Troubleshooting
Camera Not Working on Chromebook? Fixes for Chrome
Camera not working on your Chromebook? Check two switches first: ChromeOS's own camera access setting and the website's camera permission in Chrome. Turn both on, close anything else that might be using the camera, and reload the page. That fixes most cases.
If you see a message that the camera is blocked by an administrator, or settings are greyed out, the Chromebook follows rules set by an organization. Only the administrator can change those, and the section on managed devices explains how to tell.
Quick checks before you change settings
- Open the Camera app. Search for Camera in the Launcher. If you see yourself there, the hardware works and the problem is a permission in Chrome.
- Look for a privacy shutter or switch. Some Chromebooks have a sliding cover over the lens or a camera switch on the side.
- Close other camera users. Quit the Camera app, video call apps and other tabs that use the camera, then reload.
- Check the address bar. Websites can only use the camera on secure (HTTPS) pages.
- Using a USB webcam? Unplug it for a moment. Chrome may be trying to use it instead of the built-in camera.
Turn on camera access in ChromeOS privacy controls
Recent versions of ChromeOS have a system-wide camera switch. When it's off, no app or website can use the camera, and the Camera app shows a notice instead of a picture.
- Click the time in the bottom-right corner to open Quick Settings, then the gear icon to open Settings.
- Go to Security and privacy → Privacy controls → Camera access.
- Turn camera access on. If you see a list of apps, make sure Chrome is allowed.
- Do the same for Microphone access so people can hear you.
- Go back to the page and reload it.
Menu names may differ slightly by ChromeOS version, and older versions don't have this switch at all. Typing camera into the search box at the top of Settings is the fastest way to find it.
Chromebook camera permission for the website
Even with the system switch on, Chrome keeps its own list of websites that may use the camera. If you clicked Block once, the site won't ask again.
- On the page, click the icon at the left end of the address bar (two sliders on recent versions, a padlock on older ones).
- Turn Camera and Microphone on, or open Site settings and set both to Allow.
- For the full list, open chrome://settings/content/camera, remove the site from the not-allowed list, and check that the dropdown at the top shows the camera you want.
- Reload the page.
How to allow camera access in Chrome walks through every permission screen, and camera not working in Chrome has fixes that apply on any computer.
Chromebook camera blocked by admin
A Chromebook that belongs to an employer or another organization is usually managed. Signs include a building icon or a "managed by" note in Quick Settings, and settings that are greyed out with a message about your administrator.
Administrators can turn the camera off entirely, block it on certain websites, or allow only approved sites. Those rules sit above everything else on this page, so if a policy blocks the camera, no setting you change will bring it back.
- If the message mentions your administrator, ask them. They're the only ones who can change it.
- Don't try to get around a policy with extensions, other browsers or resets. It usually won't work, and it may break the rules of the organization that owns the device.
- If the Chromebook is your own and only your work account is managed, the policy follows that account. A personal account on your personal device has its own settings.
If the Chromebook isn't yours to change, your own phone is the simpler option: random video chat works in a phone browser with nothing to install.
Restart, update and test without extensions
- Restart the Chromebook. Open Quick Settings, click the power icon and choose Restart, or shut down and turn it back on. This frees a camera held by a stuck app.
- Update ChromeOS. Go to Settings → About ChromeOS → Check for updates, and restart when asked.
- Try an Incognito window. Press Ctrl+Shift+N and open the page there. Most extensions don't run in Incognito, so if the camera works, an extension is blocking it. Turn extensions off one at a time at chrome://extensions to find it.
- Try Guest mode. Sign out and choose Browse as Guest on the sign-in screen, if your device offers it. If the camera works as a guest, something in your own profile's settings is the cause.
Still stuck? Chrome's Reset settings option restores browser defaults without deleting your files. A Powerwash erases everything stored on the Chromebook, so treat it as a last resort and back up first; on a managed device, leave it to the administrator.
Chromebook webcam not working: symptoms at a glance
| What happens | Probable cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Camera app shows a notice instead of a picture | ChromeOS camera access is off | Turn on Camera access in Privacy controls |
| Camera app works, website doesn't | Site blocked in Chrome | Allow the camera for the site and reload |
| Settings greyed out with an administrator message | Managed device or account policy | Ask the administrator |
| Black picture in every app | Privacy shutter, stuck app or hardware | Open the shutter, restart, then update |
| A USB webcam or the wrong camera appears | Chrome is set to another camera | Pick the camera at chrome://settings/content/camera |
| Works in Incognito only | An extension | Turn extensions off one by one |
If the Chromebook camera is faulty
When the Camera app shows nothing after a restart and an update, the shutter is open and no policy is involved, the camera itself may have failed. Contact the Chromebook's manufacturer, since repairs and warranties go through them.
Meanwhile, most standard USB webcams work on a Chromebook without extra software; choose yours in Chrome's camera dropdown. If the camera works but looks soft or grainy, see why your video call looks blurry.
Once it's working, our Chromebook video chat guide covers using Omlet in Chrome. Replaced ChromeOS with a regular Linux distribution? Use the Linux webcam fixes instead.