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Click on the FaceTime icon in your computer program dock, or from Launchpad, to start up the program. In the text box, type in the name, phone number, or email address of the contact you want to call through FaceTime. In the text box at the top of the window that appears, type in your contact’s name, email address, or phone number. I have a 2015 MacBook Pro with a built-in Facetime HD Camera. I connect a larger Apple monitor via the Mini DisplayPort on my MacBook. The monitor displys just fine, but I want to use the camera on the external monitor so I can keep the macBook lid closed. How to set your location in FaceTime; How to set up FaceTime on Mac. Getting started with FaceTime is fairly simple and all you'll need is your Apple ID. Open FaceTime on your Mac. Enter your Apple ID email address and password and hit Sing In. If you have two-step or two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple ID, enter your.
We can’t imagine our Macs without cameras anymore. But as any tech customer support specialist will tell you, they also create the most common issues customers complain about. Although Mac camera not working is no doubt upsetting, it’s luckily quite easy to fix on your own in most cases.
Most Macs today come with a built-in front-facing camera, often referred to as the FaceTime camera. It’s located near the top edge of the screen and turns on when you open an app that is able to take pictures, record videos, or make video calls. Since FaceTime activates automatically, there’s no need to wonder how to connect camera on Mac. However, the activation process sometimes fails and it’s good to know what to do to get the connection back.
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Possible Reasons For Webcam Not Working On Mac
When you have your MacBook camera not working properly, it’ll say disconnected or unavailable. The “There is no connected camera” error might surprise you anytime with any app if it finds your camera not working on MacBook. But don’t rush to assume that now you need to somehow “connect” the camera back on or that there’s a hardware issue that requires warranty service:
macOS doesn’t come with a camera settings app. Most apps that use the Mac camera come with their own configuration options, so there’s no on-and-off switch — neither physical nor software.
Even if you think it might be a hardware issue, you can usually resolve the problem of Mac camera not working quite quickly on your own with the help of a few little tricks
Below is a comprehensive guide to the tips you can use to get your camera back up and running should it misbehave.
Check for apps using the camera simultaneously
We know that Mac camera is turned on automatically by the apps that use it. But what’s also important to note is that only a single app can utilize the camera at the same time. So when you have your Mac webcam not working, make sure you’re not being denied access to the camera because some other app is using it at the moment:
Launch Activity Monitor from Applications
Quit all other open apps or utilities that might be using the camera (e.g. Skype, FaceTime, and Photo Booth)
If you’re not sure which applications might be accessing your camera, save your work and close all the open apps to rule everything out
Simply restart your Mac
If quitting apps didn’t help, there might be a chance that some processes are using the camera in the background. A restart will almost certainly resolve the issue, giving you full access to the camera once again. To restart your Mac:
Select the Apple icon in the top menu bar
Click Restart…
Use Force Quit with FaceTime not working on Mac
As effective as restart is, it takes time and halts everything you’re doing. Which might not be an option when you’re in the middle of an important FaceTime call. Fortunately, for FaceTime not working on Mac, there’s another trick that doesn’t require a reboot and fixes the problem immediately. That is using a command line to Force Quit the process:
Go to Applications ➙ Utilities ➙ Terminal
Click inside the terminal window and type sudo killall VDCAssistant
Hit Return on your keyboard and enter your admin password if prompted
Relaunch the app to see if the issue of webcam not working on Mac is resolved.
Fix Skype camera not working on Mac
If you’re wondering why is my camera not working on my Mac when making Skype calls specifically, chances are that Skype is the app to blame here. Here’s what to do with your Skype camera not working on Mac:
Make sure that you have the latest version of Skype
If you do and there’s still no connected camera on MacBook — reinstall the app
Still experiencing the problem? Apply the same fix as described above for FaceTime not working on Mac. Then restart your computer and test Skype again.
Finally, check that you’re connected to the internet and your speed is sufficient enough (at least 128 kbps, or 1 mbps for HD FaceTime video calls). In case you do have problems with the internet connection, try WiFi Explorer, a network analyzer that helps identify and fix common network problems with your connection without involving a costly professional.
WiFi Explorer scans your network environment (band range, signal quality, security status), identifies channel conflict and coverage issues, and gives you quick recommendations to improve your WiFi.
