Top 7 Ways to Fix Google Meet Camera Failed Error

It’s safe to say that video calling apps are taking over physical company meetings and conferences. Google has made its video calling service Google Meet free for everyone, and the company has big plans for the future of Meet. However, the transition from regular conference to online meeting is not foolproof. Before or during a meeting, nothing disappoints you more than your webcam not working during a Meet video call. In this post, we’re going to talk about solving most video problems when using Google Meet.

Google Meet is a web-based solution. If you properly ignore Google Meet’s popups, you’ll see a black screen at the start of meetings. Microphone not working in Google Meet is also one of the many problems users face. However, the strangest thing is that others cannot see them over a video call.

Google Meet offers multiple options to improve the video calling experience. You can also use apps like EpocCam to turn your phone into a webcam in Meet. In this post, we will fix the Google Meet camera crash issue in seven steps. First, let’s review some key solutions that often lead to video visibility issues in Google Meet.

1. Give Camera Permission to Google Meet

As I mentioned earlier, Google Meet is a web-based video calling service. When you first visit Google Meet on the web, it will ask for a microphone and camera permission to make it work as expected.

We have a habit of blocking every permission any website requests. But here you have to allow the service to access the microphone and camera of the device. But what if you accidentally blocked the permission? In such cases, you need to enable the permission from the browser’s Settings menu.

Here we will use Google Chrome as a reference. But the cheat should work similarly in other Chromium browsers.

Stage 1: Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and go to Settings.

Step 2: Go to Privacy and security > Site Settings.

Stage 3: Here you should see Meet.google.com and click it.

Step 4: Go to Permissions and grant Camera and Microphone permission to Google Meet.

2. Activate the Camera Before Joining the Meeting

This is pretty easy. When you create the Google Meet meeting, the service turns on the microphone and camera for a seamless meeting. If you disable the option, you will see a blank screen. Be sure to click the camera icon before creating a meeting.

3. Make Sure No Other Apps Are Using The Webcam In The Background

You won’t be able to use video in Google Meet if other apps like FaceTime, Teamviewer, or Skype are already using the camera in the background.

On most laptops, it’s easy to see if another app is using the camera. You can browse through the laptop’s camera and if the LED is on (White or Green), it indicates an app is using the camera in the background. Close these apps and return to Google Meet to see if the video works.

4. Change Default Camera in Google Meet

If you are using apps like Droidcam, EpocCam and iVCam to turn your phone into a webcam, you must select the corresponding camera option for the video feed in Google Meet.

Visit Google Meet and go to app settings. Go to the video menu and select the camera you are using.

5. If You Are Using the Phone as a Webcam

In such cases, you should make sure to install the relevant drivers of the third-party application on your PC/Mac. These drivers let you use Google Meet with services like EpocCam and Droidcam.

If you’re using EpocCam to use your phone’s camera as a webcam, make sure both phone and laptop are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and don’t forget to change the default Video settings in Google Meet.

If you plan to use your phone as a webcam for long meetings, I recommend using a tripod/stand. Also remember to keep the device connected to a power source.

6. Restart the Web Browser

Try closing your browser and restarting it. This is a great way to fix persistent camera-related issues, such as when your device’s camera fails to pass a Google Meet session after a few minutes. After you do this, rejoin the meeting.

On Mac, make sure to exit the browser from the menu bar before restarting.

7. Update Video Drivers

If the video is not working, you should consider updating the webcam drivers to the latest version. Follow the steps below to update the webcam drivers on your Windows laptop.

Stage 1: Tap the Windows button and type device manager.

Step 2: Press enter and it will open device manager.

Stage 3: Scroll down and go to Sound, Video and Game controllers and update the video drivers.

Fix Google Meet Camera Not Working

It doesn’t make you look professional if the Google Meet camera or audio doesn’t work at your first digital conference. If you find it difficult to deal with the video of Google Meet every time, check our solutions and customize the service according to your needs and usage. Which solution worked for you? Mute the sound in the comments section below.

Next: The Google Meet service is a pleasure to use with Chrome extensions. Read the post below to find the six best Google Meet extensions to boost your productivity.