Unable to use GoPro as a web cam since upgrading to macOS Sonoma

It's not Apple's fault, it's GoPro's problem.

Apple has world class standards when it comes to privacy, so they made it mandatory that all camera and microphone processes need to be done through their privacy protocols, so that customers will never be recorded without their consent.

That's why their own built-in cameras have a light that cannot be bypassed because it's directly wired to the power to the camera. So, you will always know when it's turned on. In order to have similar protection for third party external cameras, they made it mandatory for third party cameras to go through their latest protocols which give a visible green indicator on the menu bar.

All standard USB Webcams use this protocol by default, so 99.9999% of webcams work unmodified. GoPro uses a non-standard protocol to connect to their cameras. They were given plenty of time to either update their non-standard drivers or update their firmware to use the industry standard USB Video Camera (UVC) protocol, but they ignored it, and continue to ignore it.

Many people have been secretly recorded without their knowledge over the years and they did the right thing. It's time GoPro either updates their firmware to use standard protocols, or changes their driver to use the latest requirements.

There is a workaround to turn off this privacy feature in this forum, but I will NOT use it. I like the feeling of confidence knowing whenever a program turns on either a camera or microphone.

For what it's worth. I will NOT be changing my system settings to disable Apple's new security settings. Apple made this change for a reason, to ensure we ALWAYS know when an app is using the camera and microphone.

GoPro needs to either update their firmware to let use a GoPro as a standard USB / UVC WebCam, or they need to update their App to work with the latest video libraries.

SOLVED -

https://community.gopro.com/s/question/0D58a0000AZddiMCQR/camera-keeps-disconnecting-when-using-as-a-webcam-mac-os-sonoma-m2?language=en_US

You have to go to recovery mode -> options -> Terminal

You then have to "unlockVolume" I did this by doing the following:

type the prompt:

system-override legacy-camera-plugins-without-sw-camera-indication=on

This will tell you that an apfs volume is locked and will give you the name of the locked volume. In my case it was disk3s5

then type:

diskutil apfs unlockVolume disk3s5

*note to use the name for your particular locked volume: diskutil apfs unlockVolume <your volume>

If you get stuck then just keep typing in volumes to unlock in numerical order.

EX:

diskutil apfs unlockVolume disk3s1

diskutil apfs unlockVolume disk3s2

diskutil apfs unlockVolume disk3s3

etc....

Once you have unlocked the correct volume, you then enter:

system-override legacy-camera-plugins-without-sw-camera-indication=on

Then you quit terminal, restart your computer and you should be good to go!

Same issue on a MAC Studio. I first noticed this the day after the update to Sonoma 14.1.1. (23B81).

GoPro support gave up on the issue. The camera and all cables work properly on Windows computers.

2 Days ago I visited an Apple Store using AppleCare+. After an hour, they gave up on support.

I shouldn't have to reset the computer just to fix this problem.

Everything was working before the update.

GoPro Firmware 1.72 (Up to Date)

MAC OS Sonoma 14.1.1. (23B81) - Last checked today at 6:10PM

GoPro Connect is turned on on the GoPro.

GoPro Webcam App on MAC Version 1.5.780 (Latest Version)

When I plug my GoPro into any Windows computer and click Show Preview, it works.

When using GoPro Connect setting on my Gopro, I plug my GoPro into my MAC, I turn on GoPro Webcam App on the MAC and Click Show Preview when the blue icon illuminates. The window opens for a fraction of a second then GoPro Webcam App crashes. A moment later the Blue dot comes on in the GoPro Webcam App and I have the option to Show Preview again. But it still doesn't work. I click Show Preview and it crashes again the same way. I can send you a video of this happening.

None of the apps installed such as Windows Teams, Google Meet, Zoom recognize the camera when it is connected. My MAC Settings allow for all listed applications to access my camera.

Oddly enough, I am able to use MTP mode on the GoPro to transfer videos and images from my GoPro to my MAC.

With the GoPro plugged in, the MAC System Report shows "No video capture devices were found".

I am using Mac OS Sonoma and can get the GoPro Webcam works.

You need to uninstall the current GoPro Webcam by installing the uninstaller

Then, you should download the Webcam utility from the App Store and run the installation process. It works!

Source: https://community.gopro.com/s/article/GoPro-Webcam?language=en_US#gettingstartedmac

[Edited by Moderator]

Any word on this? I have a GoPro Hero 10 and, I am using iOS version Sonoma 14.3. The camera is not detected at all on my laptop - files, or webcam. I see there is an answer, but that is a workaround. Anyone know if goPro is planning a fix?

I've posted a video to show what is happening on my computer. https://youtu.be/I-YY2LD9Y_Y

I have the exact same problem. Apples latest update in Sonoma did me in. I was so frustrated I spent over a grand buying a new sony APC camera to replace my go pro. Fed up with both apple and Go Pro.

Same thing happened to me. I literally just gave up and made biscuits. Then I streamed Ronnie Stelly music on Spotify. Didn't solve my issue, but it solved my frustration.

Same issue on an Intel Mac mini 2018 running macOS Sonoma 14.1.1. There is this article covering this topic: If you can't use your camera or video output device after updating to macOS Sonoma 14.1 - Apple Support

However, I applied the command in Recovery and still cannot use the Go Pro camera. Shame.

I have exactly same issue.

GoPro Firmware 1.72 (Up to Date)

MAC OS Sonoma 14.1.1. (23B81)

GoPro Connect is turned on on the GoPro.

GoPro Webcam App on MAC Version 1.5.780 (Latest Version)

CouponPages is 100% correct in what they said. For those of you that are blaming Apple. Please read their comment and educate yourself before commenting.

🌈 The More You Know 🌈

Has anyone gotten back to you at all? this really sucks and i'm getting fed up with apple as it is a constant struggle. I've had the same issue with audio devices and took one of my macs completely off line and stopped updating it.

The M1 and 2 chips are nice but apple is starting to suck in general.

Same here everything’s updated and current. It stopped after the recent Sonoma update. This is all on Apples end.