Cameras have become a very important part of a laptop. This allows the users to make video calls to their family, friends and they can also make conference calls related to their work. It also helps them to take pictures. Mac, one of the most popular and widely-used laptops has also cameras in-built. However, many users have reported that they are experiencing the problem of Mac camera not working. 

This will make video calling and taking pictures with the Mac camera impossible. The users will suffer a great deal of inconvenience for this problem. If you are one such user, do not get worried. It can sometimes fail just like any other electronic device. Here, I will be discussing some of the common and simple solutions to fix this problem. 

Solutions for fixing the problem of the camera on Mac not working

So, let us see the effective methods to solve this camera problem on Mac:-

Solution 1. Perform a Mac restart

When you will do a restart of your Mac, it will close all the applications running in the background including the ones which are using the camera. You can do this restart in three different ways. 

  • You can click on the icon of Apple and from the pop-up menu, you have to select the option of “Restart”.
  • Another method to do this is by pressing the Power, Command and Control button simultaneously. 
  • Lastly, you can also press the Power button and from the options on the screen, you can select the option of “Restart”. 

When the Mac will turn on, open the camera app and check if the Mac camera not working problem is solved or not.    

Solution 2. Use safe mode to reboot your computer

If the Mac camera issue is not yet fixed, then you can boot the Mac in Safe Mode. You will be able to do this by pressing the Shift key as soon as you hear the chime at the start-up. After that, you have to release the button when the Apple logo will show up on the screen. Now, check if the Mac camera not working problem is fixed or not. However, this process will close all the applications and processes currently open on your Mac. So, many users may not want to go for this process. They can go to the next solution to fix the Mac camera problem. 

Solution3. Restart your camera app

By doing a restart of your camera app, you will make it load its settings all over again. For this, you have to close the camera application and relaunch it. This process will let the camera app to close the settings that were causing the problem and then relaunch it again correctly. This will most likely solve your camera on Mac not working problem. However, on some devices, the camera app may not get closed. For this, you can go to the next method. 

Solution 4. Force quit the camera app on Mac

With this method, you will be able to close the camera app which does not close by the normal method. With this method, the camera app will be able to start with fresh configurations. You can follow these steps to complete the process:-

  • Go to the top left corner of the screen and click on the icon of Apple. 
  • From the drop-down menu, you have to click on the option of “Force Quit apps”. 
  • In the next window, you have to click on the application of the camera. 
  • Then, go to the bottom of the screen, at the right corner of the window and click on the button of “Force Quit”. 

You can also stop other apps that can use the application of the camera. It can be done easily by going to the terminal. 

  • Open the terminal using the Spotlight app or from the utility folder. 
  • After that, you have to type the following command in the command line: Sudo kill all VDCAssistant. This process of VDCAssistant is launched whenever some application tries to use the camera of the Mac. If this process fails, the camera of your Mac will not function properly. 
  • Then, you will see a prompt to enter your password. This is the same password you use for your Mac login. 
  • If you see that no output is coming, it indicates that all the applications that can use the camera are closed.

If you feel that the terminal method is difficult for you to follow, you can also use the Activity monitor to close the camera apps:-

  • Open the app of Spotlight and write “Activity Monitor”. 
  • After that, launch it by clicking on the icon. 
  • Then, go to the tab of the CPU. In this tab, you will see all the processes that are running.  
  • Now, in the search box located at the top-right corner of the screen, you have to type “VDC”. This will isolate the VDCAssistant and display it on the screen.
  • Select this process. 
  • After that, you have to end the process by clicking on the “X” icon located at the top left corner of the screen.

Now, check if the camera on Mac not working problem is resolved or not.      

Read Also: Macbook Repair services

Solution 5. Reset the SMC of Mac

Resetting the SMC can also fix this camera problem of your Mac. For that,

  • Go to the Apple Menu and from the top-left corner of the screen, you have to click on the option of “Shut Down”. 
  • Make sure that the power adapter of your Mac is attached to it. 
  • Now, press and hold the Options, Control, and Shift Keys at the same time. After that, turn on your computer. 
  • You have to keep holding the keys after the Mac turns on. 
  • After that, you have to hold the keys down for thirty seconds before you release them. This will allow the Mac to boot up normally. 
  • When the computer turns back on, Check if the Mac camera not working problem is solved or not. 

Conclusion

When the camera on the Mac stops working, it causes the users a great deal of inconvenience. It will not allow you to attend important business video calls or contact your family and friends through video calling apps. So, to solve this problem, you can use the above solutions. These are very effective and easy to follow. By using these solutions, you will be able to fix this camera on Mac not working problem in no time.