Let me show you 11 easy fixes and get your MacBook built-in camera working again.
1. Force quit conflicting apps
If you are facing issues with the MacBook camera on apps like FaceTime, Skype, Photo Booth, Zoom, etc., force quit these apps. Note: This will close the apps without saving any pending work. So, save your work before force quitting apps. After 15 seconds, open the Photo Booth app via Launchpad, Spotlight, or Applications folder. See if the camera works now.
2. Restart your Mac
Click the Apple logo at the top right → choose Restart. Now, try using your Mac’s camera. It should work. Tip: If a simple restart does not fix the problem, try to start your Mac in Safe Mode and see if the camera works. Additionally, you may also open Terminal and run this command to kill camera assistants.
3. Ensure the app has permission to access Mac’s camera
With macOS Mojave or later, you can decide which apps use your Mac’s camera. If you had earlier denied an app the permission to access the webcam, here is how to check that and allow it.
4. Try using another app that needs the camera
Sometimes, the problem may be in the specific app instead of your Mac’s camera. To check this, open a different app that uses the camera. For example, open Photo Booth or FaceTime and see if everything works.
5. Make sure Mac’s camera is not restricted via Screen Time
On macOS Catalina and later, you can restrict your Mac’s camera via Screen Time. Follow the steps below to ensure this isn’t the case.
6. Update or reinstall the app
If you constantly face problems with an app and Mac’s camera, consider updating it for better compatibility. You can update apps by opening the App Store and going to the Updates section. If the app is downloaded from elsewhere, learn how to update it. Additionally, if updating does not solve the problem, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. You can learn various ways to uninstall Mac apps here.
7. Update your Mac
With every update, Apple looks to improve your Mac’s performance. If you are facing trouble using the camera, consider updating to the latest version of macOS. To do this, open System Preferences → Software Updates.
8. Check Mac’s System Report
Note: If you do not see anything, that means your Mac’s camera is broken or unavailable. Follow the rest of the solutions below or contact Apple Support to fix the camera issue.
9. Run Apple Diagnostics
Another handy solution to identify the problem is by running Apple Diagnostics. Once you do that, you will see the error codes (if any). If the error codes begin with N, that means you have a problem with the camera. Contact Apple Support and mention the error code to them. You can see the completed list of error codes and what they mean here.
10. Reset the SMC
If you are using an Intel-based Mac, resetting the SMC helps fix the problems with the built-in camera. The process is easy. You can learn how to reset the SMC here.
11. Camera light flashes? Contact Apple Support
Is the tiny green light next to your MacBook’s camera flashing even after trying the above solutions? Get in touch with Apple Support. This is how you can fix your Mac’s camera problems. I hope the above guide was helpful, and now you have no difficulty in video calling, etc. If you have further questions, I am just a comment away. You will find these interesting:
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