How to Change Camera Permissions in Chrome

Before you start

Chrome uses site permissions and operating-system permissions together. A site must be allowed to use the camera in Chrome, and Chrome must have camera access at the operating-system level. Changing a permission in Chrome does not change the system setting. Check that a camera is connected or built in, and close other applications that may be holding the camera.

Step-by-step instructions

The quickest way to manage a site is through the page information icon in the address bar. The exact menu wording can vary slightly between Chrome versions and operating systems, but the location of the settings is consistent.

Change permission for the current site

• Open the site in Chrome.
• Select the page information icon on the left side of the address bar.
• Choose Site settings or Camera from the menu.
• Open the camera permission control.
• Select Ask, Allow, or Block.
• Reload the page if the site was already open.

Ask makes Chrome prompt each time the site requests camera access. Allow grants access without a new prompt. Block stops the site from requesting the camera until you change the setting again.

Change permission from browser settings

• Select the menu icon in the top-right corner of Chrome.
• Choose Settings.
• Select Privacy and security.
• Open Site settings.
• Scroll to Permissions and select Camera.
• Review the Default behavior and the list of sites with custom permissions.
• Select a site entry to change its permission or remove the custom setting.

Removing a custom site entry returns that site to the default behavior. The default can be set so sites ask before accessing the camera, or the default can block all sites until you make an exception.

Choose the selected camera

When multiple cameras are available, the site usually offers a camera selector. If the site does not, the camera preferred by Chrome can be changed in Chrome settings or in the system camera settings. The available camera names are provided by the operating system, so the same device may appear under different names on different computers.

On Windows, camera access for desktop apps can be managed in Privacy and security settings. On macOS, camera permissions for Chrome appear in System Settings under Privacy and Security. On ChromeOS and Android, camera permissions are managed through the system settings for the Chrome app.

Check the output

After changing the permission, reload the site and start the camera preview or call. A preview image confirms that the site can use the selected camera. If the site does not show a preview, use another browser-based camera test page to confirm that Chrome can open the device.

The test page may report resolution and frame rate from the camera stream. These values depend on the camera, driver, lighting, and the constraints requested by the page. A lower reported value does not necessarily mean the permission is wrong.

Common problems and next steps

If the camera is blocked in Chrome, the site usually shows a blocked camera message. Open the page information icon and change the camera permission from Block to Allow, then reload the page. If the option is unavailable, check the browser settings for a policy or managed setting.

If the camera permission is allowed in Chrome but no image appears, check the operating-system permissions. On some systems, camera access may be disabled for Chrome even when the site permission is correct.

If the camera works but the image is dark or grainy, adjust the lighting and the camera position. Bright, even light on the face usually gives a clearer image than a bright background. Close background applications and reduce the number of open tabs if the frame rate is low.

If Chrome shows the wrong camera, select a different device in the site menu or change the preferred camera in Chrome settings. If the expected camera does not appear, reconnect it and check the system camera settings for disabled devices.

When changing a permission does not help, restart Chrome and reload the page. Keep the permission change reversible by noting the original setting before editing it, especially when the browser is managed by an organization.