Visual graphs in WiFi Explorer make it easy for you to assess the situation at a glance without diving deep into the numbers.
Reset your Mac’s system controller
If you find the camera on Mac not working still and nothing of the above seems to help, you may try resetting what's known as the System Management Controller (SMC). The SMC manages a lot of hardware functions on your Mac and rebooting it may serve as a solution to your problems.
To reset the SMC on MacBook (2017 or earlier):
Shut down your computer
Plug in your power adapter
Hold down Shift + Control + Options keys and the power button at the same time
Allow 30 seconds to pass before releasing the keys, which will boot the Mac back up
Resetting the SMC on modern MacBook Air or Pro with the T2 security chip is different and involves a two-step process. Sometimes simply completing the first step will resolve the problem, but proceeding with both is generally a more solid approach for fixing the camera not working on MacBook issue.
The first step required to reset the SMC on MacBooks (of 2018 or later):
Shut down your Mac
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds
Release the power button and wait a few more seconds
Turn the Mac on again
Check to see if you still have the Mac webcam not working problem. If the issue persists, proceed to the second part below.
The second step required to reset the SMC on MacBooks (2018 or later):
Shut down your Mac
After the computer is turned off, press and hold the right Shift key, and the left Option key, and the left Control key for seven seconds
While still holding the keys, press and hold the power button for seven more seconds
Release all and wait a few more seconds
Press the power button again to turn the Mac on
Assuming the problem with MacBook Pro camera not working was with the SMC, whatever the issue was it should now be resolved.
Optimize your general system performance
Reading through the what to do with the MacBook camera not working guide, you have to remember that your camera should work flawlessly most of the time. Unless your Mac tends to accumulate all kinds of useless files that might slow it down. No wonder then you might experience the Mac webcam not working.
Make your Mac work faster with CMM X
Download CleanMyMac X to optimize your Mac. Uninstall apps, get rid of clutter, and win extra space with a single tool.
Best advice here is to perform regular system cleanups — automatically. Use apps like CleanMyMac X to clean, protect, and optimize your machine’s performance to bring it to the state it once used to be.
CleanMyMac X optimization and maintenance tools sort through the old unused files, random app caches, and help you uninstall unnecessary apps completely without leaving behind the leftover bits on your drive. The app also scans for thousands of malware threats and neutralizes them in seconds, takes care of gigabytes of disk space taken by the email attachments you’ve never even downloaded, as well as removes histories, cookies, and caches from all the browsers you use. All in a single click.
If none of the proposed solutions can fix your Mac camera not working on MacBook, find an Apple Store or authorized Apple technician to have your Mac serviced. Or contact Apple’s telephone support. Remember that there also remains a possibility for mechanical or hardware problems with your camera, which are impossible to fix with software tweaks.
In all other cases, MacBook camera not working should no longer be a problem for you. Best of all, you can use both WiFi Explorer and CleanMyMac X mentioned above for free during a 7-day trial of Setapp, a platform of more than 150 apps that can fix just about any Mac problem in no time. Never miss your FaceTime call again!
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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It is unpleasant when FaceTime on Mac doesn’t work and keeps you from connecting with family, friends, and colleagues. In most cases, the issue is temporary that lasts for a few minutes or gets fixed by following some basic troubleshooting tips. Let us start with the easiest solutions and work our way up to get FaceTime working again on your Mac running macOS Big Sur, Catalina, and earlier.
Why is My Facetime Not Working on Mac?
FaceTime fails to work correctly on the Mac for several reasons. In some instances, the app misbehaves or logs you out, and thus you will not be able to use FaceTime. Similarly, if you have issues with the camera or microphone, Mac has the incorrect date and time, or you have poor internet connectivity, the video calling service won’t work.
On the other hand, the issue may also be from Apple’s end. But whatever be the root cause(s), here are effective tips to fix FaceTime problems on Mac successfully.
1. Quit FaceTime and Relaunch It
- Click on the Apple logo from the top left and choose Force Quit. You may also press Command + Option + esc
- Select FaceTime and click on Force Quit.
- After 15 seconds, relaunch FaceTime. It should work fine.
