My MacBook's FaceTime HD Camera is "Not Connected"

Cheers, Sid!

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1

One of these will fix your camera problem:

(1) If restarting your Mac doesn't fix the problem,

(2) use Apple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090.

(BTW - The Troubleshooting article calls the camera an "iSight". However, after the article was published, Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD." Regardless of the name of your built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

Be sure to test more than one Apple app (Photo Booth, FaceTime, iMovie, QuickTime Player, etc.) in more than one user account. Do NOT use the "Guest" account for this test. If you do not have more than one user account for the testing, create a new one now. If you need help, how to do it is explained in http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201754.

A "Standard" user account is all you need for testing.

(3) If your cam won't work properly even with Apple apps, use OS X Recovery to completely reinstall your Mac OS from the Recovery System stored on your startup drive. Don't bother testing Skype or other third-party apps until you have your camera working with Apple apps.

(4) If none of the above suggestions resolve your trouble, contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider to have your Mac professionally serviced. Be sure to backup your Mac and deauthorize iTunes before tendering it for service.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1

You're most welcome.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1

Hey there Noah and Jim,

I am having a similar issue, very much the same as yours, just that I do not see the FaceTime HD Camera under USB Bus (Screenshot attached, the Logitech device listed is my mouse). I have tried killing the VDCAssistant from terminal but it just says 'No matching processes were found'. The issue started this morning and I was able to use the camera until yesterday. No hardware issue I suppose, since I did not drop or mess with my laptop's hardware. I haven't tried resetting the SMC or PMU and neither have I tried using the OSX recovery. Worthwhile to note that I also run Windows 10 via bootcamp and Windows cannot detect the Camera hardware either. I want to go the nerd route and reset the PMU and if that doesn't help then maybe run a recovery for OSX. However, to me it seems like a missing driver issue, since the device cannot detect the camera at all. What do you say, any suggestions?

Noah, could you please share how you fixed your issue? Any help will be greatly appreciated. I am using a Mid 2012 Macbook Pro (non retina), running OSX El Capitan.

Sid

Hello, Sid.

sidsden wrote: ... I do not see the FaceTime HD Camera under USB Bus...

Because your Mac does not recognize your camera in System Information,

your trouble is likely caused by a hardware problem.

There are no user serviceable parts of Mac's camera hardware.

For hardware help, contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service.

Backup your Mac and deauthorize iTunes before tendering it for service.

sidsden wrote:... I haven't tried ...

You seem to be an experienced computer user.

Other than service by an Apple Tech, the Mac camera things

easiest and most likely to be successful things I can suggest

are those that I suggested to Noah above.

Which of my suggestions, if any, you want to try (and in what order) is your call.

sidsden wrote: ... to me it seems like a missing driver issue... What do you say, any suggestions?...

All drivers needed for Mac-compatible camera operation are installed with your El Capitan Mac OS X 10.11.

If there is something wrong with your Mac's camera driver software, reinstalling Mac OS X should correct it.

If it does not, or if your Mac still does not recognize your camera in System Information, have Mac serviced.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1

Hey Jim, thanks for your reply (in both the discussions).

I still consider myself to be a beginner using the Mac OS (just more than one year).

I did go to a BestBuy Geek Squad outlet (same place where I bought my Mac) and they said that the cost of servicing my Mac could be anywhere between $100-300. I just do not see fixing the webcam worth that much, I'd rather use an external one if need be.

I know it could be a hardware issue, however, I have read many people reporting hardware issues as 'resolved' post an SMC reset. I know it is completely safe to do (even Apple has a user manual on how to do an SMC reset), but still I am worried that I might mess up something else on my Mac and end up creating some other problem in a bid for solving one, or even worse, the current problem remains and I get a new one as well which leaves me with no other option but getting it serviced. Additionally, how is Windows going to react to the SMC reset, since I use Win 10 via bootcamp? Any help please?

Thanks,

Sid

Hello again, Sid.

sidsden wrote:... I just do not see fixing the webcam worth that much, I'd rather use an external one if need be...

Where cost is a primary consideration, you are wise to consider an external cam. However, I suggest you take your MBP with you when shopping. Ask for a demonstration of any external cam you consider before you buy. Once you have ruled out software issues, you are left knowing yours is a hardware problem. If the external cam won't work either, your hardware problem must be bigger than the camera itself.

sidsden wrote:...SMC reset... is completely safe to do... but still I am worried that I might mess up something else on my Mac ...

You are correct that SMC reset is completely safe. (At worst, it wastes a few minutes of your time.) Being "completely safe" means SMC reset does not "mess up something" on your Mac.

Of course, neither resetting SMC nor NOT resetting SMC can prevent you from messing something up on your Mac in some other way. Eventually we all do something wrong that causes problems. When you do mess up, simply troubleshoot and fix the problem.

sidsden wrote:... how is Windows going to react to the SMC reset, since I use Win 10 via bootcamp? ...

Because I don't use Win10 via BootCamp, I don't know. However, I note that you have already told us that:

(1) at present, "...Windows cannot detect the Camera hardware either..."

- and -

(2) "... SMC reset... is completely safe..."

Therefore, I think you have nothing (other that the time required) to lose by trying all the suggestions I offered to Noah above. Those suggestions include SMC reset as part of Apple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 troubleshooting article. Of course, the SMC reset suggestion applies only if one of the other recommendations does not correct the problem first.)

You have done thorough research including contacting Apple for advice. The final step is simply to decide how best to proceed based on the totality your needs.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1

Thanks Jim,

All points duly noted. I will do the reset soon and let the community know if it fixed the missing camera issue!

Sid

Excellent Advice there, Jim!

😎

Many thanks, Your Highness (The Queen) ~Bee! 😀

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1

Guys,

I noticed that my webcam started working again, all by itself. I was too lazy to try the SMC reset and was delaying it as much as possible, since I do not use the camera much, however, one fine morning, I just happened to open facetime and voila!

The only thing which was different than before was that the timezone on my computer had changed.

Sid

This is yet another example of poor quality control. Going through all the threads on here and doing a Google search, this is clearly a VERY widespread issue with the Airs. I have a user half way around the world who now has no camera. This laptop was, literally, installed with a clean OS just two weeks ago. I've run through all the fix suggestions (The VCDAssistant doesn't exist anymore, so that doesn't work).

Sometimes it seems the only way to actually get a response from Apple is to post a message on Mr. Cook's twitter feed. I did this last month due to the massive issues users are having with disabled Bluetooth in the 10.11x updates. Again, WIDESPREAD and no solution yet.