Have just purchased a new MacBook Air (2020 model). Have bought to use for home working (Zoom meetings, etc) and the image is really grainy when using Zoom or FaceTime. Is this normal with Macs?
MacBook Air 13", macOS 10.15
yes. I had purchased exact same 2020 MacBook Air model and it had worse camera than 2015 MacBook Pro. After a lot of research I figured out that since 2018 Apple changed the MacBook design and made the lid slimmer and put in the same camera they’ve used on older macbooks but made the camera hole much smaller. If you compare both camera holes side by side and look at the size you’ll see the new MacBook has small tiny camera hole which leads to less light and all photos and videos look grainy in low light thus your new MacBook has grainy and low quality camera. It doesn’t actually have a worse camera but due to this flaw in the design the camera sensors get less light and makes it blurry. The only fix is to add more brightness with better lighting but it doesn’t help much or to pay for an app and download it to enhance your webcam to apply filters over it and increase the brightness of the image. There doesn’t seem to be any other fix. Just return the MacBook if you aren’t satisfied and wait for new one or buy an external wireless camera or use your phone as the camera or iPad. A lot of users on here have this issue but on reddit and other places most people have ignored this issue and instead blamed the users for not knowing how to use the MacBook properly and not doing their “research” for calling this a downgrade in camera quality. They’re ignorant of the fact that in 2018 this design change happened. The brand new users who don’t complain are either upgrading from latest macbooks or those who never bothered paying attention to camera quality or don’t care or new MacBook users. Only people with older macbooks like 2015 or 2012 are the ones complaining and if you google 2018 MacBook camera issues or 2018 MacBook low quality grainy camera you’ll find tons of posts and stories and even YouTube videos and some general advice or fixes. That’s the best advice I can give you. Google that maybe you’ll find something there. That’s how I found out about this whole issue. You can even google check my webcam resolution and I compared the resolution and sensor of 2015 MacBook and 2020 MacBook side by side and the 2020 has same exact model of camera same exact resolution just worse contrast and brightness due to low light. But do the experiments to find yourself. Good luck!
I have tons of Apples devices and two older Apple computers. I wanted a lightweight new one to travel with. I'm a teacher, so bought it online with the Educator program and waited 4 weeks to receive it. Being a teacher, I mainly teach on Zoom. Last night, I opened the box, set it up, went to set up Zoom. When the picture came up, I was shocked. I went on support to figure out how to fix the settings and came across a whole bunch of posts with the same issue. Googled it and found many tech articles on this situation. Called Apple this morning, spent over two hours on the phone, and talked to SEVEN people. Not one of them would state that this was an Air issue. They said it was probably just a few laptops that had an issue. I decided to return the Air, but they couldn't guarantee that the Pro didn't have the same issue. They told me to buy a light ring or webcam. REALLY?!? I just bought a 1500 dollar computer. I own numerous light rings. They don't work! It's like buying a new car and the sound system doesn't work and someone tells you just play music out of your phone. I was told that I'd have to return it, then I could wait another 4 weeks to receive another device of my choosing. I was almost in tears when I hung up. I then received an email from the last person I talked to stating, because we were disconnected so quickly at the end of the call, she wanted to send a follow up email. Basically, calling me out on hanging up. After over two hours on the phone and being transferred to seven people, disconnecting twice when they tried to transfer me, and telling me there was nothing more they could do, what did they want me to say? I'm sure you can tell how I feel about Apple today.
No, it's not normal. I had a MacBook Pro 2014 and was pretty satisfied with my old camera. I am completely shocked with my MacBook Air 2020! I am a psychologist working online. I need my clients to see me clearly. I teach online! How am I going to record my video classes? People must think I am using a super cheap PC... But I payed a lot of money, especially considering my underrated currency: almost 10.000 reais! I've been told we should complain until Apple offer a recall. Let's do it!
That’s the worst answer to the problem at hand. I just purchased (2) MacBook Air 2020’s and the quality is so poor! I could purchase a cheap laptop for $199 with a camera 5X the quality of this terrible excuse of a camera.
My email bounced back as well! Besides complaint/feedback/trouble ticket, I am hoping someone at Apple would be watching # of returns on an item as that means losing money :) I have already returned twice as I was told first time that may be this piece is defective and so I bought the second but with no luck!
I agree! The camera quality is worse than my MacBook Air 2015... In my opinion Apple needs to do a recall and fix the camera!! Its 2020 and the front facing camera on an apple product is grainy! Come on apple, you're better than this... Truly disappointed...
I just bought mine to teach from and have the same issue. I'm so disappointed. The only reason I got it was to teach from. I know it's not internet because I have my old MacBook up and its camera is just fine.
I'm pretty sure it's not the Internet (mine is very fast - 350 Mb). It's not an issue of luminosity too: even my old 2010 Macbook has a better image under the same light. And I should add something else: this machine is overheating! I read about it, and just discovered it is another problem with MacBook Air 2020! Apple, shame on you!
Seconded - I just purchased a 2020 MBA and the camera quality is much worse than my 2013 MBA. If there isn't a software fix, I'm considering returning it given all of the time I spend in meetings on Zoom...
I just bought my rose gold Macbook Air and man, I’m pretty disappointed in the camera. I’m not a big tech person. I use my laptop for all the toys it comes with like camera, Facetime, Zoom and all the other things I don’t need. I link my Iphone and Ipad info and mostly use the internet for mail, browsing and streaming.
I unfortunately will be returning this product because of the bad quality camera. I don’t see too much of people especially with COVID happening and when I opened the camera today, I was very surprised since my Iphone and Ipad are better quality and are older apple products. This was a dealbreaker for me. For the money I paid, it’s just not worth having. ); #Sad
I am also so disappointed!! I just upgraded from my Mac air 2013 to a 2020 model. I am so upset the camera is unclear and very bad quality compared to my old model. I am a professor teaching all courses online. Now i use my old pc for classes ( although slow) and the new one for research!!
Apple I didn’t expect this at all!!
Disappointed!
I went over a list of questions for best laptop for me with an Apple Sales person. We agreed that the new MacBook Air was my choice because of it's speed and photo quality.... however because I'm Deaf I use sign language every day on video chats. FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, Facebook and Line. Not only that I teach sign language on ZOOM too. I was so disappointed to find a grainy and blurry appearance of my self on screen. I cannot let this happen. Now I have to take my MAC back and get a different laptop.
I've always liked MacBook Air because of how it the panel is designed. Best for my wrist. I hate MacPro. It hurts my wrist.
Yup! I am a teacher at a Deaf school. Distance Learning, Zoom and Google Meet sessions, FT, etc!
Quality is horrible. I sent my 2020 MacBook Air back. I hope they offer a solution to the hundreds of people complaining about this !
Agree! I was hoping to find answers. It’s definitely not a simple screen wipe. I just purchased a 2020 MacBook Air to replace my 2015 MacBook Air and the camera quality is awful. I’ve tried zoom and FaceTime, both are just grainy. I WFH and needed more storage so I figured an upgrade would also get me a better camera. Highly disappointed in the camera quality, the 2015 quality was much better.
I plan on going to the Apple store tomorrow and see what they can do. I’m hoping they have a solution or maybe I can try a new one. If not I’ll just have the battery replaced on my 2016 MacBook Air and use that because the quality of that laptop is amazing.
This couldn't be worse than this. So Grainy image, looks we are working on a 1900 produced laptop. What is the use of spending this much amount for this bad quality camera? Now we are dependent on these cams more than ever and we get this from Apple. Really very disappointed. What is the fix Apple?
Grainy Image on MacBook Air 2020
