FaceTime Camera and microphone is on but not showing

Hello egegures,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. 

We understand that the camera and microphone are not working on your Mac when you use the FaceTime app. We are happy to help.

Let’s start by restarting your Mac. Many times restarting can resolve your concerns. Here’s how to restart your Mac: Shut down or restart your Mac - Apple Support

"Restart your Mac

• On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > Restart.
• If you don’t want app windows that are open to reopen when your Mac restarts, deselect “Reopen windows when logging back in.”"

We’d also like to have you check to ensure that FaceTime has access to the camera and microphone on your Mac. Please use the steps here to check control access for the microphone: Control access to the microphone on Mac - Apple Support

1. "Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Privacy & Security  in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
2. Click Microphone.
3. Turn access to the microphone on or off for each app in the list.
4. If you turn off access for an app, you’re asked to turn it on again the next time that app tries to use your microphone.
5. Note: The Recording Indicator light in Control Center shows when your computer’s microphone is in use or has been used recently. This light increases security and privacy on your Mac by letting you know if an app has access to the microphone."

Here’s how to check control access for the camera: Control access to the camera on Mac - Apple Support

1. "Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Privacy & Security  in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
2. Click Camera.
3. If you don’t see Camera, upgrade to macOS Mojave or later.
4. Turn access to the camera on or off for each app in the list. 
5. The list shows apps you’ve installed that have asked to use the camera. If you turn off access for an app, you’re asked to turn it on again the next time that app tries to use the camera.
6. If there are no apps in the list, you haven’t installed an app that uses the camera. FaceTime, Photo Booth, and other apps that come with your Mac automatically have access—you don’t need to give them permission.
7. Note: The camera automatically turns on when you open an app that can use the camera. A green light beside the camera glows to indicate the camera is on. The camera (and the green light) turn off when you close or quit all apps that can use the camera.
8. In Safari, to allow a website to use the camera, choose Safari > Settings, click Websites, then select Camera."

After completing the above troubleshooting steps, if no resolution, we’d like to have you do some isolating troubleshooting steps—test in safe mode and new user account.

Safe mode: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

"Apple silicon

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.
3. Select your startup disk, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode.”
4. Log in to your Mac. You might be asked to log in again."

New user account: Change Users & Groups settings on Mac - Apple Support

"Create a new user or group.

Click the New Account pop-up menu (you may be asked to enter your password), then choose a type of account.

• Administrator: An administrator can add and manage other users, install apps, and change settings. The new user you create when you first set up your Mac is an administrator. Your Mac can have multiple administrators. You can create new ones, and convert standard users to administrators. Don’t set up automatic login for an administrator. If you do, someone could simply restart your Mac and gain access with administrator privileges. To keep your Mac secure, don’t share administrator names and passwords.
• Standard: Standard users are set up by an administrator. Standard users can install apps and change their own settings, but can’t add other users or change other users’ settings.
• Sharing Only: Sharing-only users can access shared files remotely, but can’t log in to the computer or change settings. To give the user permission to access your shared files or screen, you may need to change options in File Sharing, Screen Sharing, or Remote Management settings. See Set up file sharing and Share the screen of another Mac.
• Group: Groups allow multiple users to have the same access privileges. You control a group’s access to your shared folders by setting access permissions in the File Sharing options in Sharing settings.

See Add a user or group."

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.