How to Fix MacBook Camera Not Detected

The short answer

When a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro says its camera isn't detected, the cause is usually a setting or software problem, not a broken camera. Common causes are a missing privacy permission, another app holding the camera, a video app set to the wrong camera, or a camera process that has stopped responding. Start with a built-in app like Photo Booth to see whether macOS can use the camera at all. Then check whether the camera appears in System Information. Those two results tell you whether to look at settings, at macOS itself, or at the hardware.

"Not detected" can mean different things, and each points to a different fix. Some apps say there's no camera when they only lack permission. Other apps show a black preview even though the camera is listed. Also, the camera is built into the display lid on a MacBook, so you can't unplug and reconnect it the way you can with a USB webcam.

Match your symptom to the likely layer

What you see | Where the problem probably is | Start with

Photo Booth or FaceTime shows a live image, but one app or website doesn't | That app's settings, its permission, or the browser's site permission | Step 3 and Step 4

No app can show video, but System Information lists a camera | macOS software, a stuck camera process, or another app holding the camera | Step 4 and Step 5

System Information doesn't list a camera at all | Low-level system state or hardware | Step 6 and Step 7

The camera worked until macOS was updated or a work profile was installed | Privacy settings, Screen Time, or management restrictions | Step 3

Before you start

• Save your work, because several steps involve quitting apps or restarting.
• Remove any cover, sticker or tape over the camera at the top of the display.
• Know whether your Mac has an Intel processor or Apple silicon. Choose Apple menu > About This Mac and look at the Chip or Processor line. A 2017 MacBook Pro uses an Intel processor. MacBook Air models come in both types.
• If the Mac is managed by a school or employer, the organisation may control camera access. You may need its IT support.

Step 1: Test with a built-in app

Quit every app that might use the camera, including video-call apps, browsers with call tabs open, and screen-recording tools. Then open Photo Booth or FaceTime. Apple's own apps don't need a separate camera permission, so this test removes third-party permissions from the picture.

Success check: you see a live, moving image, and the small green indicator light next to the camera turns on. If so, the camera hardware and macOS can capture video. Go to Step 3 to fix the specific app. If the window stays black or says no camera is connected, continue with Step 2.

Step 2: Check whether macOS sees the camera

Hold the Option key, open the Apple menu, and choose System Information. In the sidebar under Hardware, select Camera. A built-in camera usually appears here with a name such as FaceTime HD Camera, though the exact wording varies by model. On some older Intel Macs you may also find it under USB.

If the camera is listed, macOS can see the hardware and the problem is more likely in software. Continue with Steps 3 to 5. If nothing is listed, the camera isn't reaching the system right now. Do the restart and reset steps (5 and 6) before concluding it's a hardware fault, because a stuck system state can sometimes hide a working camera.

Step 3: Check camera permissions

macOS blocks third-party apps from using the camera until you approve them. On recent versions of macOS, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. On older versions, open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Camera. Turn on the switch or tick the box for the app you want to use, then quit and reopen that app.

If the app isn't in the list, it may never have asked for camera access. Open the app and start a camera preview so it triggers the request. Some apps also have their own camera setting, and some only add themselves to the list after their first attempt.

• Screen Time: content and privacy restrictions can disable the camera across the whole system. Open Screen Time in System Settings (or System Preferences) and check the content and privacy restrictions for anything that disallows the camera.
• Work or school management: a configuration profile can block the camera. Look under Privacy & Security for a Profiles or Device Management section. Don't remove a profile from a managed Mac without asking whoever manages it.
• Browser permissions: browsers ask for camera access per website. In Safari, open Settings > Websites > Camera. In Chrome, open Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Camera. Set the site to Allow, and also make sure the browser itself is allowed in macOS camera privacy settings.

Success check: the app or website now shows a live preview and the green light comes on. This confirms access only. It doesn't tell you anything about image quality or call performance.

Step 4: Check the app's camera selection and conflicts

Open the video settings in your call app or browser and look at the camera menu. If several cameras are listed, choose the built-in one. On recent macOS versions, a nearby iPhone can work as a webcam through Continuity Camera and may be picked automatically. A connected external webcam, capture card or virtual camera from streaming or effects software can also take its place. Pick the built-in camera, or disconnect or quit the other source, and test again.

