If your built-in FaceTime camera is not working, and displays as disconnected or unavailable when attempting to access it here’s what you can do to try and get it back up and running.
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Check for applications using the camera. Generally, only a single Mac app can use the camera at a time. Close all other open applications that might be using the camera.
If you aren’t sure which applications might be accessing your camera, save your work, then close all open applications to rule everything out.
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Restart the computer. You can perform a restart by heading to the Apple Menu in the upper left-hand corner of your Mac’s screen and clicking the Restart option. If any processes are using the camera in the background, a restart may fix the issue, providing you full access to the camera once again. Once the computer is back on, check to see if your webcam is functioning in a normal manner.
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Reset your Mac’s System Controller. This might sound a bit overwhelming, but don’t worry. If your Mac’s webcam isn’t performing as it should, you can reset what’s known as the System Management Controller (SMC). The SMC controls many of the hardware functions of your Mac, and rebooting it may serve as a solution to your problems.
RESET A MACBOOK SMC
If you have a MacBook Air Laptop, here is how you go about resetting your SMC.
- Start by shutting down your MacBook Air
- Ensure your MacBook’s power adapter is attached to the computer.
- On the MacBook’s keyboard, hold down Shift+Control+Options keys simultaneously, then turn the power on to start the computer.
- After powering on the machine, keep the Shift, Control, and Option keys all held down at the same time.
- Allow thirty-seconds to pass before releasing the keys, allowing the Mac to boot as normal.
- Once your computer starts up, check to see if you now have access to your camera.