Do Camera Lens Protectors Cause Flare on the Galaxy Ultra?

Lens protectors are available for all Galaxy Ultra models, and they look like relatively inexpensive insurance against damage to the phones' prominent rear cameras.

But can they affect image quality, causing problems such as halos around street lights and green ghosting around neon signs at night? Here's what Samsung says about the matter, along with insights from an independent test on a Galaxy S25 Ultra, an explanation of how to determine if a lens protector is the culprit, and some alternative ways to keep those lenses scratch-free. Note that we did not conduct any tests of lens protectors ourselves; the information in this article is based on Samsung's support pages and the other sources listed at the end, as of 12 November 2026.

What Samsung says

"If you are using a camera protector or lens cover, it may cause focus issues or light distortion in your camera. Try removing the protector or cover from the camera lens and use the camera again," reads Samsung's advice for blurry photos and pictures that aren't as sharp as they should be, on a support page updated in September 2026 and published in several countries. A moderator for Samsung support echoed this advice to a Galaxy S26 Ultra owner in September 2026.

In 2023, after customers reported issues with their Galaxy S23s, Samsung said that using a third-party lens cover could lead to a build-up of moisture and dirt around the camera module rings, that the additional piece of glass could negatively impact photo quality and lead to focusing issues, and that removing the protector could scratch the ring around the cameras. We couldn't find a Samsung-branded Galaxy S24, S25 or S26 Ultra camera protector on Samsung's website.

What testing found

The most thorough independent test we could find was published by Robert Triggs of Android Authority back in October 2025. Triggs compared Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro XL photos taken with no lens protector, with a cheap lens protector, and with a Spigen lens protector. In well-lit conditions, Triggs says, it was hard to tell the difference between shots taken with and without lens protectors. But in low light, backlit and HDR situations, the images taken with lens protectors in place had less detail and dynamic range and looked washed out, and in one set of backlit photos there was even a bit of flare. The more expensive Spigen protector got the closest to unprotected images, but didn't entirely eliminate the potential for flare. Triggs's advice: if you want the best possible photos, don't cover up your phone's camera lenses.

Protector manufacturers have published their own test results showing that photos taken through their protectors are just as good as unprotected shots, but since they're trying to sell you something, take those with a grain of salt.

Why an extra layer of glass causes trouble

Any protector adds two more reflective glass surfaces in front of the lens (and often there's a small amount of air or adhesive between the protector and the phone's own lens cover too). When light from something like a street lamp or the sun bounces between these surfaces, it can show up in photos as ghosts, what DXOMARK calls "multiple, often circular, bright spots".

Any dirt, scratches or fingerprints on the protector can also cause light to scatter, resulting in reduced contrast and overall haziness, what DXOMARK calls veiling glare. These effects are especially noticeable in night shots since they tend to include lots of bright lights against a dark background. They're also more likely with cheap protectors that lack an anti-reflective coating, and with any protector that isn't absolutely flat and well aligned with the phone's own lens cover.

Your Ultra can flare without a protector, too

But first, know that it isn't always the protector's fault. The same Samsung support page says lens flare "can occur" when taking pictures in bright lighting conditions or at night when there are multiple light sources. It adds that lens flare may be more noticeable if there's dirt on the camera lens or when shooting with high zoom.

Owners of the S23, S25 and S26 Ultra have also reported flare and ghosting around lights when taking pictures at night, with no protector attached to their phones' cameras. When this happened to one S26 Ultra owner, it didn't happen on a second phone, and Samsung's community manager suggested taking the phone to a service centre. That said, some degree of lens flare is down to physics, and what you can check is whether a protector is making it worse. The test below shows how to do that in five minutes.

Laser autofocus, flash and dust

• Laser autofocus. The S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra have a laser autofocus sensor next to the cameras; the S26 and S26+ don't. SoftBank's official S26 guide cautions users not to put stickers over any sensor areas. Some owners have noted that protectors with a black border that goes over the sensor can make the focus hunt, so make sure yours leaves it clear.
• Flash. Owners of previous generations of Galaxy phones, such as the S21 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra, have noted a hazy look only in flash photos when a one-piece protector also covered the flash, likely because the flash's light travels sideways through the glass into the camera lenses.
• Dust and moisture. Back in 2023, Samsung issued a warning about the use of lens covers with the S23, noting that they can result in moisture and other foreign matter getting caught around the camera rings. Any dust that gets underneath the protector is impossible to clean off without removing the protector.

How to check whether your protector is causing flare

1. 1

   Clean everything

   Clean your protector with a microfibre cloth. In many cases, a protector introduces less haze than a simple fingerprint.

2. 2

   Find a bright light at night

   Find a strong light source such as a street lamp or bright window set against a darker background.

3. 3

   Shoot each camera

   Take photos at 0.6x, 1x, 3x and 5x zoom with the light just within the frame. Try to keep your phone as steady as possible.

4. 4

   Remove the protector and repeat

   Remove the protector carefully, clean your phone's own camera lens and repeat the shots from exactly the same position.

5. 5

   Compare at full size

   Examine the photos zoomed in on the lights and on the darker areas around them. Any ghosting, halos or haziness in the protected images that isn't in the bare-lens images is down to the protector.

Safer ways to protect the cameras

• A case with a raised camera rim. A rim that stands higher than the lenses stops them resting on the table when the phone lies on its back, and there's nothing in front of the cameras.
• If you prefer a protector, use one with anti-reflective coated glass. Individual rings for each lens are better than one piece covering the entire camera module. It shouldn't cover the laser autofocus sensor or the flash.
• Take it off for important night shots if your test shows a difference.
• Keep the lenses clean. Samsung lists dirty lenses as one of the causes of lens flare, whether or not you use a protector.
• Fix small flares afterwards. Samsung recommends using Photo Assist's Erase tool to get rid of flare spots; see our Photo Assist guide for how.

If the camera glass cracks

Glass replacement over the cameras is not something Samsung publishes a price for (in the US, it lists prices for screen repairs only), so you'd need to get a quote from Samsung or an authorised service centre. Samsung glued the camera rings onto the S25 Ultra, and in June 2025 there were reports of rings falling off during normal use, which Samsung's service centre in India replaced.

For night shooting without the extra glass, see our night mode guide, and for other accessories, our gear and accessories hub.

Frequently asked questions