Quick Fixes for your Mac’s Camera Not Working

Webcams have become indispensable in daily life, especially for remote professionals. They come in handy when working from home and attending Zoom meetings.

Although Apple has introduced M1 MacBook Pros, 24-inch iMacs, and M2 MacBook Airs with full HD 1080p in-built cameras, the company does not allow users to tweak individual aspects of MacBook camera settings. However, Apple hasn’t hung its users out to dry. They have rolled out the Continuity Camera feature, allowing users to use their snazzy iPhone camera as a webcam for their Mac.

But what about users with the unlikely combination of Android and Mac? They cannot rely on Continuity Camera if their Mac’s camera stops working. Luckily, you can quickly fix the issue of your Mac’s camera not working without taking help from your iPhone or investing in an external webcam.

Outlined below are the quick fixes. Let’s go.

Reboot your Mac in Safe Mode

Rebooting your system might not be enough to fix problems with the camera. In that case, restart your device in Safe mode.

In this mode, your system will start with the essential processes and applications required. If the camera runs smoothly in this mode, a third-party app causes the issue.

Launch your system in Safe mode by restarting your Mac and holding the shift key as the system is booting. You will see Safe Boot written on the login screen.

If you are using the new M1 processor, start your system in Safe mode by switching off your device > holding the power button until you see the startup options > choosing a startup drive > holding the Shift key > selecting Continue in Safe Mode > release the Shift key.

Force Quit Problematic Applications

Are you facing camera issues with apps like Zoom, FaceTime, or Skype? You can force quit these applications. But before you force quit, remember to save your pending work.

Click the Apple logo > Force Quit the problematic apps or press Command + Option + Escape.

After a few seconds, relaunch the app and see if the camera works.

Check if the app has Permission to use the Camera

If your Mac is running macOS Mojave or later, you can choose which applications can use your system’s camera. If you have denied an app permission to access the camera, you must rectify it.

Click the Apple logo > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Camera. Ensure the application you want to use has permission to access the camera. If it doesn’t, click the padlock icon and enter your system’s password. Then, permit the application to use the camera.

Reset the System Management Controller

If the camera problem persists, reset the System Management Controller or SMC. The SMC manages many hardware functions on your system and resetting it might solve your problems.

On MacBook 2017 or earlier, reset the SMC by shutting down the system > plugging in the power adapter > holding down the Shift + Control + Options keys and the power button > releasing the keys after thirty seconds.

On modern MacBook Air or Pro with the T2 security chip, the process of resetting the SMC is different. The steps involve shutting down your computer > pressing and holding the power button for ten seconds > releasing the power button > and turning on your Mac. Then, check whether the camera problem is solved. If not, shut down your computer again > press and hold the right Shift key + the left Option key + the left Control key for seven seconds > press and hold the power button for seven more seconds while still holding the earlier keys > release all the keys and wait for few more seconds > restart your Mac.

The webcam problem should be resolved.

Use the Apple Diagnostics tool

If the steps mentioned above don’t work, check whether the camera’s hardware is damaged. You can use the in-built Apple Diagnostics tool to accurately diagnose internal hardware issues that your Mac might be facing.

If you are using a Mac that was released before 2012, the tool is called the Apple Hardware Test.

In post-2013 Macs, you can run Apple Diagnostics by following these steps:

• Disconnect all the peripheral devices like disks, headphones, ethernet cables, etc.
• Restart your device, and while your computer is booting, hold the D key and wait for the screen that offers different language options.
• Choose your preferred language and then wait for the automatic completion of the test.
• Keep an eye out for the codes that have an issue with the camera, such as NDC006, NDC004, NDC001, NDC005, and NDC003.
• If such codes pop up, take your Mac to an Apple service center and seek assistance.

Conclusion

These are the quick fixes for solving Mac’s camera problems. These will help you to continue with your work calls without interruptions. If you still face issues, go to your nearest Apple service center.