Hey there, Last night I was woken up by a shutter sound every few seconds. When I checked, I realized my wife’s Samsung S22 Ultra was taking photos on its own ,about every 5 seconds. The camera app kept opening automatically, switching to the rear camera, and snapping pictures repeatedly. The phone was also extremely hot when I found it. I switched it off and even tried resetting the settings, but the issue continued. I also noticed that the volume bar pops up on the right side of the screen each time this happens. Could you please assist with this issue? Thank you,
Hi, that sounds quite concerning — especially since the camera is activating and taking photos automatically. Let’s go through this carefully, because what you described could be caused by either a software glitch, a stuck hardware button, or — in rare cases — malicious app behavior.
Here’s what you should do step-by-step 👇
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🔹 1. Check for Physical Button Issues
The shutter sound and volume bar showing up suggest that the volume down button might be stuck or shorting.
Gently press the volume buttons several times to see if one feels sticky or jammed.
Try removing any case or cover, especially if it’s pressing the button tightly.
Clean around the buttons with a dry microfiber cloth or soft brush.
If the camera keeps triggering after that, go to the next step.
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🔹 2. Boot into Safe Mode
This will disable all third-party apps. If the problem stops in Safe Mode, it’s likely caused by an app. To enter Safe Mode on the S22 Ultra:
1. Press and hold the power button until the Power Menu appears.
2. Tap and hold Power off until you see Safe mode, then tap it.
3. The phone will restart in Safe Mode (you’ll see “Safe mode” at the bottom left).
➡️ Observe for a few minutes — if the camera stops snapping photos automatically, a third-party app is the culprit. After testing, restart the phone normally to exit Safe Mode.
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🔹 3. Check for Malicious or Misbehaving Apps
If it only happens outside Safe Mode:
Go to Settings → Privacy → Permission manager → Camera, and check which apps have camera access.
Revoke permission for all apps except Samsung Camera, WhatsApp, etc.
Also check Settings → Battery and device care → Device protection (run a scan).
Uninstall any recently installed or unknown apps.
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🔹 4. Check for Camera Triggers or Gestures
Sometimes accessibility or gesture features can cause this:
Go to Settings → Advanced features → Motions and gestures, and turn off things like “Double press side key to open Camera.”
Also go to Settings → Accessibility → Interaction and dexterity, and disable Assistant menu or Universal switch if enabled.
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🔹 5. Perform a Full Cache Partition Wipe
This clears system-level glitches without deleting data.
1. Power off the device.
2. Hold Volume Up + Power until you see the Samsung logo.
3. Use the volume buttons to scroll to Wipe cache partition, and press Power to select.
4. Choose Yes, then reboot.
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🔹 6. As a Last Resort – Factory Reset
If the issue persists even in Safe Mode and after clearing cache, then it’s likely a hardware fault or deep system corruption. Before factory resetting:
Backup data via Smart Switch or Samsung Cloud.
Go to Settings → General management → Reset → Factory data reset.
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🔹 7. If Problem Continues After Reset
If the phone is still taking pictures on its own even after a reset, it’s almost certainly hardware-related — possibly:
A shorted volume or shutter contact, or
An internal motherboard fault causing phantom inputs.
In that case, it needs to be examined at a Samsung Service Centre.
