Samsung disables the Galaxy Z Fold 3 camera if you unlock its bootloader

Don’t unlock your new Samsung Galaxy Fold 3’s bootloader if you don’t know what you’re getting into, or you might regret it. According to XDA-Developers, the foldable device displays a warning when you try to unlock its bootloader, telling you that doing so “will cause the camera to disable itself and may prevent your phones and apps from working properly.” This is because this is exactly what happens when you go through the process to gain root access and modify the device software.

After unlocking the bootloader, you will notice that the stock Camera app will not work. You will no longer be able to turn it on to take pictures, and apps on your phone that use the camera will not be able to access it either. Those apps – yes, including third-party camera apps – just stay dark or expire after a while, so there’s no workaround. In fact, all camera related features will stop working, including facial recognition.

We reached out to Samsung for a statement and were told the company had nothing to share at this time. As the post notes, Samsung has always made it difficult to root their phones: Changing the device’s software already voids your warranty and kills Samsung Pay. This is, however, a higher level of protection – and perhaps the most effective – given that most people at this point frequently use their phone as a camera. XDA says that relocking the bootloader will also reactivate the Galaxy Fold 3’s camera, so all won’t be lost if you decide to give it a try and find a solution on your own.