Camera not working in Google Meet

The short answer

When Google Meet shows no video, the camera usually works but Meet can't reach it. There are three separate requirements. The computer or phone must detect the camera. Meet must have permission to use it, from both the browser and the operating system. Meet must also have the right camera selected. Check them in that order, starting with the quickest fixes. A camera that fails in every app points to a hardware or driver problem, not a Meet problem.

Two conditions change the answer. On a work or school account, an administrator may control camera access, so some fixes may not be yours to make. In the Meet mobile app, the phone's app permissions take the place of browser settings.

Camera and microphone are handled separately

Video and audio are separate inputs with separate permissions and separate device menus. A working microphone doesn't prove the camera is allowed, and the reverse is also true. This guide covers the camera. If people can see you but can't hear you, check the microphone permission and the selected audio input instead.

Checks in order

• 1. Make sure the camera is on in Meet. The camera button at the bottom of the call or preview screen may simply be off. If it shows an alert symbol, Meet is reporting a permission or device problem, and the steps below apply.
• 2. Rule out a physical block. Many laptops and webcams have a privacy shutter, and some laptops have a key or switch that disables the camera.
• 3. Allow camera access in the browser. In the browser version of Meet, check the site permission for the camera. In Chrome, a camera icon in the address bar shows whether access is blocked and lets you allow it. You can also change it in the browser's site settings. Reload the page afterward.
• 4. Allow camera access in the operating system. Even with browser permission, the system can still block the camera. See the platform section below.
• 5. Close other apps that use the camera. Video-calling apps, recording software or another browser tab may be holding the camera. On Windows in particular, a camera in use by one app may be unavailable to others.
• 6. Select the right camera in Meet. Open Meet's settings from the More options menu, go to the video section and pick the correct camera. This matters when you have a built-in camera and a USB webcam, or virtual camera software.
• 7. Test the camera outside Meet. Use a built-in camera app, such as Camera on Windows or Photo Booth on macOS. If the camera fails there too, the problem is the device, its connection or its driver, not Meet.
• 8. Restart and update. Restart the browser, then the computer. Update the browser and operating system if updates are waiting. Updating the camera driver can also help on Windows.
• 9. Try another browser or a private window. If the camera works there, a browser extension or browser setting is likely interfering with your usual browser.

Where operating system camera permissions are

Platform | Where to check | What to look for

Windows 10 and 11 | Settings, then Privacy (or Privacy & security), then Camera | Camera access is on. Desktop apps are allowed to access the camera, since browsers such as Chrome count as desktop apps.

macOS | System Settings (System Preferences on older versions), then Privacy & Security, then Camera | Your browser is listed and enabled. You may need to quit and reopen the browser after changing this.

Android | Settings, then Apps, then Meet (or your browser), then Permissions | Camera is allowed.

iPhone and iPad | Settings, then Meet (or your browser) | Camera access is on.

ChromeOS | Settings, then Privacy and security | Camera access is on, and the Meet site is allowed in browser site settings.

Menu names and locations vary between operating system versions, so your device may label these slightly differently.

Work, school and managed devices

If your organization manages your device, browser or Google account, its policies may block the camera or limit which sites can use it. A camera that works on a personal account but not a managed one points to this. In that case, your IT administrator is the next step, because you may not be able to change these settings yourself.

What the result tells you

• Camera fails in every app: likely hardware, connection or driver. Try a different USB port or cable for an external webcam, and check that the system recognizes the device.
• Camera works in other apps but not in Meet: likely a permission, a wrong camera selected in Meet, or another app or tab holding the camera.
• Camera works in another browser but not your usual one: likely a browser setting, site permission or extension.
• Camera works on a personal account but not a work or school one: likely an organization policy.

Limits of this guide

This guide was written without product-specific test results, error message lists or version-specific documentation. The steps above describe how camera detection, permissions and input selection generally work on common platforms. Exact wording of Meet's on-screen messages and the location of settings may differ by app version, browser and operating system. Compatibility details for specific webcams were not available and are not covered.