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Why is PTP camera runnining in my activity monitor if I am not using it?

I looked at my activity monitor and noticed that it was saying that something called a PTP Camera was running. I'm confused because my camera isn't on or anything. Can someone please tell me why it is saying this thanks :)

MacBook Air

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 10:40 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 22, 2012 4:19 AM

This process doesn't relate to an onboard isight/facetime camera. It's part of the Image Capture software that MacOS uses to connect to, and download images from, camera devices.

7 replies

Mar 24, 2012 9:31 AM in response to Soccerchik08

Do you perhaps have, or have had or tried to set up, a multifunction printer/scanner/fax device on the system - or even on a prior system if you used Migration Assistant to set your MBA? I have seen a scanner service process on my iMac (running Snow Leopard) which is connected to an HP printer/scanner, though it only appears when the device is powered and connected.

Aug 9, 2015 5:54 PM in response to theoknock

Hi I figured this out for my case: ptpcamera used around 13-18% CPU time. I had just flickr upload BETA installed today.

Ma Iphone6 was connected via USB.


So what I did was to disconnect the iPhone USB from Macbook Air Early 2015 and voila PTPCamera dropped to insignificant CPU time usage.


Possible causes:


1/ Flick Uploadr was using the service continuously as it is constantly checking for changes in Photos Library. However, when I paused it nothing happened to ptpcamera process, it was still frying my CPU


2/ ptpcamera process is constantly checking USB connected iPhone / iPad for new photos, or media


I am on El Capitan Beta 3


Hope this helped.

Why is PTP camera runnining in my activity monitor if I am not using it?

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