Usually only one app can use the camera at a time. If the green light is on but your app shows nothing, another app may be holding the camera. Quit apps one by one, especially other call apps and browsers, until the preview appears.

Step 5: Restart the camera processes, then the Mac

Background processes in macOS manage the camera, and they can stop responding. Restarting them can bring the camera back without a full reboot. Quit all camera apps, open Terminal (in Applications > Utilities), and run the commands below. Enter your administrator password when asked. Typed password characters don't appear on screen.

sudo killall VDCAssistant
sudo killall AppleCameraAssistant

Not every macOS version uses both of these processes. A "No matching processes" message just means that process wasn't running, and it's harmless. Reopen Photo Booth to test. If that doesn't help, choose Apple menu > Restart. A full restart clears more system state than restarting individual processes, and it's often what fixes the problem.

Step 6: Reset low-level hardware management

On Intel Macs, the System Management Controller (SMC) is a chip that controls some low-level hardware functions. Resetting it is a common next step when a built-in device stops appearing. The exact steps depend on whether the Mac has an Apple T2 security chip, so check Apple's SMC reset instructions for your model.

• Intel MacBook without a T2 chip (including the 2017 MacBook Pro): shut down. Press and hold Shift, Control and Option on the left side of the keyboard, then press and hold the power button as well. Hold all four keys for about 10 seconds, release them, then turn the Mac on.
• Intel MacBook with a T2 chip: the steps are different. Follow Apple's procedure for T2 Macs.
• Apple silicon MacBook Air or Pro: there's no separate SMC reset. Choose Shut Down, wait about 30 seconds, then turn the Mac back on.

Success check: after starting up, look again at the Camera section of System Information, then test in Photo Booth.

Step 7: Rule out software interference and check the hardware

• Update macOS: check for updates in Software Update. Camera support is part of macOS, and updates sometimes include fixes.
• Try safe mode: safe mode starts the Mac with fewer third-party extensions and login items. On an Intel Mac, hold Shift while it starts up. On Apple silicon, hold the power button until startup options appear, select your startup disk, then hold Shift and choose Continue in Safe Mode. If the camera works in safe mode, third-party software is a likely cause. Virtual-camera, security or system-utility apps are good places to look.
• Try another user account: create a temporary user in Users & Groups and test Photo Booth there. If it works, the problem is probably in your original account's settings.
• Run Apple Diagnostics: on an Intel Mac, hold D while it starts up. On Apple silicon, hold the power button until startup options appear, then press Command-D. The test may report hardware issues, but it may not catch every camera fault.
• Check for physical causes: look for a damaged hinge, signs of liquid, or a camera that only works at certain lid angles. Cables pass through the hinge between the lid and the body, so these signs suggest a hardware fault.

When to seek repair

Contact Apple Support or an authorised service provider in these cases:
• The camera is still missing from System Information after restarting, the SMC reset (on Intel) or a full shutdown (on Apple silicon), and a safe-mode test.
• Apple Diagnostics reports a problem.
• The camera only works at certain lid angles.
These results point to a hardware or connection fault inside the display assembly, which you can't fix with settings. Before you hand the Mac in, back it up and write down what you've tried so the technician doesn't repeat it.

While you wait for a repair, an external USB webcam or an iPhone using Continuity Camera can stand in. Select it in your call app's camera menu.

What a working preview does and doesn't prove

Once Photo Booth or your call app shows a live image, you know three things: macOS detects the camera, the app has permission, and the camera can capture video. You don't yet know how the video will look or perform on a call. Image quality depends on lighting and camera position, and call smoothness depends on your network and the call service. For an important call, do a test call or use the call service's own preview to check both.

Limits of this guide: it's based on general macOS behaviour, not on tests of specific devices. Menu names and steps vary between macOS versions and Mac models, and no failure rates or repair costs are given here. If something on your Mac looks different from these steps, follow Apple's current documentation for your model and macOS version.