How to Fix Google Meet Camera Failed to Work

Google Meet is a commonly used video-conferencing application that is used to connect with a large number of people online over a video call. May it is a classroom lecture or a corporate meeting, Google Meet can help you attend everything over a video call.

However, there are times when you attempt to join a meeting via Google Meet and encounter a Google Meet camera black screen or camera failed issue. If the problem also happened to you, don’t worry, we are here with workable solutions and quick fixes to get you up and running. This complete how-to-fix guide focuses on fixing the common causes of the Google Meet camera not working on your Windows PC or mobile phone.

Also Read: [Full Guide] How to Use Webcam on Laptop >

Why Does my Camera Fail on Google Meet?

Whenever your Google Meet camera is blocked or not working, then there might be some usual problems or glitches with the software or with your PC. So, before we take a look at your permissions, here are some common reasons why the Google Meet camera is not working!

• Your camera might not be connected.
• Other applications running in the background might be accessing the camera.
• You might have more than one camera installed, and the one which you are using with google Meet might be inactive.
• You might be using the old version of Google Meet on your device.
• Your camera might be disabled just before joining the meeting.

One or more reasons above could possibly lead to Google Meet camera black screen or Google Meet camera not working issue! So, if you’re facing this error in Google Meet on your Windows PC, then stated solutions would help you fix it below!

Fix Google Meet Camera Not Working on Windows

If you’re a Windows user and the Google Meet camera is not working on your PC, then you can get your hands on any of the methods below to get back your Camera working flawlessly like before!

Method 1: Allow App to Access your Camera

One of the most common reasons for the Camera not working issue on Google Meet is the blocked camera permissions. Although you always need to grant the camera access to Google Meet when you use it for the first time sometimes you might mistakenly block or deny the camera access permission of Google Meet that prevents you from using the Camera. In such a situation, allowing camera access to Google Meet will work to fix this issue.

Here’s how to allow the app to access your Camera! (This step-by-step guide focuses on Chromium browsers.)

1. Open Google Meet, tap on the three-dot menu at the top right corner of your screen and go to Settings.
2. Now, navigate to Privacy and Security > Site Settings.
3. Here, you will see meet.google.com. You simply need to click on it.
4. Go to the Permissions and allow Camera and Microphone permissions to Google Meet.

It was this straightforward to grant camera permission to Google Meet.

Method 2: Check if Only Google Meet is Using Webcam

There are times when common apps like TeamViewer, Skype, or Zoom are already using the Camera of your PC in the background, and hence you will not be able to use the Camera in Google Meet. So, if the Google Meet camera is not working or the Google Meet camera is blocked, then you can try fixing it by checking if only Google Meet is using the webcam. Have a look at the guide below to know how to check it!

On most laptops, it is pretty easy to check if another app is using the webcam in the background or not. You can simply glance over the laptop camera at the top, and if the LED is turned ON, it indicates that any of the applications are using a camera in the background. So, you just have to close those apps and return to Google Meet to see if the Camera now works.

Also Read: How to Fix Webcam Not Working >

Method 3: Update Browser to the Latest Version

Sometimes, the browser you are using on your Windows PC to open Google Meet might be outdated, and therefore the problem of the Google Meet camera not working arises. So, you should try updating the browser to the latest version in order to get your Google Meet camera problem fixed.

Here’s how to update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version.

1. On your PC, open Google Chrome.
2. Tap on three-dot icon at the top right corner of the screen. If any update is pending, then the icon will be colored.
3. Click on Update Google Chrome.
4. Finally, tap on Relaunch.

You can now check if the Google Meet camera issue is resolved or not!

Method 4: Change Default Camera on Google Meet

Suppose you are using any webcam applications like DroidCam, EpocCam, or iVCam to turn your Android or iPhone into a webcam. In that case, you must choose the appropriate camera option for the video feed in Google Meet. Here, changing the default Google Meet camera will work to fix the Camera failed Google Meet issue.

For this, you need to:

1. Visit Google Meet and go to Settings.
2. Navigate to the Video menu and pick the Camera that you are currently using as a webcam.

That’s all! You can now check if the Google Meet camera not working issue is resolved or not.

Method 5: Update Video Drivers

If the Google Meet camera is blocked, you should for sure consider updating the webcam drivers to the latest version. Follow the guide below to update the webcam drivers on your Windows PC.

1. Click on the Windows button and type Device Manager.
2. Now, press the Enter button, and it will open the Device Manager window.
3. Scroll down a bit and go to Sound, Video, and Game Controllers. Simply, right-click on each one of them and select Update Driver from the drop-down list.

Once the video drivers are updated, you can now check if the Google Meet camera is working!

Fix Google Meet Camera Not Working on your Phone

All the above-stated quick fixes work effectively to fix the Google Meet Camera not working on Windows PC. But if you are using Google Meet on your phone and facing the same issue, then here’s how you can fix it with the two basic methods below.

Method 1: Force Restart Google Meet

After installing the latest version of Google Meet on your Smartphone, we suggest you restart the application to make sure that the new update is adequately implemented.

For this, you are required to visit the device settings.

Step 1: Go to Settings on your Smartphone.

Step 2: Tap in Apps & Notifications.

Step 3: Click on See all apps.

Step 4: Next, locate and select Google Meet on the app list.

Step 5: Finally, tap on the Force Stop button to shut down the application.

Now, relaunch the Google Meet app normally and try to use the Camera to check if it works!

Method 2: Erase the Google Meet App Cache

If Force Restarting Google Meet didn’t work to fix the camera issues, then you can try fixing it by erasing the Google Meet App Cache. For this, you need to follow the steps below:

Step 1: Go to the Settings app and choose Apps & Notifications.

Step 2: Click on See all apps and choose Google Meet from the list.

Step 3: Now, click on Storage and hit the Clear Cache button.

Step 4: Finally, go back once, and Force Stop the application.

After erasing the Google Meet app cache data, test if the Google Meet camera black screen issue still persists or not!

How do I Enable Video on Google Meet?

In order to allow access or enable video on Google Meet the first time you use Meet, you need to: Go to meet.google.com > Click on Start a new meeting > Tap on “Allow”.

That’s all! Your Google Meet video will be enabled now!

How do I turn my Camera on in Google Meet?

In order to turn your Camera ON in Google Meet, you have to grant the permissions to the Camera and microphone and then follow the steps below:

Step 1: Join a meeting on Google Meet or start a meeting yourself.

Step 2: From the Call Control options at the bottom center of the screen, tap on the Camera icon placed right to the Phone icon.

Step 3: The Camera icon will appear red with a line through it when OFF and only the Camera will be displayed against a clear background when ON.

During the Google Meet meetings, you can easily switch between Camera ON and OFF as you want by tapping on the Camera icon.

Conclusion

If you are struggling to deal with the Google Meet camera black screen or camera not working issue, then do check and try out the solutions above. No matter which solution your pick, you will always get reliable and excellent results. Do let us know which solution worked for you!