Webcam Not Working on Mac? How to Fix It
Quick answer: On a Mac, a camera that will not work is almost always a permission the app lacks, or another app already using it. Allow the app under Privacy and Security, close other video apps, and restart.
Confirm the camera works: open the webcam test in your browser.
Grant camera permission
Open System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Camera, and turn on the toggle for the app you are using. Quit and reopen the app afterwards.
Close other apps using it
macOS lets only one app use the camera at a time. Quit Zoom, FaceTime, Photo Booth and any browser tabs that may hold it, then try again.
Reset if it stays stuck
Restart the Mac to release a stuck camera. If a green light never appears, the camera is not starting — a restart clears most software locks. For a black preview specifically, see a webcam showing a black screen.
Confirm it works
Re-run the webcam test (our webcam test walkthrough shows what to look for), then rejoin your call.
How to Fix a Camera on macOS Sequoia
Macs handle the camera differently from Windows: there's no on/off switch for the camera itself, so it turns on automatically when an app that has permission requests it. That makes permission the first thing to check — System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera, and switch on the app you're trying to use. An app that was open before you granted access usually needs to be fully quit and reopened to pick it up. To prove the camera works at all, open Photo Booth: if you see yourself there, the hardware is fine and the problem is a specific app's permission or settings.
When the Camera Still Won't Start
If Photo Booth is black or shows "There is no connected camera," close every other app that might be using it — FaceTime, Zoom, Teams, Safari — since macOS lets only one app use the camera at a time. If it's still stuck, a quick restart clears most cases by resetting the camera process; on Apple silicon Macs a simple restart replaces the old SMC reset entirely. As a deeper step, you can quit the camera's background process: open Activity Monitor, search for "VDCAssistant," and quit it so macOS relaunches it fresh the next time an app asks for video.
The Setting Almost Everyone Forgets
One macOS-specific cause catches people out: Screen Time content restrictions. Under System Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy → App Restrictions, there's a Camera toggle, and if it's off the camera is blocked across the entire Mac with no obvious error — apps simply act as though no camera exists. Turning it back on instantly restores the camera everywhere. This is a frequent culprit on Macs set up with parental controls or handed down from another user. Once it's working, confirm with the webcam test in your browser.
Common Mac Camera Scenarios
A few Mac-specific situations explain most remaining cases. Continuity Camera can hijack things unexpectedly: if your iPhone is nearby and signed into the same Apple ID, macOS may auto-select it as the webcam, leaving your built-in camera apparently "not working." Pick the camera you actually want in the app's video settings, or move the phone away. For an external USB webcam, almost all are UVC-class and work without drivers — just plug in, grant permission, and select it in the app; if it doesn't appear, try another port and avoid unpowered hubs. For the browser on a Mac, the browser itself needs camera permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera, and the website needs its own permission via the address-bar prompt — both are required. And if you see "camera is in use by another application," quit FaceTime, Zoom, Teams or any Safari tab that grabbed it first, since only one app can use the camera at once.
A Two-Minute Recovery Routine
When you're not sure where the problem is, run this short routine. Quit every app that might be using the camera, then open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera and confirm the app you need is enabled. Open Photo Booth to check the hardware: if you see yourself, the camera is fine and your app simply needs to be quit and reopened so it picks up the permission. If Photo Booth is black, restart the Mac — on Apple silicon this resets the camera process and clears most glitches. If it's still black after a restart with no other app open and Screen Time camera access on, install any pending macOS updates, since Apple has shipped camera fixes in point releases. This routine resolves the large majority of Mac camera problems in a couple of minutes with no technical tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't my camera working on my Mac?
Usually the app lacks permission. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera and enable the app, then quit and reopen it. Test the hardware itself in Photo Booth — if you see yourself there, the camera is fine and it's an app-level issue.
How do I test my Mac's camera?
Open Photo Booth from Applications. If you see a live image, the camera hardware and driver are working. If Photo Booth is black too, close other apps using the camera and restart the Mac.
My Mac says 'There is no connected camera' — what now?
Close all other apps that might use the camera, since macOS allows only one at a time, then restart. If it persists, open Activity Monitor and quit the VDCAssistant process so macOS relaunches the camera fresh.
Why is my Mac camera blocked with no error?
Check Screen Time → Content & Privacy → App Restrictions and make sure Camera is turned on. When that toggle is off, the camera is disabled across the whole Mac and apps behave as if no camera is connected.
Do I need to reset the SMC to fix the camera?
On Apple silicon Macs there's no SMC reset — a normal restart does the same thing and fixes most camera glitches. On older Intel Macs an SMC reset can occasionally help, but try a restart and quitting other camera apps first.
Why does my Mac use my iPhone as the webcam?
That's Continuity Camera auto-selecting a nearby iPhone signed into your Apple ID. Choose your built-in or external camera in the app's video settings, or move the iPhone away if you don't want it used.
Does an external webcam need a driver on a Mac?
Most webcams are UVC-class and work without any driver — just grant camera permission and select the device in your app. Only certain vendor-specific features need an extra app; basic video is plug-and-play.
How do I give an app camera permission on a Mac?
Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera and toggle the app on. If the app was already open, quit and reopen it so it picks up the new permission.
My Mac camera light is on but the image is black — why?
The camera is streaming to an app but you see black, usually because the wrong camera is selected, such as Continuity Camera picking your iPhone, or the app froze. Reselect your camera and restart the app.