The fastest way to test your Mac camera
Open System Settings, go to Privacy & Security, then select Camera from the left sidebar. You will see a list of apps that have requested camera permission. If an app shows there, your camera hardware is detected. To actually see what your camera sees, open Photo Booth (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command+Space), click the camera icon at the bottom, and you should see a live preview of your webcam feed within seconds.
If Photo Booth shows a black screen or says "No camera detected," your camera either has a hardware problem, a driver issue, or is being blocked by macOS security settings. The sections below walk you through each possibility in order.
Key Takeaways
- Photo Booth is the built-in Mac app that shows your camera feed when ready without any setup or downloads.
- If Photo Booth shows a black screen, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera to see whether the camera is listed as a connected device.
- Restarting your Mac clears temporary camera conflicts and often fixes detection problems without any other troubleshooting.
- If your camera works in Photo Booth but not in a video call app, that app may not have camera permission in System Settings.
- A camera that worked before and suddenly stops may have a loose USB connection (for external cameras) or a macOS update that disabled it.
Check camera permission in System Settings
Even if your camera is physically connected, macOS requires each app to have explicit permission to use it. Open System Settings and click Privacy & Security in the sidebar. Scroll down and select Camera. You will see two sections: a list of apps with camera permission, and a toggle at the top that says Camera.
If the Camera toggle itself is off (grayed out), no app can use your camera at all. Click it to turn it on. If the toggle is already on but the app you want to use is not listed, that app has not yet requested permission. Open the app, try to start a video call or take a photo, and macOS will prompt you to allow camera access. Click Allow when the dialog appears.
If an app is listed but shows a red prohibition icon next to it, that app's permission has been denied. Click the app name and toggle the switch to allow camera access again.
Restart your Mac to reset camera detection
Many camera detection problems clear themselves after a restart. This is because macOS sometimes loses track of connected hardware during a long session, especially if your Mac has been asleep and woken multiple times. Restarting forces the operating system to re-detect all connected devices from scratch.
Save your work, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select Restart, and wait for your Mac to shut down and boot back up. Once you are logged in, open Photo Booth again and check whether your camera feed appears. This solves the problem in roughly half of cases where the camera was working before.
Verify your camera is listed in System Report
If Photo Booth still shows nothing after a restart, check whether macOS even detects your camera as a connected device. Click the Apple menu, select About This Mac, then click the System Report button. In the window that opens, click USB in the left sidebar (for external cameras) or Camera if that option appears.
Look for your camera model in the list. If it appears, your Mac recognizes the hardware. If it does not appear at all, the camera is either disconnected, the USB cable is loose, or the camera itself has failed. For external cameras, try unplugging the USB cable, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in. Then restart Photo Booth.
If your Mac is a laptop with a built-in camera and the camera does not appear in System Report, the hardware may have a fault. This is rare but does happen, especially after a drop or liquid damage. Contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store for diagnosis.
Check for a camera privacy indicator light
Modern Macs show a small green light next to the camera lens when the camera is in use. If you open Photo Booth and see the light turn on, your camera is working. If the light never appears, the camera may not be receiving power or may have a connection problem inside the Mac.
Some older Mac models do not have this indicator light, so the absence of a light does not always mean the camera is broken. But if you see the light in Photo Booth, you know the camera is definitely functional and the problem is elsewhere—usually a permission setting in a specific app.
Test camera in a video call app
If Photo Booth works but your camera does not appear in Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime, or another video app, the problem is almost always a permission issue. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera again and look for the app you are trying to use. If it is not listed, open the app and start a video call—macOS will prompt you to allow camera access.
If the app is already listed but the camera still does not work, try removing and re-adding the permission. Click the app name in the Camera list, then click the minus button to remove it. Close the app completely, reopen System Settings, and launch the app again. When it asks for camera permission, click Allow. This forces the app to re-register with the camera system.
Some video call apps also have their own internal camera settings. Open the app's preferences or settings menu and look for a Camera or Video section. Make sure the correct camera is selected from the dropdown menu—if you have multiple cameras connected, the app might be trying to use the wrong one.
Disconnect and reconnect external cameras
If you are using an external USB camera, a loose connection is the most common cause of detection failure. Unplug the USB cable from your Mac, wait at least 10 seconds, and plug it back in. Do not just unplug and when ready reconnect—the delay allows macOS to fully release the device before re-detecting it.
If you are using a USB hub, try plugging the camera directly into a USB port on your Mac instead. Some hubs do not provide enough power to external cameras, or they introduce a delay in detection. If the camera works when plugged directly into the Mac but not through the hub, the hub is the problem.
For cameras that use wireless connection (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi), make sure the camera is powered on and in pairing mode. Check the camera's manual for pairing instructions, then open System Settings > Bluetooth and look for the camera in the list of available devices. Click it to connect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Photo Booth show a black screen even though my camera is listed in System Settings?
A black screen usually means the camera is detected but not receiving power or has a driver conflict. Try restarting your Mac first. If that does not work, unplug the camera for 30 seconds and plug it back in. If you are using an external camera through a USB hub, plug it directly into your Mac instead.
My camera worked yesterday but does not work today. What changed?
A macOS update, a system restart, or a loose cable are the most common causes. Check whether your Mac installed updates overnight by clicking the Apple menu and looking for a notification. Restart your Mac and test Photo Booth again. For external cameras, unplug and reconnect the USB cable.
How do I know if my camera is broken versus just disconnected?
Open System Report (Apple menu > About This Mac > System Report) and look under USB or Camera. If your camera appears in the list, it is connected and macOS sees it. If it does not appear, either the cable is loose, the camera is off, or the hardware has failed. Try restarting your Mac and reconnecting the cable first.
Can I use my phone as a webcam on my Mac?
Yes, but you need a third-party app. Apps like Codeshot, Reincubate Codeshot, and others let you connect your phone over USB or Wi-Fi and use it as an external camera. read the app on both your Mac and phone, connect them, and the phone will appear as a camera option in Photo Booth and video call apps.
What if my camera works in Photo Booth but not in Zoom?
Zoom does not have camera permission. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera, look for Zoom in the list, and make sure the toggle next to it is on. If Zoom is not listed, open Zoom and start a video call—macOS will prompt you to allow access. Click Allow and try again.