Why is my camera or microphone not working?

Audio problems? Camera not working? Try these steps to resolve the problem!

The following video shows you how to do some basic troubleshooting steps to resolve problems with your camera and microphone.

Test your camera and microphone

You can use the Vidyard cam and mic test  to help isolate the problem.

If your camera and/or mic do not work during the test, the problem is likely with your browser settings or your device locally.

• ✅  Check your browser's cam and mic permissions
• ✅  If you're using an external camera/mic, check for software driver updates from the manufacturer

If your cam and/or mic do work during the test, then the problem is likely within Vidyard.

• ✅  Reload or re-add the browser extension
• ✅  Restart your browser
• ✅  Restart your computer
• ✅  Click Disable HD recording in your Vidyard extension settings

Check your browser permissions

Make sure your browser has permission to use your camera and microphone. You can make these changes in your browser's site settings.

On Chrome or Microsoft Edge:

1. Open the menu (the three dots ⋮) in the top, right-hand corner of your browser
2. Select Settings > Privacy & Security > Site Settings
3. Ensure that your Camera and Microphone both have Ask before accessing set to ON
4. Check that both Vidyard and the website that you're trying to record from are not listed under the blocked section.

Alternatively, return to the webpage where you're attempting to record.

1. Click on the lock icon next to the website URL
2. Select Site settings (or Site permissions, if using Edge as your browser)
3. Ensure you have "Allow" selected for both camera and microphone
4. Restart your browser
   • On Mac: press "Command" +  "Q" on the keyboard to perform a hard quit
   • On Windows: close down all browser windows

MacOS users: grant apps access to your camera & microphone

If you use MacOS (Mojave or above), make sure you've granted your browser access to your computer's camera and microphone. You can make these changes in your System Preferences.

1. Open System Preferences > select Security & Privacy
2. Select Camera or Microphone
3. Select the checkbox next to an application to allow it to access your camera or microphone.

Note: you may also need to select Screen Recording as well to allow specific apps to record your screen.

Check for driver updates (external camera and microphones)

A driver is software that allows your computer to communicate with hardware devices. Without drivers, the devices you connect to your computer—for example, an external camera or microphone—won't work properly. 

• If you use MacOS, ensure that you have the latest system software updates
• If you use WindowsOS, you can allow Microsoft to automatically check for driver updates. 

Otherwise, visit the online support portal for your device's manufacturer. Use your device's serial or identification number to check for software updates.

Reload or re-install the browser extension

If your camera and microphone work with the cam & mic test, the extension may be having trouble recognizing your devices. Start by reloading the browser extension. If necessary, re-install the extension altogether.

Open the browser extension, then click on the Settings icon (⚙️). Select Reload.

Still having problems? Remove and then re-add the extension to your browser.

1. Open the menu (the three dots ⋮) in the top, right-hand corner of your browser
2. Select More Tools > Extensions 
3. Select Remove next to the Vidyard extension
4. Re-install the browser extension
   • Chrome: go to the Google Chrome Store
   • Edge: go to the Microsoft Add-ons Store

If the problem has not yet resolved, uninstall and re-install your browser completely. This may help if there are driver connection problems and the browser has difficulty recognizing an available camera or microphone.

Disable HD recording

By default, the browser extension records video with a 16:9 aspect ratio and up to 1080p resolution. In rare cases, the extension may have trouble recording if your webcam is incompatible with these input constraints.

If you have this problem, you will likely see a blank grey screen in the preview where your camera input should appear (i.e. the camera input is struggling to load).

Use the Disable HD recording preference in your extension preferences to solve this problem. The setting forces the Camera preview and recording to output at 320x240 with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

1. Open the Vidyard browser extension
2. Select Settings 
3. Check the Disable HD recording box.
4. Close and reload the extension, then try to record again