Unable to close camera background dialog (Sequoia 15.5)

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Level 1

4 points

Unable to close camera background dialog (Sequoia 15.5)

With camera on, selecting Background from the toolbar icon brings up the "Background" dialog.

Selecting the plain background work but selecting any of the 3 tabs just beeps (like there's modal dialog open somewhere) and doesn't change tab to either of the other 2 tabs. Trying to dismiss the dialog with the Close button (top left) also just beeps. The only way to close the dialog seems to be to end video 'request' -- with google meet (for instance) simply turning off the video doesn't solve the above problem, but ending/leaving the meet call DOES close the Background dialog. Not just a Chrome/Meet issue, even using a simple camera viewer app (specifically Quick Camera) does the same thing. A side affect is being unable to select any "custom" background image,, so I'm certain this has not 'always' been like this.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jul 16, 2025 2:30 AM

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Answer 1

jpdw2 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 22, 2025 2:01 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Sorry its taken me a few days to follow-up...

I created a new user (as your #2 suggestion) and then logged out / in as the new user. Opened the camera viewer app (which I figure is the simplest of the apps I've seen affected) and played with the background dialog. All working fine... Logged out and back in on my usual account... also working fine.

I'd noticed this issue over quite a few weeks before it bugged me enough to post so I dont think it's a 1-off, more like something causes it to not work, which gets cleared/unloaded at logout/in. I regularly switch between using camera (& therefore backgrounds) between Safari, Chrome (mostly) and Slack, so will be more conscious of which I'm using....

Just an addition on the log out/in thing -- I don't often log out / reboot (who does, if they dont need to?) but I'm sure I've noticed this issue over a long enough period that it's been across multiple re-log-ins, adding to my thought that something 'breaks' it at some point.

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Answer 2

jpdw2 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 22, 2025 1:59 AM in response to jose.edil

Yes, this sounds exactly the same as what I see. I've just posted an update that logging out (or my account on the Mac) and back in again seems to 'clear' the issue.

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Answer 3

jpdw2 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 16, 2025 8:29 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Its more than just Chrome (as I mention near the end), it's just Chrome I currently use the camera most at the moment. The "not Chrome" example is a simple camera viewer app. Same thing happens - when a camera is selected, the Background dialog cannot be dismissed and the dialog's tabs just beep when I try to select them. Select a different camera (or a virtual camera device) in the Quick Camera app and the dialog is instantly closed (presumably as the camera/microphone toolbar is set per app / per device and the the app has just stopped accessing that device.

So -- this doesn't look like a Google/Chrome issue.

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Answer 4

Jul 16, 2025 8:56 AM in response to jpdw2

Thank you for the clarification.

I see now that this is not specific to Chrome.

A few tests:

1) Try the same in Safe Mode - same problem?

2) Try the same in a new admin user account. Same problem?

These will help us determine whether it is something in your account, and if some third party software modification is playing a part.

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Answer 5

Jul 22, 2025 2:38 AM in response to jose.edil

I can offer the same advice as to the OP - and please do report the results (the OP hasn't, yet).

Also: if you open Quicktime Player, do File->New Movie Recording (no need to actually start a recording, just to make the background menu accessible), does it show the same problem?

If the problem disappears in Safe Mode, then it is almost surely a conflict due to some third party stuff. Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

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Answer 6

Jul 22, 2025 2:42 AM in response to jpdw2

Thank you for reporting back.

It seems that although the issue is not completely resolved, there is at least a workaround: logging out and back in.

If the problem reoccurs, I suggest you post an Etrecheck report so we can look for possible things affecting this.

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Answer 7

Jul 21, 2025 4:23 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I'm getting a similar issue on MS Teams, Discord, and Google Meet on Safari: the background dialog is frozen and I can't change it nor close the dialog. I'm able to disable the background overlay, but enabling it back brings the previous selected image and the same frozen dialog.

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Answer 8

Jul 16, 2025 4:12 AM in response to jpdw2

Where are you seeing this? It seems that this is something related to Chrome, so you are more likely to get good answers in a Google forum.

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