at 50%.

    Reply
  6. Joe Avatar
    Joe

    Same exact thing here. Today it was at 32% when it shut off indicating a dead battery. Plugged it in, it was at 39%. This has happened many times, and is irritating to say the least.

    Reply
  7. Jerry Fisher Avatar
    Jerry Fisher

    Count me as part of your circle of puzzled iPhone users.

    I ran into this with my older iPhone 4S. It was always the same situation. I’d be taking snapshots outside at one of the local parks, it was brisk as its tends to get here in our neck of the woods in the Dakotas in the winter and then without any warning, I suddenly would get the spinning dial and the iPhone would shut down. It wouldn’t start up till I plugged it in. It usually had around 32% of charge (funny how it never seem to get under that number unless I let the iPhone sit around).

    I ended up getting it replaced under warranty as the frequency of the random shut-downs increased dramatically. I was tethered to a power source nearly at all times before the replacement. I’ve had the same problem pop up with two iPhone 5 models as well, but with a twist–in the summer the iPhone 5 would get so toasty that I couldn’t hold it and had to resort to putting it in a soft-sided cooler on top of a bag of ice wrapped in a towel. That way it wouldn’t develop condensation from having extremes of hot and cold in direct contact. It would stay broiling hot if I used it for anything or was recharging it.

    I’m on my second iPhone 5 as I type this and I’m out of the Apple basic warranty period. Of course, my iPhone 5 is committing a slow death march and Apple has told me in no uncertain terms that I have nobody to blame but myself for stressing my iPhones unduly and causing them to have power issues. When I begged the rep to make an exception since I was a week out of warranty, he was firm in suggesting that I either come up with $279 for a refurbished model or start shopping for a new iPhone 5C or 5S.

    I’m all about supporting Apple as I grew up on it and really like the user friendly interface, but literal built in obsolescence is almost unforgivable. I’ve paid my coin and I expect a reliable product in turn, not something that gives up the ghost every six months.

    Reply
  8. Ruben T.F. Avatar
    Ruben T.F.

    My brother has told me he has the exact same issue on his iPhone 5 (battery 40%-50%, take a photo with flash = iPhone off) and only since the iOS 7 update.

    But I’ve the 4S and no issues so far (lucky me…).

    He lives in a town with high temperatures (10ºC to 20ºC) so the temp issue is not his case.

    Waiting for a (im)possible solution…

    Reply
  9. B2Fix.be Avatar
    B2Fix.be

    This could be a bug with particular iPhones iOS version only. Consider to visit local iPhone repairing service to get more details. There are companies that are specialized on fixing both iPhone hardware and software issues.

    Reply
  10. B Hopkins Avatar
    B Hopkins

    It happens to me all the time. Very frustrating. It is when the battery is below 50% but the temperature makes no difference. Any solutions anyone?

    Reply
  11. Thomas Avatar
    Thomas

    I do have the same problem, but with my iphone 5s it wont let me take a single picture, it just shuts down. battery and temperature makes no diffrence! i have tryed to reset my iphone to factory settings but it makes no diffrence. I hope someone have found a solution?

    Reply
  12. aquib khan Avatar
    aquib khan

    My iphone5 is also suffering from the same shit.
    As i upgraded My iphone to ios 8.1.2.After this my iphone is getting off after taking 3..or 4 photos.
    I hope someone will reply with solution.

    Reply
  13. pete Avatar
    pete

    same here latest ios 8.1.3, had bettery replaced as thats what apple said i needed to do but it didnt solve it.

    Reply
  14. Ricky Avatar
    Ricky

    Hello. Same problem here.

    iPhone 4s ios7

    When I use my phone with full charge I can take pictures without problems until it gets to 50% ~ or less, the phone shuts off at the instant, and shows the symbol to connect the charger. If I wait a couple of minutes I can use it again but if I open the apple camera app, same story over and over.
    I’m currently living in an enviroment with temperatures between -15°C 1°C atm and never happened before when I was living with high temperatures.

    Well, I’m very pissed tbh. *ucking phone.

    Reply
  15. Shawn Avatar
    Shawn

    Here is weird part of mine similar issue.

    Visiting Las Vegas, went into a foot massage place on strip by Planet Hollywood. 3 SEPERATE Iphone 5’s all turned off when trying to use the cameras. 3!!!!

    All were good just prior, all showed dead battery symbol when trying to turn back on. However when we plugged them into chargers, all had battery power.

    I am not usually a conspiracy guy, but 3 phones?? I am thinking they had a blocker or something in place. Thoughts?

    Reply
  16. Tamim Iqbal Avatar
    Tamim Iqbal

    Battery is 100% but iphone 5c turns off while taking pics with flash .
    Apple u guyz are Shit as hell

    Reply
  17. Prudhvi Avatar
    Prudhvi

    Hi guys , i am apple technician from india. The only fix for all your problems is replacing your battery. It happens because of the battery become weak and cannot give the enough juice to run the camera to capture your smiles. Soo you can go ahead and replace your battery. All the best.