2. Check FaceTime’s Server Status
- Head over to the official Apple Server Status page and make sure there is a green dot next to FaceTime, Apple ID, and iMessage.
- In case there is downtime here, you will have to wait until Apple fixes it.
3. Restart Your Mac
- Click on the Apple logo from the top left and select Restart.
- Once your Mac turns on again, launch FaceTime and place a call. It would most certainly work flawlessly now.
4. Ensure Good Internet Connectivity
FaceTime requires decent network connectivity for optimal audio and video calls. If you are streaming or downloading something in the background, make sure you pause that. Further, it would also be helpful if you restart your Wi-Fi router. In case you are using any system-wide VPN on Mac, please consider turning it off.
Note: You can check your download and upload speed on sites like SpeedTest.net and Fast.com.
5. Sign in to the FaceTime App
If you were using FaceTime earlier, this means that you were already signed in. But it is possible that now, you may need to sign in again.
- To Sign In: Open the FaceTime app, and on the left side, you should see the sign in field. Enter your Apple ID and password to proceed.
- To Sign Out and Re-Sign In: Open FaceTime, click on FaceTime from the top menu bar and choose Preferences. Click on Sign Out. After that, restart your Mac and sign in to FaceTime again.
6. Set Correct Date and Time on Mac
For FaceTime to work correctly, it is essential to ensure that your Mac has the correct date and time. The most straightforward way to do this is by letting the computer set these automatically.
- Open System Preferences by clicking on the Apple logo from the top left.
- Click on Date & Time.
- Make sure you are in the Date & Time tab. From here, click on the lock icon and authenticate using your Mac’s password.
- Finally, check the box for Set date and time automatically.
7. Ensure Camera and Microphone are Working Correctly
FaceTime requires a camera and microphone access to function properly. If these features are not working, you won’t be able to call.
- Check for Camera and Microphone in other apps: Open the Photo Booth app on your Mac. You should see your picture on the screen. Click on the rightmost icon from the bottom left. This switches you to video mode. Now, click on the red record button and speak something. After 15-20 seconds, stop the recording. Next, play the clip and notice if you hear the audio. If yes, that means your Mac’s camera and microphone are functioning perfectly.
- Make Sure You Have a Camera and Microphone: All modern MacBooks and iMacs have an internal camera and microphone. To check if your Mac has an inbuilt microphone or not, open System Preferences and click on Sound. In the Input tab, under ‘Type,’ if you see ‘Built-in,’ that means the Mac has an internal microphone. However, if you have a Mac Pro (tower or rack), or Mac mini, you will have to attach an external webcam and microphone. After that, you can effortlessly make FaceTime calls.
- Select the Correct Camera and Microphone: If you have connected more than one camera or microphone (includes wired and wireless earphones) to your Mac, make sure to select the correct input. For this, open the FaceTime app and click on Video from the top menu bar. From here, choose the right option.
Canon Camera Connect To Mac
8. Get the Latest Version of macOS
To fix several such issues, it is advisable to install the latest version of macOS. This becomes especially important if you are FaceTiming friends or family who use very old versions of iOS and OS X (earlier name of macOS).
- Open System Preferences and click on Software Update.
- Click on Update Now if you see. It may take around an hour or more to download and install the update.
- Note: If you do not see the Software Update option in step 1, open App Store, and click on Updates.
9. Group FaceTime not Working on Mac
Are you facing trouble while calling multiple people on Mac? Did you already try the above solutions, and it brought no luck? If yes, head over to our separate guide that shows you tips to fix Group FaceTime issues on Mac.
FaceTime Issues Successfully Fixed on Your Mac!
I believe the above solutions helped you address the problem. Now, you can start making audio and video calls to other Apple users. In rare cases, if it did not, you will have to contact Apple Support, and they will advise accordingly.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that FaceTime may not available in all countries & regions (and with all carriers). When you cannot connect with people, head over to this official Apple Support page and see if you are in a region (or with an internet provider) that does not support FaceTime. In case you are, you will have to use some other calling apps like Skype, Viber, etc.
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I have been an Apple user for over seven years now. At iGeeksBlog, I love creating how-tos and troubleshooting guides that help people do more with their iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch. In my free time, I like to watch stand up comedy videos, tech documentaries, news debates, and political speeches.
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