Turning the Camera On and Off To use your MacBook's camera, select any app that requires it, such as Photo Booth, FaceTime or Messages. On older MacBooks, you can also use iSight. When you open Photo Booth, the camera comes on automatically. If you are using a video app like FaceTime, click the 'Video' button to activate the camera.
Though Apple's FaceTime camera is designed to always illuminate the adjacent green light at the top of the screen, software has been written to separate the camera and light hardware, allowing. About the CNET Forums. CNET Forums is the best source for tech support and computer tech troubleshooting advice for all of your devices. CNET tech support forums feature a wide range of topics.
When the camera is on, a green indicator light appears beside the camera lens above your screen. You will also see the video feed from your camera in the app's window. To turn off the camera, close the app or turn off the video on your video streaming app. The camera's indicator light turns off. Troubleshooting Your Camera If you are using an app that should access the camera but can't detect it, make sure no other apps that use the camera are running.
For example, if iMovie and FaceTime are both open, one may interfere with the other. If there is more than one account on your MacBook, you may also need to make sure that another user hasn't left an app open that may be blocking your access to the camera.
If no other camera-friendly apps are running, restarting your MacBook usually clears up the problem. Finally, if none of these methods work, make sure your MacBook's OSX operating system is updated. Using Terminal to Force-Close Camera Interference If it isn't convenient to perform an update or restart your MacBook, you can enter a command in the Terminal window to disable any apps that may be blocking your access to the camera. Close the app that is trying to access the camera. Open Terminal by pressing Command-Space on the keyboard, typing 'Terminal' and pressing the Enter key.
When Terminal opens, enter the following command: sudo killall AppleCameraAssistant;sudo killall VDCAssistant. Press Enter and enter your administrative password when prompted. Open the app you want to use with the camera.
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