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Camera or microphone blocked in the browser

Websites can only ask once. If you clicked “Block” — or the prompt was dismissed — change it here.

First, test it.
The webcam test shows in seconds whether the device works at all — that decides which steps below apply.
Open the webcam test

Three places can block a microphone or camera, and all three must say yes: the operating system (privacy settings), the browser or app (site permission or device picker) and the hardware (mute switch, shutter, cable). Work through them in that order.

After each change, reload the page and run the mic test or webcam test — they show immediately whether the browser can now reach the device.

Chrome and Edge (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS)

  1. Click the icon at the left of the address bar (a lock, or a “tune” slider icon in newer Chrome) › Site settings (Edge: Permissions for this site).
  2. Set Camera and Microphone to Allow, close the tab’s settings and reload.
  3. If the icons are missing, open chrome://settings/content/camera and chrome://settings/content/microphone (Edge: edge://settings/content/camera): choose the default device at the top and remove the site from Not allowed to use.
  4. Still blocked? The operating system is blocking the browser: macOS › Privacy & Security › Camera/Microphone › Chrome on; Windows › Privacy & security › Camera/Microphone › Let desktop apps access on.

Firefox

  1. Click the lock icon › next to “Permissions” click Clear permissions (or the ✕ beside Camera/Microphone), reload and choose Allow when asked.
  2. Global list: Settings › Privacy & Security › Permissions › Camera/Microphone › Settings…. Untick “Block new requests” if ticked.

Safari on Mac

  1. With the site open: Safari menu › Settings for this website… › Camera / Microphone › Allow.
  2. Global: Safari › Settings › Websites › Camera / Microphone: set the site to Allow, and “When visiting other websites” to Ask.
  3. macOS must also allow Safari: System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera and Microphone (Safari may not appear until a site asks).

iPhone and iPad (Safari, Chrome)

  1. Tap the aA or page-settings icon at the left of the address bar › Website Settings › Camera / Microphone › Allow.
  2. Settings › Apps › Safari › Camera and Microphone › Ask or Allow. For Chrome on iOS: Settings › Apps › Chrome › Camera / Microphone on.
  3. Also Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera/Microphone › the browser must be on.

Android (Chrome)

  1. Tap the lock icon at the left of the address bar › Permissions › Camera / Microphone › Allow (or Reset permissions).
  2. Settings › Apps › Chrome › Permissions › Camera and Microphone › Allow only while using the app.

Things that block every site

Did it work?

Run the webcam test again. If the device now registers here, every app that has permission will see it too.

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Questions, answered

The site never asks and shows “blocked” straight away.

A past “Block” is remembered. Reset it in the site settings (above). In Chrome you can also click the camera icon with a red ✕ at the right end of the address bar.

It works in Chrome but not Safari (or the reverse).

Permissions are per browser and the OS keeps a separate switch per browser too. Allow both the site and the browser in the OS privacy settings.