Fix: Discord camera not working on mobile

Discord is probably the most popular community chat app out there, with millions of users, it comes on most platforms. Incredibly popular, especially in the gaming and Twitch community but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It offers all features one would expect from a modern chat app, including video calling. However, some users report that the Discord camera is not working on Android.

This is not a common occurrence as it is on the Discord client for Windows, but it still happens. So, if you have any issues with the Discord camera in the Android app, check the steps we listed below.

Table of notifications:

1. Check permissions
2. Disable Hardware scaling
3. Clear local data from the Discord app
4. Reinstall Discord for Android
5. Extra tip: Fix the Discord camera on Windows

The camera not working on Discord but works on other apps

1. Check permissions

Firstly, don’t forget to connect to a stable Wi-Fi or mobile data network. Also, confirm that your device is running the latest available firmware. You can check for updates by navigating to Settings > System > Software update.

With that out of the way, Discord asks for camera access permission the first time you try to record something or make a video call. Since, of course, all third-party apps that require access to cameras must have the Camera permission granted. However, if you missed that, you can navigate through system settings and grant Camera permission to Discord from there.

Here’s how to check Discord permissions on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps. Expand All apps or open Manage apps on some Android skins.
3. Select Discord from the list of available apps.
4. Tap Permissions.
5. Make sure that Discord has camera permission.

2. Disable Hardware scaling

If you’ve enabled the Enable Hardware Scaling option in Discord settings, go and disable it. This is an experimental feature that should, ideally, improve performance in video calls. However, it can also cause issues so we suggest avoiding it. At least, until the developer recommends using it or until they fully incorporate it into their service.

Here’s how to disable Hardware Scaling in Discord for Android:

1. Open the Discord app.
2. Tap on your profile in the bottom right corner.
3. Swipe down and open Voice & Video.
4. Swipe down and, under the Video section, toggle off the “Enable Hardware Scaling” option.

3. Clear local data from the Discord app

The next thing we recommend if the Discord camera is still not working is to clear all local data from the app. You can do that from the system settings. Once you clear all local data, sign in again, and check for improvements.

Here’s how to clear local data from Discord on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Expand All apps. This might differ based on your device.
4. Open Discord.
5. Tap Storage.
6. Clear data and restart your phone.
7. Open Discord, sign in and test the camera.

4. Reinstall Discord for Android

The next solution you can try is to reinstall the app. Although similar to the previous step, reinstallation goes a step further since it updates the app automatically providing you with the latest Discord version.

Here’s how to reinstall Discord on your Android device:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Look for Discord and expand the app from the results.
3. Tap Uninstall and restart your handset.
4. Get back to the Play Store and reinstall Discord.
5. Open the app, sign in, and look for improvements with a camera by making a video call or taking a photo.

You can also report the problem by submitting a report to Discord support. With enough information, Discord developers should patch the issue in no time.

5. Extra tip: Fix the Discord camera on Windows

Since the majority of people reported these issues on the Windows platform, we made sure to go the extra mile and suggest some solutions for Discord camera issues on Windows.

Here’s what you can do if the Discord camera is not working on the Discord client for Windows 11:

• If you have an antivirus, make sure to disable the webcam protection or whitelist Discord.
• Navigate to Settings and search for Camera. Under the Camera privacy settings, allow Discord to access the Camera.
• Right-click Start and open Device Manager. Make sure that the camera has the latest driver. You can also reinstall the driver from there.
• On your PC, open Settings > Apps > Camera app and reset the app to default.
• Uninstall other programs that use cameras in the background like OSB.
• Turn off Hardware Acceleration in Discord settings.

That should do it. In case you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in November 2021. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.