Camera not working (black screen, can't switch, dark, blurry, or no sound)
Why the in-app camera shows black, won't switch, looks dark, crashes, or records video without sound, and how to fix it.
If the camera screen is black, frozen, dark, or the App closes when you open it, the cause is usually a permission or a conflict with another app, not your phone’s hardware. A quick test: open your phone’s built-in Camera app. If that works but Timemark doesn’t, the fixes below apply.
Common causes and fixes
Section titled “Common causes and fixes”Camera permission isn’t granted A black or frozen viewfinder almost always means Timemark doesn’t have camera permission.
- Open your phone’s Settings → Apps → Timemark → Permissions and turn Camera on.
- On iOS: Settings → Timemark → Camera.
- Force-quit Timemark and reopen it after changing the permission.
Video records without sound Timemark uses Microphone permission only to record audio while you record video.
- Open your phone’s Settings → Apps → Timemark → Permissions and turn Microphone on.
- On iOS: Settings → Timemark → Microphone.
- Record a short test video after changing the permission.
Another app is still using the camera If a video call, scanner, or another camera app is open in the background, it can hold the camera and leave Timemark with a black screen.
- Close all other apps, then reopen Timemark.
- If it persists, restart the phone to release the camera.
The App crashes when opening the camera A crash on launch is usually an outdated build or a full device storage.
- Update Timemark to the latest version from your app store.
- Free up storage on the phone, then reopen.
- If it still crashes, reinstall the App. Your synced photos stay safe in Teamspace or your connected cloud.
Photos look dark, even though the phone camera is bright This is usually the flash mode or low ambient light, not a defect.
- Tap Flash on the camera screen and set it to Auto, On, or Torch for low-light scenes.
- Wait a moment after opening the camera so exposure can adjust before you tap the shutter.
Tapping the camera switch does nothing The front/rear switch sits on the main camera screen. If it won’t flip, the camera is likely held by another app or the build is outdated.
- Close background apps and update the App, then try the camera switch again.
- Beauty options appear only on the front camera. On the rear camera the same button stays as Filter. This is by design, not a missing feature.
- Hardware faults are rare. If the built-in phone Camera app is also black or dark, the issue is the device, not Timemark.