How to fix Google Meet camera not working

Google Meet supports audio and video calls. You can join with a video from the desktop and from a mobile device. If you’re joining a Google Meet meeting from the desktop, you need a webcam to stream video. Google Meet can work with an internal webcam i.e. those that come built-in on laptops, and it can work with external webcams.

Fix Google Meet camera not working

If you’re trying to join a Google Meet meeting and the camera isn’t working, the problem might simply be a permissions problem i.e. the browser doesn’t have access to the camera. It’s also possible that the camera isn’t working, or that it’s in use by a different app. Try the fixes below.

Having trouble with the camera in Zoom? Check out these fixes.

1. Test the camera

If your webcam has been set up correctly, and there are no hardware or software issues with it, a stock app on your desktop OS should be able to use it without any problems.

On Windows 1o;

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Go to the Apps’ list.
3. Look for and open the Camera app.

On macOS;

1. Tap the Command+Space bar keyboard shortcut to open Spotlight search.
2. Enter FaceTime.
3. Open FaceTime and check the camera.

If the app(s) show a camera preview, it means the hardware is working fine.

2. Remove virtual camera apps

With the rise in the use of web conferencing tools like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, users have gotten creative with how they manage their video feed. Many users add filter apps (Snap Camera, OBS) that can apply effects, frames, backgrounds, etc., to the camera feed. 

If these apps aren’t configured correctly, they may cause problems with Google Meet. If you have an app like that running, quit or uninstall it. 

3. Select webcam in Google Meet

Make sure your webcam has been selected in Google Meet.

1. Join a Google Meet meeting.
2. Click the more options button (three dots) button and select Settings from the menu.
3. Go to the Video tab.
4. Open the dropdown and select your webcam.

4. Check webcam permissions

Make sure the browser that you’re using to join a Google Meet meeting is has permission to access the webcam.

On Windows 10;

1. Open the Settings app with the Win+I keyboard shortcut.
2. Go to the Privacy tab.
3. Select the Camera tab.
4. Make sure camera access for the device is enabled.

On macOS;

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Go to Security & Privacy.
3. Select the Privacy tab.
4. Select Camera in the column on the left.
5. In the pane on the right, make sure the browser is listed.
6. If the browser is not listed, click the plus button, and add it.

5. Use Chrome

Google Meet is a Google product. It will work in other modern browsers but you will get the best experience if you use it in Chrome. You may not like the browser but using it can fix whatever problems you’re having with the camera in a Google Meet meeting.

6. Check internet bandwidth

If the camera works sporadically during a meeting, it is possible that the camera is fine but you do not have the internet speed or the bandwidth to sustain video stream.

Check your internet speed on Speedtest.net. If the ping is too high, or your internet speed is too low, you might have to do without the video unless you can switch to a faster network.

Make sure that when you’re in a meeting, the connection isn’t being used by other devices to download anything heavy e.g., OS updates or a movie.

Conclusion

In many cases, switching to Chrome has resolved the problem for users. This is because the permissions that Google Meet needs are easier to ask for in a browser that has been made by Google. In other browser, Google Meet may not be able to prompt the user for the permission it needs in order to stream video, hence the camera seemingly not working.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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