On macOS, a camera may fail due to app permissions, a busy process, system bugs, or hardware faults—fix it with checks, resets, and updates.
Your Mac’s built-in camera should light up and hand over video the moment an app asks for it. When it doesn’t, you need fast, low-risk steps that isolate the cause and get you back on calls. This guide starts with the quickest checks, moves into proven macOS fixes, and ends with hardware cues and next steps if nothing changes.
Start With Two Fast Checks
Confirm The App Actually Has Camera Access
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. Make sure the toggle is on for the app you’re using. If the app is missing from the list, launch it once, try a camera action, then return to the Camera screen to grant access. Newer macOS versions gate the camera per app, so a fresh install or update can leave access off by default.
Make Sure No Other App Is Using The Lens
The small green indicator next to the webcam lights up when the lens is active. If you see the dot but your current app says the camera is unavailable, another app still holds the device. Quit video apps, browsers with video tabs, meeting tools, and background helpers. If you’re unsure which app is holding it, save work and restart the Mac to clear the lock.
Fix Common Software Blocks
Fully Quit And Relaunch The Offending App
Quit the app from the menu, then check the Dock. If it still shows the dot under the icon, choose Quit again or use Force Quit from the Apple menu. Reopen the app and test the camera inside its own settings panel. In browsers, test with a clean window and a single tab.
Toggle Camera Permission Once To Refresh The Prompt
In Privacy & Security > Camera, turn the switch off for the app, close the app, turn the switch back on, then reopen the app and try a test call or preview. This forces a fresh handshake with the system permission database.
Check Screen Time Restrictions
If Screen Time is enabled, open System Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy > App Restrictions and confirm that Allow Camera is on. If the app sits under an App Limit, lift that limit temporarily to test. Screen Time can quietly block the lens across apps, which looks like a random failure.
Reset Stuck Camera Processes (Terminal)
macOS manages the lens with background helpers. When they get stuck, the camera feels “busy” or invisible until you reset them. These commands are safe when run as shown. Close any app that might use the camera first.
Release The Camera If It’s Stuck
sudo killall VDCAssistant
sudo killall AppleCameraAssistant
Enter your admin password when asked. If Terminal reports “no matching processes were found,” that’s fine; move on to the next step. After running the commands, reopen your video app and test again.
Reset Camera Permission Prompts (TCC)
If the app never appears in the Camera list, or prompts never show, reset the privacy database for the lens. Quit the app first.
# Reset camera permission for all apps
tccutil reset Camera
# Or reset for one app by bundle ID (replace with the app’s ID)
tccutil reset Camera com.apple.Safari
After running the command, open the app and perform a camera action so macOS prompts you to allow access again.
Rules For Common Apps
Browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)
- Use the app’s site-level camera setting. In Safari, open the website’s address bar controls and allow Camera for that site.
- Close extra video tabs. Only one tab should request the lens during testing.
- If a browser never prompts, run the TCC reset, then relaunch the browser and try a site that requests the camera.
Video Meeting Tools
- Open the app’s own settings and choose the correct device if you also connect an external webcam.
- Quit any other tool that can auto-join meetings or offer floating cameras.
- Sign out and back in once, then retest in a new meeting window.
Update macOS And Reboot Clean
Install System Updates
Open System Settings > General > Software Update and install pending updates. Camera frameworks and permission prompts ship with macOS updates, so a patch can restore normal behavior.
Reboot Without Reopening Old Windows
Choose Restart… and untick “Reopen windows when logging back in.” This prevents a stuck app from grabbing the camera at login. After the restart, launch only one test app and try the lens.
Apple Silicon Vs. Intel: The Right Reset
Apple Silicon (M-Series)
On M-series Macs, a normal restart refreshes camera services. Shut down fully, wait ten seconds, then power on and test again. No SMC reset exists on Apple silicon.
Intel-Based Macs
Older Intel laptops still use the System Management Controller. If the lens keeps dropping offline, shut down and perform the SMC reset that matches your model. Next, power up and test the camera. If issues linger, reset NVRAM/PRAM using the startup key combo, then try again.
Spot Hardware Clues Before You Book Service
Indicator Light Behavior
The green light should glow when any app uses the camera. A flashing light, or a light that stays dark while the app claims to be active, points to firmware or hardware trouble. Move to updates and resets, then run one known-good Apple app like FaceTime or Photo Booth for a clean test.
External Webcams
If you use a USB webcam, test the built-in camera alone. Unplug the external unit, restart, and select “FaceTime HD Camera” (or a name that matches your model) inside the app. Conflicting drivers or virtual camera plug-ins can block the internal lens.
System Report Quick Check
Go to Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report. Under Camera or USB, confirm the device appears. If it’s missing across cold boots and the steps above, you’re likely facing a hardware fault that needs a technician.
Mac Camera Troubles: Causes And Fixes
The matrix below packs the most common symptoms into quick actions. Work left to right during triage.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What To Try |
|---|---|---|
| App says “no camera” | Permission off or app never prompted | Grant access in Camera settings; run tccutil reset Camera |
| Green light on, no video | Another app holds the lens | Quit all video apps; run sudo killall VDCAssistant |
| Camera missing in System Report | Hardware fault | Test in a new user; book service if still missing |
| Works after reboot, then fails again | Background helper stuck | Use the two killall commands; update macOS |
| Only blocked during certain hours | Screen Time limit | Allow Camera under App Restrictions; remove limits |
| Browser never prompts | Stale privacy database | Run tccutil reset Camera; relaunch and test |
Step-By-Step: Clean Test Flow
- Install macOS updates. Restart with “Reopen windows” off.
- Open only one test app. In its settings, pick the internal camera.
- Grant Camera access in Privacy & Security if prompted.
- If no prompt appears, run
tccutil reset Camera, relaunch, and try again. - If the app still shows a blank preview, run the two
killallcommands. - Check Screen Time. Turn on Allow Camera and remove limits for the app.
- On Intel laptops, perform an SMC reset, then test NVRAM if needed.
- If the device never shows in System Report, plan for service.
Safe Mode And New User Tests
Try Safe Mode
Safe Mode loads only core extensions. Restart into Safe Mode, run FaceTime or Photo Booth, and see if the camera works. If it does, a third-party add-on or login item may be the culprit. Remove camera plug-ins and cleanup apps, then retest in normal boot.
Create A New User Account
Open System Settings > Users & Groups and add a test account. Log in and try the lens in a built-in app. If it works there, your main profile’s permissions or launch items need cleanup. Keep the new account only as a diagnostic tool.
When To Seek Hardware Service
If the camera never appears in System Report, if the green light flashes oddly, or if the lens fails across a clean macOS install, contact Apple or an authorized provider. Bring screenshots of Privacy & Security > Camera, your System Report camera section, and any error messages. That shortens intake and speeds up the fix.
Extra Tips That Save Time
- Shut lids gently and avoid bezel pressure; a kinked cable can make the lens drop in and out.
- Skip USB hubs during tests. Plug a webcam directly into the Mac if you’re comparing devices.
- Keep only one video app set to auto-start at login.
- When testing browsers, try a private window so extensions stay out of the way.
Trusted References For Deeper Detail
You can review Apple’s camera privacy controls in Control access to the camera on Mac. For Apple’s official camera troubleshooting flow, see If the built-in camera isn’t working on your Mac. Both pages match the steps above and outline the Screen Time and reset advice in clear terms.