How to fix black lines on the Google Pixel 6 camera

So, your Google Pixel™ 6 camera has pesky black lines that limit your photo or video-capturing experience. Don’t worry. We can show you how to fix the dark streaks and restore your device’s reliability for photography.

At Asurion, we've seen it all—and can help fix it all. Whether you’re dealing with an overheating Google Pixel or want to extend your phone's battery life, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our guide for fixing the Pixel 6 black lines on camera.

Common causes of black lines on the Google Pixel camera

There are a few main reasons your Pixel 6 may have horizontal or vertical lines:

• Your camera lens or laser sensor is dirty.
• The temperature is too cold.
• Your device has software glitches.
• Your camera module is damaged.
• The display cable is disconnected.

Troubleshooting steps

To identify and resolve the cause of the black lines on your Google Pixel 6 camera, start troubleshooting with the simplest step first.

Clean the camera lens and laser sensor

Dust, fingerprints, or smudges on the lens or laser sensor can create visual artifacts like lines or blurriness, so keeping your camera's lens clean can resolve black line issues caused by dirt.

Use a microfiber cloth to clean the lens and laser sensor, and ensure no debris blocks the autofocus area. 

Restart your phone

A simple restart may address horizontal lines stemming from temporary software glitches and processing errors. Perform a restart to clear temporary glitches and resolve common Google Pixel® issues.

1. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons.
2. Wait until the phone restarts.

Start in safe mode to diagnose software issues

If the soft restart didn’t solve your issue, start in safe mode to diagnose your camera problems. Safe mode disables all third-party apps, so your system will only run pre-installed software to help you rule out third-party app conflict as the cause of your camera issue.

1. With your device turned on, press and hold the Power button until the power menu appears. 
2. Press and hold the Power off button until the Reboot to safe mode prompt appears.
3. Tap OK to start in safe mode. The start process may take up to 45 seconds to complete. 
4. Once in safe mode, open the default camera app, and check whether the black lines still appear. If the lines go away, an app is likely causing your problem.
5. To exit safe mode, press and hold the Power button for a few seconds, and click Restart.

Once you’ve left safe mode, remove recently installed apps—one by one. After every removal, restart your phone normally until you find the app that's causing the problem. After uninstalling the conflicting app, reinstall the apps you removed.

Check for software updates

If the black lines persisted in safe mode, the culprit could be an outdated operating system. Older software may not be compatible with your camera app, so follow the steps in our guide to update your Android™ operating system.

Clear camera app cache

Clearing your camera app cache can remove temporary data that could be corrupt to resolve app-specific bugs that cause display glitches.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Camera.
2. Tap Storage & cache.
3. Select Clear cache.

Update your apps

Outdated apps with camera access can interfere with camera operations and cause graphical glitches. Set up automatic updates to make sure your apps work seamlessly with your device’s current software.

1. Go to the Play Store™ app.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings > Network preferences and tap Auto-update apps. Choose automatic updates over Wi-Fi only or with mobile data.

Preventative measures to avoid future issues

After you've removed the black lines from your Pixel 6 camera with our fixes, your next step is to prevent the issue from happening again. 

Regularly update software for stability

One way to future-proof your Pixel 6 camera from developing black line issues is to keep your device’s operating system and all apps up to date. Regular updates resolve most software-related issues.

Use protective cases to prevent hardware damage

Invest in a protective phone case. A cover protects your device against drops and physical shocks that could damage the internal components of the phone's camera or screen.

Protect your device from extreme cold

Use an insulated case during cold winters. If your phone is chilly from the cold outside temperatures, let it warm up to room temperature before using it. Prolonged exposure to intense cold can temporarily affect your device’s camera sensor and processing hardware, causing black-line glitches.