How to Fix a Black or Blank Screen on macOS

This article describes what to do if the camera is not found or capturing video on your Mac.

Last Updated: May 2024

On this page:

1. Why you are seeing a black or blank screen on macOS
2. How to restart the camera driver on macOS
3. More support options

Why you are seeing a black or blank screen on macOS

There is likely a problem with the camera driver software that macOS provides to control the camera if you see a black or blank screen when attempting to use your camera on your Mac. If this is the case, it is possible to restart the camera driver and restore your camera to working order.

How to restart the camera driver on macOS

1. Press ⌘ (Command) + Spacebar on your keyboard to open Spotlight.
2. Type 'terminal' to search and open a Terminal session.
3. In the Terminal prompt, type the following command: sudo killall VDCAssistant. Then, press the Return key to execute the command.
4. You may need to enter your Mac password to authenticate the command.
5. If the command is executed successfully, the camera driver is restarted and you should now be able to capture video from your camera. Otherwise, please restart your Mac.

More support options

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