Macbook Air M1 external webcam

Glad I read this thread before upgrading to the new Macs. We currently rely on Logitech Capture to run picture-in-picture for our Zoom conferences. We had thought that the Blackmagic ATEM Mini plus HDMI cameras - instead of USB webcams - would be a work-round; but clearly there are compatibility issues even with Blackmagic and Apple's M1 chips and/or Big Sur.

Hopefully Apple will reach out to these vendors to offer assistance to get these things fixed quickly. Otherwise there will be increasing reluctance of Apple's customer base to upgrade to the new Mac line.

Hello, thejethro.

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

From your post, we understand you're having troubles using your external camera on the MacBook Air M1. We'd be glad to help. First, check and make sure that both the apps being used and the cameras are compatible with the M1. You may need app updates or updated drivers.

Try also seeing if this occurs in a new user account: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

Are you using Rosetta 2 to run these apps? If you need to install Rosetta on your Mac

Keep us updated and we'll go from there.

Cheers!

I'm having similar issues

• After a few days of uptime, my C920 webcam is prone to freezing after a minute or so of use (video call or recording)
• I have an older Logitech webcam that seems to flash/strobe the image, so is unusable

I'm not sure if this is related at all, but I also use Camo - a great piece of software which enables using an iPhone as a camera on the Mac. Camo works fine for Google Meet etc (as a webcam), but when I try to use it with Screenflow, it just imports one giant still image that is ~24 hours long on the timeline, and ~2GB in size.

I contacted Camo and they said it is an issue with Screenflow and M1.

Screenflow said to wait for v10 to be released, with no indication as to when to expect it.

The similar "freeze frame" behaviour I am experiencing for both the Logitech and Camo is the reason I mention this.

Maybe something similar underlying both issues? Either way, nothing I have been able to do to resolve either one!

I haven't experienced any issues with audio.

I have the same issue on an M1 Air. Both Elgato HD60S+ and BlackMagic ATEM Mini Pro keeps freezing in Zoom and Teams (native, rosetta). The problem intensifies after the laptop has been on for a while, and mainly after docking/undocking a couple of times.

I also had it happen with USB microphone interfaces (it will kick out and stay disconnected, have to reconnected). When I would try to simulate it with headphones plugged in via jack, I'd hear a crackle but no disconnect from audio.

A colleague of mine has the same issue with a Logitech C925

I found it was ok when plugged directly into the MBP M1 with a USB a-c adapter. When the camera is plugged into my LG external screen acting as a usb hub and then the screen connecting to the mbp via usbC then it is flakey and freezes after a few seconds.

Logitech StreamCam + Mac mini m1 (silicon)

software included (Logi Capture) does not work

skype - audio does not work

Microsoft Teams - audio does not work

GoToWebinar - it works fine, audio and video

I'm so disappointed.

Having the same issue with Quicktime & Zoom trying to record to Quicktime and stream my Pilates classes.

Having issues with and without usb hub.

With hub it was worse though.

External camera is a Sony a5100 using Elgato Camlink4 into USB to USBC and stream works for a second or so in Zoom then freezes. Video recording works intermittently on high resolution in Quicktime and not at all when trying to to record maximum quality video.

I used this same setup and process on my old macbook pro with no issues except slow processing time, hence the whole reason why I bought this laptop.

So so so upset.

M1 MacBook Air + Logitech 2K HD + Any version of Big Sur

I would like to add - when using external Logitech cam I will often have to unplug and replug the device in after a FaceTime, MS Teams or Zoom call in order for the camera to be identified the next time by any subsequent program. Otherwise, if I get off of a MS Teams video call (for example) and try to make a FaceTime video call, my FaceTime video window will just be a black box until I unplug and replug the camera.

Moreover, if I make the mistake of opening FaceTime (to clear a missed call notification lets say) while on a MS Teams video chat, the camera stops working immediately and needs to be unplugged and replugged in.

This happens regardless of if I am going through the Belkin USB C Pro Hub or the HDMI/USB C/USB A white dongle thing.

Hi

There seems to be an issue when using software made for the apple silicon Macs and drivers that run under rosetta -

I hade problems getting Zoom and Teams to work on new MacBook Air M, but I got it to work using Zoom Intel-version and external Logitech, EpocCam and GoPro Webcam - all using drivers under rosetta. The key is not to use the new update version of software for Apple Silicon unless all software runs on apple silicon.

MS Teams... only works via Teams Web app in Google Chrome.

*POTENTIAL* solution....

I had this issue also with an M1 MBP, a Logitech 920 camera and a Dell monitor with an in-built USB hub. The Logitech is plugged into the monitor hub.

Every time I rebooted the Mac, it would 'forget' the Logitech camera'.

I have found that power cycling the Dell monitor (which only takes. a few secs) is the most consistent way for the Logitech cam to be re-detected and works fine.

I'm having the same issues. I have 10 year old Macbook air that doesnt have that problem. Its definitely an M1 issue. Ive tried updating Zoom, the external driver, reinserting, restarting, even trying 3 different external cameras, etc. It tends to happen mostly on Zoom and if you select HD video on the Zoom Setting it gets worse. I hope Apple updates the video OS on M1 to avoid these issues.

Funny thing is that Apple sells the Logitech brio magnetic camera as "Designed specifically for Apple Pro Display XDR"...so designed for the display, not for the computers...

So I bought my new Mac mini from Apple, then I bought the Logi brio 4k magnetic thing also from Apple and guess what? most camera software, includes Logitech's Capture (which makes most of the camera's capabilities) do not work with the silicon m1 chip, but only with intel ones...it says that, but on the Logitech website.

It feels like we are going back to the dark ages...the m1 chip has been out on the market for 6 months already and yet we are still waiting for numerous fixes...Are there no more consumer rights ? Is apple really ignoring all its customers ?

I have a mac mini m1, outstanding machine. Whilst not having experienced the same kind of issues as mentioned here with an external webcam (currently using ms lifecam studio), I find it highly aggravating and exceptionally backward that apple have not provided some means for the user to adjust the camera settings - internal or external.

Got nothing to do with privacy permissions; otherwise what's the point of having a webcam??? I mean, the lack of adjusting focus, white balance etc is absolutely vital, as the lack of these are causing me to completely white out during video conference calls... and that's with me having already closed and minimised every single window, blind, and curtain I have to reduce the amount of sunlight coming in. And yet, light still bleeds in, practically making me disappear like a ghost lol... if it weren't for my darker complexion and (mostly) black hair, I literally fade out to white!!

Perhaps the gpu are just too good in being able to maximise the effect of even a small amount of light coming in but cmon in this day and age, covid, video calls et al being able to adjust settings for white balance etc without the need to convert my room essentially to being a dungeon would be awesome...

I agree with you there - apple should be assisting ALL of their associated partners etc in ensuring transition to their m1 chip was as smooth as possible, given they've all had time to pull their fingers out and just make things work... or at the very least, have minimal impact between current generation hardware and peripherals... ugh smh

And, I believe there's a very high ceiling for the m1, given what I've been able to see so far as a first time mac user. I presently have a mac mini m1, and the sooner apple makes this compatibility as smooth and as quick as possible, the higher the uptake and more success they'll have with user satisfaction