Apple Thunderbolt Display built-in camera not detected

Question

Level 1

4 points

Apple Thunderbolt Display built-in camera not detected

I recently purchased a second-hand Apple Thunderbolt Display to connect to my M1 MacBook Pro. The setup includes an M1 MacBook Pro, the Apple Thunderbolt Display, and a Thunderbolt to USB-C adapter.

The issue I'm facing is that everything works well, except for the built-in camera. The microphone and speakers are detected and work as expected, but the camera is not recognized as an available source.

I've tested this on macOS Sequoia 15.0.1 and also tried with another identical M1 MacBook Pro running macOS Sonoma, but the issue persists on both machines. The fact that the microphone works suggests the connection is at least partially functional.

I'm wondering if this is a known issue with Apple Silicon models or if the built-in display camera could be defective. I'm also open to suggestions for any other troubleshooting steps I should try. It's worth noting that I don't have a spare Thunderbolt cable or adapter to test with, and I'm looking for advice before purchasing additional hardware for testing purposes.

Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Oct 15, 2024 10:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

samtenor

Level 4

1,792 points

Oct 17, 2024 2:15 PM in response to xonxor

Scenario 1: bad camera

Scenario 2: try to unplug the TB display power, then reconnect it - if you can see the camera been recognized (even for short time) - there are 2 possible issues: A. bad logic board (more common) B. bad power supply (much rare).

Reply

Answer 2

xonxor Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 18, 2024 7:25 AM in response to samtenor

@samtenor, thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

Tried your suggestion, but it simply doesn't seem to detect it at all. I can only see the built in Macbook camera, and that is it. I suppose it could be a bad camera as per your first scenario. Is there a way I can methodically test, and perhaps verify this?

Thanks!

Reply

Answer 3

samtenor

Level 4

1,792 points

Oct 18, 2024 3:56 PM in response to xonxor

Because I have some spare parts, with plenty of experience in "opening up" the TB displays.. With these conditions, I was able to swap parts to find out/pin-point the problem.

Regretfully, I can not offer other way to figure out your problem.

I can only offer with external USB webcam to rectify the need for camera.

Reply

Answer 4

tbirdvet

Level 6

14,471 points

Oct 21, 2024 4:32 PM in response to xonxor

You can check using a TB2 cable connected directly to one of the TB ports on the display bypassing the all in one(octopus) cable. The all in one cables are known to have some issues. You still need to use the TB2 to TB3 adapter.

Reply