Grainy Image on MacBook Air 2020

I have the same problem. Teaching on line I needed a good computer with a better camera than my 2013 Air. Biggest disappointment ever. I was too busy working to change it so I dusted off my old MacBook Air and have to use that. When I’ve asked anyone Who works for Apple they all say they know about the problem and there is nothing they can do. I guess since Jobs left us the company has gone to crap. No innovation, no customer care or satisfaction and surely no desire to be the best anymore. Looks like my next purchase will be back to good old Windows PC at least you know what you’re getting. Sad thing is all my technology has been Apple since the early 80’s who would have thought they would just be another laptop right up there with student Chrome books. Great job Apple!

I've also just recently purchased a 2020 Macbook Air and the camera was one of the first things I checked out since its one of the best I've seen( also a big reason why I've stayed with Apple instead of switching to microwsoft) This camera is HORRENDOUS. Its about the same quality as a 2010 HP laptop I have at my mothers house. I don't understand the colossal difference between my 2015 Macbook Air and this one. It has nothing to do with my connection or fingerprints :-) Over $1000 I'd expect to absolutely love this.

I just bought a MacBook Air a couple of weeks ago and the camera it's horrible: grainy and dark. It doesn't matter what type of light you use, the image will be be grainy and dark. The one thing I like the most about Mac computers was the camera: clear and accurate images. My old Mac laptop got water damage and stopped working so I had to buy this new model. The camera is absolutely horrible, don't have a USB port, and they changed the charger port. I really want to return it. What is going on with Apple?

It's not the internet connection or dirty camera. It's the crappy camera Apple has put on every laptop. It's a shame you pay a good amount of money for a MacBook Air just to realize you have been robbed. My old MacBook had a way better camera that the one I just bought 2 weeks ago. Shame on Apple!

I just bought a 2020 MacBook Air (upgrade from a logic board failure on my 2017 air... unrelated issue). The camera quality is shockingly bad! My 2017 was much better quality. I purchased this for school- and in the covid era of all my classes becoming virtual, this is completely unusable. Definitely not reflective of the price tag for this device... so disappointing.

I just returned mine today. Almost impossible to understand... I compared it both at home and at an Apple store with my mba 2013 and there's no explanation. Incredible amount of noise and pixelation even with some natural light. I am pretty sure that even if camera is the same 720 (I don't have a problem with that) it is caused either due to the sensor or something as silly as not letting enough light to get in due to the supersmall hole left (in former mbs the hole is much bigger).

Super sad.

Same here! I just purchased the 2020 model and the webcam quality is much worse than my old 2013 model! I was excited to use my new mac for zoom meetings. I'm seriously considering using my old one for zoom meetings, lol.

I'm experiencing the same thing with my MBA 2020, but I figured out a small fix for Zoom calls.

The video quality seems to be worse for Zoom calls because the system (Apple? Zoom?) automatically zooms in the picture, usually so that the top of my head is cut off when I am sitting right in front of my MBA. I couldn't figure out a way to fix this by changing the settings, but this seemed to do the trick:

Begin video call on Zoom (video will be zoomed in)

Open Photo Booth

Video magically zooms back out to normal on Zoom!

You can then close Photo Booth, but it seems like changing any video settings on Zoom will send it back to default (zoomed in).

Does this trick work for anyone else? Do others think that the camera quality is worse on Zoom vs other programs?

I just got a new MacBook Air last week, after having used the 2013 model for years. I was also shocked when I used the camera for the first time. Wondered initially if the problem was with my machine, I now see that this is just how it is. This is crazy and super disappointing.

I have the same issue. For Zoom calls and general low-light video the 2020 Macbook Air is atrociously grainy. I have my old 2015 Macbook Pro and did a Zoom call between the computers. The difference is night and day. So strange to have the old computer outperforming the new one. How did they downgrade in cameras? And this new Air cost $1600!

There are many issues outside of the camera. If I have 3 programs open at once the fan starts running where my 2017 MacBook Air could handle without a problem. The camera is horrible and it is pretty insulting when you call Apple and they tell you it is you but clearly it is them. Apple takes pride in the fact that they make quality machines; I’m surprised that this was released. If they don’t rectify the issues, I will be jumping ship to another brand. The whole machine is trash. If you were thinking about buying the 2020 MacBook Air just don’t. I’m writing other places that do online reviews just to tell them how horrible this computer is. If I can save someone from buying this machine, then I save saved them money and the headaches they will have with it. Total crap!

So disappointed with Apple after reading all of the comments. I bought the 2013 MacBook Air and have had it ever since until I bought the new Mac air last week. Im a full time student, and with COVID all of my classes are being done through zoom. When i opened the mac, i was excited with how pretty it was. But then I opened Photo Booth and was literally in shock by how horrible quality the camera is. Im not one to usually complain but it is absolutely unacceptable and just ridiculous that they charge this much $ for a computer that's camera quality looks like its from an early 2000's flip phone. Whats even funnier is that they fail to let you know how horrible quality the camera is in the description before buying. I want to return this mac simply for the reason that the camera is this awful. Regardless of corona, since this mac was designed before the pandemic, there is no reason for the camera quality to be this pathetic. Not sure what I should do. I cant decide whether I want to return this mac or just deal with it.

Honestly, when people say they're not sure what they should do, I want to shout "RETURN IT!!!". But seriously, if I had realized how bad mine was within the return window, I absolutely would have returned it. It's crap, and now I'm stuck with it. I FaceTime with my husband when he's out of town, but normally use my iMac. I'd use my Air occasionally, and he'd comment on how bad the picture was, but frankly I figured it was his older iPad. Then I started having Zoom meetings and realized it was my MacBook. I'll continue to speak out about what a poorly manufactured product it is until they do something about it. Either way, whether you return it or keep it, be sure to go to apple.com/feedback and let them know what you think of it. You can also open a trouble ticket now, so that if they fix it in the future you have proof that you complained and they have to make it right, even if it's outside the warranty period.

I hear you. I was contemplating to return it as well, but then what? My only other option is the Pro which I don’t really need. My 2013 Air is still working OK but has its issues bad enough to make it annoying for daily work use. I now went around it by ordering a logitech webcam. Hope this will solve the problem (and not be too tedious to mount on every time I have a virtual meeting). I’m definitely irritated that the store employee never brought it up. In times when so many people use daily virtual meeting platforms they did not once ask me how important a good camera was to me. I feel tricked.

I am a-lot a-lot a-lot disappointed with the camera quality in FaceTime/Zoom in the latest MacBook Air 2020 edition. I have a MacBook Air 2018 and the video quality is heaven compared to the new MacBook 2020's video quality. Its really horrible. I would call apple customer care tomorrow to know more about this issue. Apple better do some software upgrade for this blunder.

Really not satisfying. Bad experience.