macOS Camera Not Working — FaceTime and Zoom Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

If your Mac's built-in camera is not working — showing a black screen, a green light that never turns on, or an error saying no camera was found — the cause is almost always a privacy permission issue, a software conflict, or a VDC driver that needs to be restarted. The camera hardware itself very rarely fails. Fixing permissions or restarting the camera process resolves the issue in most cases.

Affected Models

MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
Mac mini (with external camera)
iMac
Mac Studio (with external camera)

Common Causes

The app trying to use the camera does not have Camera permission granted in System Settings
Another app is already using the camera, which locks it from other apps
The VDC (Video Data Controller) Assistant process has crashed or gotten into a bad state
A recent macOS update reset camera permissions that were previously granted
An external USB camera is unplugged or not recognized by macOS

How to Fix It

Check camera permissions. Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy and Security > Camera. Find the app that cannot use the camera (Zoom, FaceTime, Teams, etc.) in the list and make sure the toggle next to it is turned on.

macOS asks for camera permission once per app. If you clicked Deny or did not grant permission when first asked, the app will always see no camera until you enable it here.
Quit the app, then restart it. If another app was using the camera first, simply closing it frees up the camera for other apps.

On Macs, only one app can use the built-in camera at a time. If FaceTime is running in the background when you open Zoom, Zoom will see no camera. Check your Dock for any open video apps.
Restart the VDC Assistant. Open Terminal (search with Spotlight) and run: sudo killall VDCAssistant — enter your password when prompted. Then relaunch the camera app.

VDC Assistant is the background process that manages camera access on macOS. Killing it forces it to restart fresh. This fixes most cases where the camera green light will not turn on.
Restart your Mac. A full restart is more thorough than killing individual processes and clears most camera-related software issues.

If the camera works after a restart but fails again after a few days, a specific app is likely crashing the VDC Assistant. Identify which apps you have open when it stops working.
Check System Information to confirm the camera is detected. Go to Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report, then click Camera in the sidebar. If your Mac has a camera, it should appear here with its name and ID. If no camera appears at all, there may be a hardware connection issue.

On MacBooks, 'no camera listed in System Information' after trying all software fixes usually means a physical connection issue inside the laptop that requires repair.

When to Call a Professional

If restarting the VDC assistant and granting permissions does not fix the camera, and System Information shows no camera hardware at all, the camera hardware may need inspection. Apple technicians can run diagnostics to confirm hardware failure. Built-in camera replacement is an out-of-warranty repair, typically $200-$400 depending on the model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the camera work in some apps but not others?

This is almost always a permissions issue. Each app must be individually granted Camera permission in System Settings > Privacy and Security > Camera. If FaceTime works but Zoom does not, Zoom simply has not been granted camera access. Go to Privacy and Security > Camera, find Zoom in the list, and turn it on.

Can I tell if my camera is being used right now?

Yes. When the camera is active, a small green LED lights up next to the camera on MacBooks and iMacs. On macOS Ventura and later, a camera indicator also appears in the menu bar at the top of the screen when any app is using the camera or microphone. If the green light is on but no app you recognize is open, check Activity Monitor for unfamiliar processes using the camera.

After a macOS update, all my apps lost camera access. Why?

This is a known behavior after certain macOS updates. Some major macOS updates reset privacy permissions for all apps as a security measure. You will need to re-grant camera access to each app individually. Go to System Settings > Privacy and Security > Camera and re-enable access for any app that needs it. Apps will also prompt you for permission again the next time they try to use the camera.