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Macbook Pro camera doesn't work. "No Video".

For some months already, I have been facing a problem where I can't use the Mac built-in camera. It doesn't work with Facetime, Skype and either Photo Booth.


The message that I get after opening Facetime is "No video. FaceTime has not received any video from the connected camera. Restarting your computer may fix this issue". Only green light is blinking every couple of seconds.



I have been using this laptop for 2 months and it doesn't have any damages that could affect the hardware. Camera and other minor problems started in January 2020 after additional Catalina updates.


I have Googled solution for this problem and tried different solutions but none of them didn't work. Here is the list of solutions that I have tried:


  1.  Kill VDCAssistant in Terminal. It didn't work because I even can't find VDCAssistant from Activity Monitor which should control the camera.
  2. Simply restarting my Mac.
  3. Done all software updates.
  4. Run First Aid option in Disk Utility


Could anybody suggest any other solutions that can be done at home buy general user?


Thanks in advance!


MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 15, 2020 9:06 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 15, 2020 9:42 AM

Hello, Laurii112.


Sorry to know you're having this problem with your MacBook Pro.


If you haven't rebooted into safe mode anytime recently you should try that to see if it helps. Let the Mac OS do drive directory repair, cache clearing and other misc housekeeping. Often just booting into safe mode and logging in, then immediately rebooting normally will resolve an issue.  You should do this with all your external peripherals disconnected but the keyboard and mouse.


Booting into Safe Mode… 

Use safe mode to isolate issues - Apple Support


What Safe mode does:

  • Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed
  • Loads only required kernel extensions
  • Prevents startup items and login items from opening automatically
  • Disables user-installed fonts 
  • Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files


Restarting in Safe mode can often eliminate a problem or help identify the cause.


You can verify that you have started in Safe mode by clicking the Apple () menu > About This Mac > System Report. Then find >Software< in the left column and look at >Boot Mode: Safe vs Normal< in the right pane.


Note– starting up in Safe mode could take 10 minutes or more. Be patient.


Does the problem persist while in Safe mode? 

Restart your Macintosh and re-evaluate the issue.

399 replies

Aug 7, 2020 12:36 AM in response to lauri112

Went through the whole safe boot and reinstall procedure again.

”Interestingly” the camera is not detected in safe boot. But then neither is the internal audio on my 2015 MacBook Pro. So I get no sound when I’m safe mode.

Restart as normal and internal audio is detected (and works) and camera is detected (but still does not work).

Just putting it out there.

Aug 8, 2020 9:47 AM in response to draftgli

I don't know how effective a Time Machine backup would be because there'd hypothetically be a trigger somewhere in that build that would cause the bug to occur again. Although this is a last ditch effort, I'm going to try and do a complete system reset today to see if all other software out of the equation, this fixes the problem. I'll let everyone know how it goes later today.

Aug 8, 2020 10:47 AM in response to covidcatalinacam

Well, my hunch was that IF some kind of Apple update caused the failure of the camera, that maybe restoring a Time Machine backup prior to that update - at a time that I know the camera did work, that that may solve the issue. (I’m not hopeful, though).


I already tried a complete wipe and fresh install of High Sierra. Before I restored anything from Time Machine through Migration Assistant, the camera was not detected.

Aug 8, 2020 11:03 PM in response to draftgli

As expected, the old TM backup didn’t change anything. I guess there is in fact a hardware issue with my setup.


To be fair, my machine is 10 years old. So indeed my gripe is apples to oranges (get it? heh) compared to people with much newer machines, who have recently lost the use of their webcam.


What really conflicts me now is, on one hand, I have no desire to go back to a Windows machine. But on the other hand, if there’s a chance that ill encounter this maddening issue with a newer Mac, I’d be an idiot not to consider alternatives.


Sidenote: I fired up my HP laptop today (which is older than the Mac), and the webcam works fine. So for now at least, I have a workaround to do Zoom calls.


I truly hope those of you with newer machines - who have experienced this problem after updating Catalina - that Apple does the right thing by you, and makes this right. Because for you guys in particular, this is not right.




Aug 9, 2020 1:15 PM in response to lauri112

This is interesting…when I first developed this problem my camera wasn't detected at all, even by System Report. However, since updating to 10.15.6 the camera is detected in System Report, but just doesn't show an image in any program with video, and the ambient light sensor still doesn't work. This strongly suggests a software problem, so hopefully we'll get a fix eventually.

