How to give Google Meet access to your camera

The short answer

Google Meet needs permission at two levels before it can use your camera. The first is the browser or the Meet app, which asks whether Meet may use the camera. The second is your device's operating system, which decides whether that browser or app may reach the camera at all. If you see a permission prompt when you open Meet, choose Allow. If you dismissed or blocked the prompt earlier, change the site permission in your browser. Then check that your operating system allows the browser or app to use the camera, and reload Meet.

Which steps apply depends on how you join. On a computer, most people use Meet in a web browser, so browser and operating-system settings matter. On a phone or tablet, the Meet or Gmail app uses the device's app permissions instead. If you use a work or school account, an administrator may limit some settings, and you may need to contact them if the options below are missing or locked.

Before you start

• Close other apps that might be using the camera, such as other video-call apps or a camera app. On many systems, only one app can use the camera at a time.
• If your camera is external, make sure it is connected. If it has a physical privacy shutter or an off switch, open or turn it on.
• Know which browser you use for Meet. Permissions are set separately in each browser.

Step 1: Allow the camera in your browser

When you first open a meeting, the browser usually shows a prompt asking whether Meet can use your camera and microphone. Select Allow. If you blocked the prompt or it never appeared, use the steps for your browser. Menu names can differ slightly between browser versions.

Browser | Where to change the camera permission for Meet

Chrome | Click the site controls icon at the left of the address bar while Meet is open, then set Camera to Allow. Alternatively, go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings, then Camera. Check that sites can ask to use your camera and that Meet is not on the blocked list.

Microsoft Edge | Click the icon at the left of the address bar while Meet is open, then set Camera to Allow. Alternatively, go to Settings, then Cookies and site permissions, then Camera.

Firefox | Click the permissions icon in the address bar while Meet is open and remove any block on the camera. Alternatively, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Permissions, then Camera settings.

Safari (Mac) | With Meet open, choose Safari, then Settings, then Websites, then Camera. Set Meet to Allow, or to Ask so the prompt appears again.

After you change the setting, reload the Meet page so the browser applies it.

Step 2: Allow the browser in your operating system

Even when the browser allows Meet, your computer can still block the browser itself. If you allowed the camera in the browser and Meet still shows no camera or a camera error, check these settings.

• Windows 11: Open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera. Turn on camera access and let apps access your camera. Also turn on the option that lets desktop apps access your camera, because most browsers count as desktop apps.
• Windows 10: Open Settings, then Privacy, then Camera. Turn on the same access options.
• macOS: Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Camera. Turn on the switch for your browser. macOS may ask you to quit and reopen the browser before the change takes effect.

If you use the Meet app on a phone or tablet

• Android: Open Settings, then Apps, then Meet (or Gmail if you join from there), then Permissions, then Camera. Choose to allow access. Exact labels vary by manufacturer and Android version.
• iPhone or iPad: Open Settings, scroll to Meet (or Gmail), and turn on Camera.
• After you change the permission, close the app fully and reopen it.

Step 3: Choose the right camera in Meet

If you have more than one camera, such as a built-in webcam and a USB webcam, Meet may pick the wrong one. On the screen you see before joining, or during a call, open the Meet settings and go to the Video section. Then select the camera you want from the list. If your camera does not appear in the list, the computer is not detecting it. Reconnect the camera, try another port, or restart the computer before changing any more permissions.

How to tell it worked

Several separate things need to be true, and each check confirms only part of the setup.

• Access granted: The browser or app no longer shows a blocked-camera warning, and the camera button in Meet is no longer crossed out or showing an error. This confirms permission only.
• Video captured: The preview on the screen before joining shows your live image, and it moves when you move. This confirms the camera is sending video to Meet on your device.
• What others see: Your preview does not show how your video reaches other people. Their view also depends on your internet connection, their connection and the room lighting. To check that, ask someone to join a short test call and tell you whether your video is clear and smooth.

If the camera still doesn't work

• Fully quit and reopen the browser or app. Do not just close the tab.
• Check again that no other app is using the camera.
• Update your browser or the Meet app, then restart your device.
• Try joining from a different browser. If the camera works there, the problem is likely a setting or extension in the first browser.
• If you use a work or school device or account, ask your administrator whether camera use is restricted.

Note on gaps: This guide is based on general, widely documented permission settings. It is not based on tests of specific devices. Menu wording changes between operating-system and browser versions, so look for the closest matching option if a label differs. No specific technical targets, such as minimum resolution or connection speed, were available to include here.