    Reply
    1. Morgan Pross Avatar
      Morgan Pross

      I replaced my battery and it is now worse than before.

      Reply
  18. Emeka Avatar
    Emeka

    My phone goes off anytime I take pictures please how I do I stop it?

    Reply
  19. Danielle Avatar
    Danielle

    I too have this problem, daily. If you go to the Apple website you will find that they will replace this if you are a first generation iPhone 5 holder. In other words if you bought it between sept 2012 and jan 2013, then you may be eligible as these phones all were produced with some sort of battery glitch. Hope this helps :)

    Reply
  20. sydney summerlyn Avatar
    sydney summerlyn

    When I use snapchat to take a picture or sometimes even just my regular camera, my phone (IPhone 5C) shuts off, regardless of what percent it’s at, and it wont turn back on till it’s plugged in. If my phone is at 97% and I use back camera flash, it will shut off and until I plug the phone in, the phone screen remains black.

    Reply
  21. Abhi Avatar
    Abhi

    How i can fix this????plz help me

    Reply
  22. Johnc Avatar
    Johnc

    Same problem with 5c

    Reply
  23. Matthew Rycroft Avatar
    Matthew Rycroft

    Exactly the same Problem, on ios9, or whatever the latest version it. And an iPhone 6

    Reply
  24. Deadlaw Avatar
    Deadlaw

    ANSWER: Reset phone. Press and hold Power button AND Home button for 10 seconds.

    Reply
    1. Karin Lee Avatar
      Karin Lee

      I need to do this every time my 5s turns off (whenever I try to take a photo). But when I try again to use the camera it turns completely off! Even when it is connected to the charger.

      Reply
  25. Benson Benjamin Avatar
    Benson Benjamin

    I also had the same problem in my iPhone 5, while taking pic with flash or answering calls phone will shut off when 60%battery remains. I changed battery and problem solved

    Reply
  26. jokomoko Avatar
    jokomoko

    for fuck sake, where is the solution

    Reply
  27. The Grand Duke Avatar
    The Grand Duke

    I have the same problem with iPhone 6s. Everytime I access the camera with battery close to 50% the phone shuts down. Any solution would be much appreciated.

    Reply
  28. Bob Avatar
    Bob

    iPhone 5c turns off while taking pics with flash even at 100% charged over night.

    The moment it flashes, the phone makes a clicking sound and switches off dead (no shut down animation). Will not switch back on until you plug it back in.

    Normal non flash photos work fine.

    Tried 9.3.2, 9.3.3 and 9.3.4 and had the battery replaced with no joy :/

    Reply
  29. Satozee Avatar
    Satozee

    I Got Ip5 on ios8 with same problem. If taking photo with flash or not sometime works but mostly shutoff :(
    Solution:
    i try use third party cam apps and its works! At least on my old ip5 :)

    Reply
  30. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Same problem here….. Am tired of dis fucking shirt

    Reply
  31. Clayton Avatar
    Clayton

    Live in Sydney, so it’s warm / hot and my iPhone 5 has the same camera usage = shutdown issue, even with the battery at 85%. It’s NOT iOS related, it’s NOT a dodgy battery, it’s hardware I’m guessing. Sucks big-time. Phone lasts all day so long as camera not used.

    Seems it started when iCloud photo storage really took off (& is defaulted on), which I have turned off. Been meaning to check if turning that on fixes anything…

    Reply
  32. Ari Kukkonen Avatar
    Ari Kukkonen

    Same problem with iphone 6S ios 10.1,/

    Reply
  33. John Panning Avatar
    John Panning

    This has been a problem with every iPhone I’ve owned. The camera must cause some kind of power management panic, and the phone shuts down even though the battery read 30-40% just before. If I wait for 20-30 minutes, I can sometimes restart the phone, after it realizes it’s not in such dire straits after all. Incredibly frustrating.

    Reply
  34. Peter Avatar
    Peter

    Yep same frustrating issue here. Take photos and it shuts off and i can’t use it. Shows the battery drained icon but it has plenty of battery… 20+,40+% etc. Try to turn on it but repeatedly it switches off. Apple won’t help.

    Reply
  35. Mehdi Khan Avatar
    Mehdi Khan

    just change the battery whoever faces this problem….
    actually it happens due to more charging of battery like making phone on charge for hole night

    Reply
  36. Rajesh Jeshar @ Solver Minds Avatar
    Rajesh Jeshar @ Solver Minds

    I have partial fix,
    go to settings and turn off BATTERY PERCENTAGE
    anf turn off LOW POWER MODE
    this works only if ur phone is switching off when using any randomly like whatsapp or call or standby..
    this will not fix if ur phone is switching off from opening camera app.
    To use without disturbance you have to use a mini power bank which gies a constant supply to iphone..(temporary fix only)
    if u got jailbroken device then try some battery apps

    Reply

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