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My camera and/or microphone is not working

Cord W
Updated

When both the camera and microphone fail at the same time on a Chromebook, it usually points to a system privacy setting, a site permission conflict, or a temporary hardware controller glitch. If just the camera is failing, it could be due to the privacy slider.

Work through these steps in order to isolate and fix the issue:

1. Check the Chromebook's Privacy Slider & Switches

Privacy Slider: Your Chromebook features a physical privacy slider / webcam shutter built into the bezel right above the screen. Look closely at the webcam lens. If you see a small orange or red dot, or a textured plastic slider, slide it to the right to open the camera lens.

webcam_shutter.png

2. Check System-Wide ChromeOS Privacy Controls

ChromeOS has global privacy toggles that can disable access for all apps and websites at once.

  1. Click the time in the bottom-right corner of your screen to open the Quick Settings menu.

  2. Click Settings ⚙.

  3. Go to Security and Privacy > Privacy controls.

  4. Make sure both Camera access and Microphone access are toggled ON.

3. Verify Audio & Microphone Settings

  1. Click the time in the bottom-right corner.

  2. Click the arrow next to the volume slider to open Audio settings.

  3. Under Input, ensure the Internal Microphone is selected (not a disconnected Bluetooth headset or external jack).

  4. Check that the microphone slider is turned up and not muted.

4. Check Website & App Permissions

If this is happening inside a specific app (like Zoom or Google Meet) or website:

  1. Open Chrome and go to chrome://settings/content/camera and chrome://settings/content/microphone.

  2. Make sure "Sites can ask to use your camera/microphone" is selected.

  3. Check the "Not allowed" list at the bottom of each page. If the site you are trying to use is listed there, click the Trash icon to remove it.

5. Perform a Hardware Reset (Hard Reset)

If a software setting didn't fix it, the internal camera and microphone controller board may need to be power-cycled. A hard reset restarts the hardware components without deleting your local files.

  1. Turn off your Chromebook completely.

  2. Press and hold the Refresh key ⟳ (located on the top row of the keyboard).

  3. While holding Refresh ⟳, press and release the Power button ⏻.

  4. Release the Refresh key ⟳ once the Chromebook turns on.

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