Aug 9, 2020 7:28 PM in response to draftgli

Exactly. How does it all happen so quickly?


I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) which does fall under the recall for "Flexgate" but I haven't had the accompanying screen display issues, just the suddenly dead camera.


Seems like some little piece of code could have snuck in and shot too much power thru the cable or something, frying the camera...


Let's see what shakes out and if Apple makes it right.



Aug 20, 2020 8:21 AM in response to lauri112

Has anyone found a solution to this? I have a brand new, just-bought-yesterday MacBook Air with a camera that does not work. It doesn't work with any program or app.. not photobooth, not FaceTime, not Zoom. This defeats the purpose of the entire purchase. I've read all of the tips and tricks.. nothing has worked. Reinstalling the operating system right now. If that doesn't work, I will be returning it today, less than 24 hours after opening the BRAND NEW BOX!

Aug 20, 2020 11:48 AM in response to dbaum

Why?

Because Apple doesn’t want to admit they have a bunch of lemons.


At one time I had faith in Apple..... But their quality control and customer service is at an all time low for me.

My Macbook has been without a camera since May. I had to buy an external webcam.

and I already had my Display change one time back in 2017.


Aug 22, 2020 12:25 PM in response to lauri112

Hello all,


I have the same problem with my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports). After updating to macOS Catalina version 10.15.6, my camera stopped working. I have never dropped my MacBook, and I am confident that there is no physical damage. Unless the update they released caused my camera to fail or something. Is that even possible? I am not a computer engineer, but I am saying I have not done anything on my end to cause physical damage on my laptop. The built-in camera is not recognized at all, and I have been on the phone three times for hours with apple customer service with no solution. I have tried everything, including reformatting my disk drive and reinstalling the original macOS High Sierra that came with my MacBook. It still does not work. I have a friend that she has the same model, and she has precisely the same issue. The most infuriating thing is that Apple promised to call me back (scheduled call), but they never did. I am hugely disappointed with the way Apple is handling the whole issue. I hope that Apple reads my comment here and offer to take in my MacBook Pro and exchange it with a functional model.


I have found a temporary solution that might be useful for all users who want to attend their zoom meetings. There is this application called NeuralCamLive-installer. You can find it on apple store for your iPhone and iPad and your MacBook. If you install it for free, you can use your iPhone or iPad as an external camera for zoom meetings, Skype video calls, or anything compatible with the google chrome browser. It is not compatible with the Safari browser, and it does not work with FaceTime or PhoneBooth. I hope this is helpful. If you have any questions, let me know. Cheers!

Sep 19, 2020 2:01 PM in response to lauri112

Hi guys,


Months ago I contributed to this tread reporting a not working camera after Catalina install. So, I think my experience may help some of you to identify the problems with your MacBook pro.


In my case, it was a hardware problem and I could use the Display Backlight Service Program to get my screen and keyboard fixed, actually they replaced all the exterior of my laptop (I think they just put my hardware into a new case).


I would like to call your attention to a few points:


- I believe my camera was malfunctioning before I updated it to Catalina, but when I did it, it stopped to be recognized by the system report, so a problem that I was not aware of became evident.


- I bought my mac in 2017, but I started to use it frequently only after the pandemic started. Then I believe the problems were latent.


- I was skeptical that Apple would accept my case into the service program because they don't say specifically that not recognized camera is a symptom related to the backlight problem (However, a guy told me here that in his case the backlight started to show problems a few weeks later than the camera).


- I used an external webcam without any problem for almost five months literally waiting for the screen starts to fail so I could run to an Apple-authorized service. I did it and I got everything fixed in one week without any cost and without need for many explanations as my model fitted right into the problematic ones.


- I did not know the fact that my keyboard was failing sometimes was related to it, but it was replaced too as I said.


- Before that, I tried everything described here, including a complete clean install and downgrade to Mojave.


So, I suggest that those that are experiencing these problems to pay attention to all small signals of malfunctioning of your MacBook and go to an Apple service provider to check if you can call for a fix through the program.


That's the end for me


I hope you all get a solution, hardware or software.

Macbook Pro camera doesn't work. "No Video".

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