GoKawiilGoogle Messages users report broken camera flash timing across devices
Multiple users, including on Reddit and Android Authority's own test devices, report that the built-in camera in Google Messages either fires the LED flash too early, producing dark photos, or fails to trigger it at all. The bug appears across stable and beta versions of the app, on different phone models and carriers, and has reportedly been occurring for over a month. The flash works normally in other camera apps and outside the Messages interface, indicating the fault is specific to Google Messages' in-chat camera.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Because the flash works fine elsewhere, the problem likely lies in how Google Messages' in-app camera integrates with hardware controls rather than a device-level fault, though Google has not commented on a cause. The intermittent and cross-device nature of the bug suggests it could stem from a software update affecting many users simultaneously, which may frustrate people who rely on quick in-chat photo capture for messaging.
- Google Messages' in-chat camera flash misfires or fails to activate for some users
- The bug spans stable and beta app versions, multiple phone models and carriers
- Users can work around it by using their default camera app and attaching photos instead
Source: androidauthority.com, 2026-09-24
Published there as: “Google Messages has a camera flash problem, and nobody knows why”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.