Camera not working in Big Sur

i refuse to believe that this is a hardware issue apple. It’s too coincidental for it to be a hardware issue when most of the big sur users here are having the same problem! Ive updated mine to 11.5 and camera is still not working. Hope you release a fix instead of telling people to go seek for apple service. Not everyone has the luxury of doing that especially now.

Quick update: Just a month after the camera issue, now I face a new problem with MBP 2017 (Touch Bar 4 ports): The Flexgate issue. Basically, my macbook couldn’t open wider than 90* degree or otherwise the screen will go black.

Just happened today, read through a few topics and I felt totally ridiculous.

Anyone has the same problem after the camera issue?

Although, Flexgate issue is definitely a hardware problem, but it’s out of sudden all of them happened after upgrading to Big Sur. How coincidental is that?

FYI: both camera and Flexgate issue will lead to the same advice from apple support: display screen replacement, which costs around $600-700 :)

I've now updated to Big Sur 11.5.1 And still nothing has changed.

Tried the privacy settings, restarting, everything and when getting a report the camera is still showing (as FaceTime HD Camera). Although when in privacy, the only apps in the camera section is messenger, zoom and google chrome. Not photobooth, FaceTime or any other apps *facepalm*

I have had the same issue for 3 months.

I've been through 4 different tech support calls.

I went to the Apple Store and had my hardware tested to prove there's no hardware issue.

Finally, after a 6 hour call with one high level engineer, he informed me that the latest update was not just a software update. It alters your hardware, to the point that it has disabled cameras on Macbooks. Apple, this is on you. You have to solve it or replace our machines. My camera worked fine until I installed YOUR update. Fix my machine.

Im also encountering the same problem. I was using my camera for conferencing then suddenly it just does not work anymore. Tried updating to big sur 11.5.2 but still camera is not working.

I have tried allowing the camera to access the app and restarted VDCAssistant but still its not working.

Any workaround for this?

Listen, everyone needs to read this.

There is NO work around. Any of the comments about “this worked for me” or “do this” they are all temporary fixes. As soon as the computer sleeps, the camera will be disabled again. I went to the Apple tech, they verified my camera is fully functional, and it’s not a hardware issue, but Apple still hasn’t owned the problem.

Apple caused this, and they have to either solve it, or give us new machines. It’s insane. We can’t even rollback updates like we used to. I work 100% remotely and am completely unable to use my computer for the very purpose with which I purchased it. If they don’t solve this problem for us I’ll leave and never go back.

Managed to resolve this issue by doing scm restart after updating to 11.5.2 os. Normally shutdown you mac then press and hold power button for 10 seconds and let go. Wait for a few seconds again and press power button like normal to power on your Mac.

Yesterday I went with a fresh installed Big Sur on a MacBook Pro 13" (Late 2016) to a German Apple Store: The technician had not yet heard of our problem. He did a system analysis: Everything was green including the Display check.

So I just called the German support hotline: The guy had not yet heard of our problem, too. I was instructed to press some keys while booting, but that didn't solve the issue.

Since I updated to Big Sur back in Dec 2020, I thought "Well... there are enough others customers who report the issue to Apple, so I don't have to." That seems to be an incorrect assumption :-(

So please, at everybody who suffers from this issue and as this thread isn't obviously enough: Call the support hotline.

I went through the chat with apple and then took it in to a guru. Neither new of any issue nor could fix it. It is currently back with apple. I am expecting to have to pay for a new screen as the webcam is not replaceable separately.

Same issue for me. After Big sur update my external Aukey webcam stopped working, it works great with other PC and i had no problem with previous Catalina OSX. Also tried other Logitech webcam and same problem.

I have a Mac Pro 2013 with:

Versione firmware di sistema: 428.140.7.0.0

Versione SMC (sistema): 2.20f18

Big Sur: 11.5.2

Big Sur detects my webcam as audio device but not as video device, probably a driver or firmware fault.

Come on apple...you have to solve it!!!

Same issue with my MacBook Pro 2017 (two Thunderbolt ports), camera stopped working at some point after moving to Big Sur. Current version macOS Big Sur 11.5.2 installed.

Tried various workarounds (e.g. here: https://piunikaweb.com/2021/03/15/macos-big-sur-camera-not-working-issue-and-its-workarounds/) to no avail.

Camera is still listed in the system hardware:

FaceTime HD Camera:

Model ID: Apple Camera VendorID_0x106B ProductID_0x1570

Unique ID: [ID HERE]

I find the story that it is hardware failure (mentioned above) completely unconvincing. Too many people reported this at the time of Big Sur update, which clearly points to software / update as the reason for the issue. I urge Apple to give this proper attention, especially as the camera became an important piece of hardware in recent past (maybe you guys heard of that virus that is on the news every now and then?). This is not so old equipment, also, and I've never seen any break in any of the laptops I was using before.

If Apple cannot fix the software soon and keeps telling us it's hardware without giving good explanation, for me it smells like cover for software engineers not wanting and/or being able to fix the issue that they have created. Then I'll consider my next purchase very carefully. I've heard that competition's cameras work fine.

I got an Guru appointment at my nearest apple store, they couldn’t fix it in software.

Had to be sent away for a new screen, cost me over £600. My MacBook was just over two years old. I have always bought apple computers for the last 18 years and never had a problem before.

me asked for nearly $900. They claimed that I closed the display hard so camera broke which is not true

Apple knows the reason of the problem but they want customers to pay for it. We have to take action

Totally agree! I have the same problem. Also a Macbook Pro 2016 (13 inch). In my case not only the camera, but also the backlight of the keyboard stopped working. It just seems as too much coincidence to me. Very annoying. If only there were a good alternative to apple, I would be front row.

Just a little update: tried safe mode and webcam works well. I found another issue with Big Sur: system seems unable to enter sleep mode and power light remains on. Apple should rename "Big Sur" in "Big Trouble".....after almost 1 year they have still to solve a software problem. Shameful behavior.