How to Enable Camera Permissions on Android

Android does not let an app use the camera until you allow it. If a video call app, scanner or browser shows a black preview or a blocked message, the cause is usually a denied permission or a system-wide camera switch. This guide shows how to turn camera access on for an app or a website, and how to confirm it works.

Before you start

Granting camera permission is a setting on your phone, so you don't need an account or an online service. The app you allow, though, may process or upload video. Its own privacy policy decides how video is stored or sent, so check that policy before you grant access.

• Know which app needs the camera. If you use the camera on a website, you need both the browser and the site to have access.

• Find your Android version under Settings, About phone. Most menus below apply to Android 6.0 and later. Some options appeared only in Android 11 and Android 12.

• Menu names differ between manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi or Google Pixel. If a label doesn't match, search for Permissions or Camera in the Settings search bar.

• On a work phone, a work profile or a parental control app can block camera access. You may not be able to change it yourself.

Step-by-step instructions

Allow the camera when the app asks

Open the app and start the feature that needs the camera. When Android shows the permission prompt, choose While using the app. On Android 11 and later, you can also choose Only this time. The app then has to ask again next time, which suits apps you rarely use.

Turn on camera permission in app settings

• 1. Open Settings and tap Apps. On some phones this is Apps and notifications or Application manager.

• 2. Tap See all apps if your phone shows it, then select the app.

• 3. Tap Permissions, then tap Camera.

• 4. Choose Allow only while using the app, or Ask every time if you want a prompt on each use.

• 5. Close the app fully and open it again so it picks up the new setting.

To see every app that can use the camera, look for Permission manager. It is often under Settings, Security and privacy or Settings, Privacy. Open Camera there to review allowed and denied apps in one list. You can undo any change at any time by setting the permission back to Don't allow.

Check the system camera access toggle

Android 12 and later have a Camera access switch that blocks the camera for all apps, even apps that have permission. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings and look for a Camera access tile. If it isn't there, edit the tiles to add it, or look for the same switch in the privacy settings. Make sure it is on.

Enable the camera for a website in Chrome

• 1. Make sure Chrome itself has camera permission. Use the app settings steps above and select Chrome.

• 2. Open the website, tap the icon to the left of the address bar, and open Permissions or Site settings.

• 3. Set Camera to Allow, then reload the page.

You can also review all sites from the Chrome menu: Settings, then Site settings, then Camera. Other browsers have similar site settings, but the labels differ.

Check the output

Open the feature that needs the camera and watch for a live preview. On Android 12 and later, a green dot or camera icon appears near the top corner of the screen while an app uses the camera. That tells you the system has given access.

• Selected camera: switch between the front and rear camera in the app to confirm the one you need works. Permission covers all cameras, but each app decides which one it opens first.

• Resolution and frame rate: these depend on the camera hardware and the app, not on the permission. Some video call apps and browsers lower them to save bandwidth or battery. Look in the app's own video settings if you need higher quality.

• Lighting: a dark or noisy picture usually means poor lighting, not a permission problem. Face a window or lamp and wipe the lens before you judge image quality.

Common problems and next steps

• The app never asks for permission: after you deny it more than once, Android 11 and later stop showing the prompt. Turn the permission on manually in the app's Permissions screen.

• Permission was on but now it's off: Android can remove permissions from apps you haven't used for a while. Turn it back on in app settings. You can also turn off the option to remove permissions if the app is unused, where your phone offers it.

• Permission is allowed but the preview is black: check the Camera access toggle in Quick Settings. Then close other apps that might be using the camera, such as another call app or the camera app.

• A website still can't use the camera: Chrome and the site each need permission. Check both, then reload the page.

• The Camera option is greyed out: a work profile, device management or parental controls may control it. Ask the person who manages the device.

• No app can use the camera, including the built-in Camera app: this is probably not a permission problem. Restart the phone and install pending system updates. If that doesn't help, contact the manufacturer's support.