Q: "There is no connected camera"

My laptop is a late 2012 MacBook Pro w/ intel i7. My camera stopped working a little while back apparently and I recently realized that it wasn't functional.

I have restarted the SMC three times and I checked both madams end Terminal-based method and the Activity Monitor method. Neither resolved the problem.

Any idea what else could be the problem?

kri.rsingh wrote: ... Any idea what else could be the problem?

Try the other relevant suggestions from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090, too.

(Over time, Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD."  Regardless of the name of your Mac's built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.8.4

Hello, I have a Macbook Air and last night, it updated a few stuffs but since then, the camera refuses to work on any app or any other user account.

I would be most grateful if someone could help me sort out this problem, please.

These are the 4 updates, after which my camera is not even detected:

MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update

MacBook Air SMC Firmware Update

iTunes

OS X v10.8.5 Supplemental Update

I am wondering if any of them triggered this because the camera was fine before the updates! I have tried resetting the SMC or the solution proposed by Madam's end but nothing works

I am having the same problem after the latest firmware update.

https://discussions.apple.com/message/23394708#23394708

It solved my issue, thanks for provide help

I have to do an SMC reset every time I want to use the camera on my 2008 unibody.  It's gone through phases of this but is particularly bad right now for some reason.  The kill VDCAassistant command doesn't work, as I apparently have no VDCAassistant running.  Sigh.... 

Thanks to @madams end

That command has worked for me repeatedly:

sudo killall VDCAssistant

Also, killing the app from Activity Monitor has worked repeatedly:

1. Start the Activity Monitor app from the system dock

2. Make sure you select "All Processes" from pull-down

3. Enter "VDCAssistant" in filter bar (upper right-hand corner)

4. Hit "Quit Process" red button

5. Select the "Force Quit" button

The VDCAssistant process will restart, but with a new Process ID (PID)

Yup, the "sudo killall VDCAssistant" command in terminal worked for me.

The problem is, I have to do it every time I reboot my Macbook Air. There's no definitive solution in Mavericks, it seems.

It worked for me, thanks... Reboot also did. thanks

I replaced a 2009 iMac with a late 2013 iMac, both running Mavericks.  Several weeks later I noticed that the iSight camera was not working with any application.  I tried several different solutions including rebooting, repairing permissions, resetting SMC, killall VDCAssistant, etc. 

What ultimately fixed the issue for me was removing two items from the system startup: The APCUPSD daemon, and the TivoDesktop.  (To be honest, one of those was likely the fix, but I made the mistake of removing both at the same time.  I suspect APCUPSD as most likely as it was generating a USB error, though not the other common "bandwidth error" reported.)  These were both listed under /Library/StartupItems.  After removing the items, and rebooting, the camera has worked fine.

How did you find these daemon files?

I've tried everything I can think of, including reset PRAM and SMC, and sudo killall VDCAssistant. nothing worked

Exactly the same going on here.

Nothing is working from any of the above posts to enable the webcam on my iMac for any app.

Any further ideas please?

It happens to me as well, after I upgraded my Macbook Air, my camera just not work anymore. I have tired all of solutions above but none of it could help.

jhjofcs wrote:

 

It happens to me as well, after I upgraded my Macbook Air, my camera just not work anymore. I have tired all of solutions above but none of it could help.

One of these will fix your camera problem:

(1) If restarting your Mac doesn't fix the problem,

(2) use Apple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090.

(BTW - The Troubleshooting article calls the camera an "iSight".  However, after the article was published, Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD."  Regardless of the name of your built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

Be sure to test more than one Apple app (Photo Booth, FaceTime, iMovie, QuickTime Player, etc.) in more than one user account.  Do NOT use the "Guest" account for this test.  If you do not have more than one user account for the testing, create a new one now.  If you need help, how to do it is explained in http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201754.

A "Standard" user account is all you need for testing.

(3) If your cam won't work properly even with Apple apps, use OS X Recovery to completely reinstall your Mac OS from the Recovery System stored on your startup drive.  Don't bother testing Skype or other third-party apps until you have your camera working with Apple apps.

(4) If none of the above suggestions resolve your trouble, contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider to have your Mac professionally serviced. Be sure to backup your Mac and deauthorize iTunes before tendering it for service.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.4

Thank you thank you thank you.   Pls contact me when you are in Manhattan for a free Starbucks.   Was afraid of terminal because of dire warnings (like your life support might be disconnected if you fool with sudo).   Less scary to do it the GUI way.

P.S.  Thanks a lot!