Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series has long been praised for its outstanding camera capabilities, but a recent wave of user reports reveals a worrying decline in photo quality following the rollout of the One UI 7 update (based on Android 15).
Widespread Complaints After One UI 7
Shortly after Galaxy S23, S23 Ultra, and S23 FE users installed the One UI 7 update, complaints began to appear in Samsung community forums and on platforms like Reddit. Users report:
- Blurry Photos: Images taken after the update appear noticeably less sharp, with distant scenery and close-ups suffering from unusual softening.
- Washed-Out Colors: Pictures are described as dull, lacking vibrancy, or looking over-processed, even in bright conditions.
- Lag and App Delays: There are consistent mentions of lag when switching camera modes, switching between front and rear cameras, and waiting for previews to load—sometimes with delays of several seconds.
- Degraded Night Mode: Some S23 FE owners said night photos became much darker, with increased noise and less usable detail.
These camera problems have made the flagship phones difficult for photography enthusiasts or those who rely on quick, high-quality snaps.
Troubleshooting Brings Limited Relief
Many affected users attempted basic troubleshooting, such as:
- Clearing the camera app cache.
- Resetting camera settings.
- Disabling features like Scene Optimizer.
Unfortunately, these steps have not yielded substantial improvements for most users. Frustration is mounting, especially for those who purchased the S23 series cited for their camera prowess.
No Official Fix Yet, but Samsung Asks for Reports
Samsung has not yet released an official statement acknowledging the extent of the S23 camera performance issues after One UI 7. Community moderators and support representatives are actively encouraging users to:
- Submit detailed error reports using the Samsung Members app, including log files, to help engineers diagnose the root cause.
- Use the diagnostics tools in the Samsung Members app to check for hardware faults, although the consensus appears to be that this is a software-related issue.
There is hope that Samsung will issue a corrective software update soon, as the volume of complaints suggests a widespread problem rather than isolated hardware faults.
Additional Issues Beyond the Camera
The camera malfunctions are the most high-profile concern with One UI 7 on the S23 series, but users have also reported:
This broadens the urgency for a comprehensive bug-fix update from Samsung.
The One UI 7 update has inadvertently marred one of the Galaxy S23 series’ most celebrated features, leading to blurry, washed-out photos, laggy camera performance, and disappointed users hoping for a fix. Until Samsung issues an official patch, affected users are advised to continue submitting logs and feedback via the Samsung Members app in hopes of accelerating a resolution.