You start a video call and your MacBook's camera stays black, or you get the message "No camera available". Usually that is not a fault, but a matter of permissions, another app using the camera or a setting. This article explains step by step how to fix it, and when the camera itself is broken.
Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam. A camera that stopped working after a drop, liquid or a camera cover is something we see regularly; more about that at the end.
Step 1: test with FaceTime or Photo Booth
Open FaceTime or Photo Booth. If you see yourself there, the camera works and the problem is the app you use (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet). If you see nothing there either, continue.
Step 2: permissions
- Open System Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera.
- Turn on the app you want to use.
- Quit the app completely (Command + Q) and open it again.
If you use the camera in a browser, the website needs permission too. Click the padlock or camera icon in the address bar and allow the camera.
Step 3: other apps and settings
- Choose the right camera in the app's settings. If an iPhone is nearby, the app sometimes picks it as the camera (Continuity Camera).
- Screen Time: if restrictions are on, the camera may be disabled. Check System Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy.
- Work computer: on managed Macs the camera may have been turned off by your employer.
Step 4: restart and update
Restart the Mac and install the latest macOS update. Updating the app itself also often helps, especially after a new macOS version.
The green light
Next to the camera a green light comes on when the camera is in use. If it is on while you use nothing, look in Control Centre at the top; there you see which app is using the camera or microphone.
A camera cover or sticker
If you stuck a cover over the camera, remove it to test. Such a cover can also crack the screen when you close the MacBook. Read MacBook screen cracked without a drop.
When the camera itself is faulty
- The camera works in no app at all, even after all the steps above.
- The picture is blurry, discoloured or shows lines.
- The problem started after a drop, liquid or a screen repair.
The camera sits in the screen, and its cable runs through the hinge to the logic board. Damage to that cable or the camera itself usually means a repair to the screen. Also read MacBook water damage: later problems.
The picture is blurry or dark
If the picture is visible but blurry, carefully clean the glass in front of the camera with a dry microfibre cloth. A dark or grainy picture is often caused by low light: face a window or lamp. Under Video Effects in Control Centre you also find options such as Studio Light.
Using another camera for now
If you have an iPhone, you can use it as a webcam with Continuity Camera: place it near your Mac and choose it as the camera in your video call app. A separate USB webcam also works.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test the camera, the cable and the connection on the logic board, and then tell you what is wrong and what it costs. More on our pages about MacBook screen repair and MacBook repair in Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone turn on my camera without me seeing?
The green light always comes on when the camera is on. If you see it while you use nothing, check which app it is.
The camera works in one app but not another?
Then it is that one app's permission or settings.
Can just the camera be replaced?
That depends on the model; often it is built into the screen assembly.
