macOS Monterey broke my USB webcam

[ollie87]

Back during the deepest part of the pandemic when they were hard to get hold of I bought a USB webcam from Amazon, it's cheap but it's been working great since day one and the quality is better than the one built into my MacBook Air M1.

Ever since upgrading to Monterey the webcam is just either super dark or super over-exposed, no matter what app I use, from Teams, Zoom, to OBS.

Same camera works fine on my Windows 10 machine, any ideas folks?

 

[lloygm64]

I had the same problem this morning after upgrading overnight. I found plugged my CamLink 4k directly into the MacBook, instead of my Thunderbolt dock, addressed the problem.

 

[ojobson]

Same issue - Huddly IQ not working in any app.

The Huddly IQ management app seems to detect the camera when plugged in, but there is no video stream available to the Huddle IQ management app, or any other apps.

Zoom isn't working for me, nor Google meet, FaceTime etc.

 

[bjdraw]

Switching to a difference USB hub fixed my webcam as well. Not sure why the old hub worked fine in Big Sur, but this isn't the first problem like this I've had with that hub.

 

[ojobson]

Hmm - I tried plugging my camera directly into the USB-C port on my MBP but still the same issue...

 

[ojobson]

My webcam manufacturer (Huddly) just responded to my support request:

"We just received an update that MJPEG was broken on Monterey since beta version and Apple has released the software without fixing open issues unfortunately.
As our cameras use MJPEG for USB 2 we would recommend you to check with USB 3 ports.
We tried this on our end, its working fine when we use USB 3 ports. Please check and let me know. Thank you!"

Being on an M1 Mac I don't have any USB 2 or 3 ports - I tried USB-C to USB 3.0 converter and USB ports on my dock / USB-C monitor but no joy their either

 

[flowrider]

My Logitech C920 is plugged into a USB 3 port on the Apple USB card in my NcMP 7,1. Works fine.

Lou

 

[m1u]

Possible solution: (re)install ManyCam.

My Logitech B525 (USB2) stopped working after the Monterey upgrade. It is now working again after installing ManyCam. I had to restart the application that tried to use the camera. Uninstalling ManyCam made it not working again. I'm on M1 Macbook Pro.

 

[alienlanes]

Same problem here. I logged into a Zoom call last night just to find that my Walfront webcam that worked fine before suddenly has a really dark picture. I tried all the different USB ports on my 2015 MBP, and it looked the same on each one. I hooked the camera up to my Windows PC at work just to make sure that it wasn't the camera, and sure enough, it appears to be a Monterey issue.

 

[ollie87]

I've just tried reinstalling macOS - still broken.

 

[ollie87]

Okay so my solution for this it to use this tool: https://github.com/Itaybre/CameraController

With this I can force the settings of the camera to work - it's annoying but it's a work around until Apple fixes this.

 

[alienlanes]

Okay so my solution for this it to use this tool: https://github.com/Itaybre/CameraController

With this I can force the settings of the camera to work - it's annoying but it's a work around until Apple fixes this.

CameraController is freezing every time I try to launch it with my USB webcam connected. However, it appears that my webcam is looking normal again in Photo Booth, at least right now in daylight. Guess I'll check it again tonight to see how it looks.

 

[BigCrazyMoon]

Has anyone figured out how to permanently resolve the Logitech webcam issues on Monterey? I've got two Brio and one 920 webcam. They all worked fine before the Monterey upgrade. Now none work. Only fix has been to switch to non-Logitech external webcam.

 

[ojobson]

Has anyone figured out how to permanently resolve the Logitech webcam issues on Monterey? I've got two Brio and one 920 webcam. They all worked fine before the Monterey upgrade. Now none work. Only fix has been to switch to non-Logitech external webcam.

Think I have found a work around

Looks like anything other than a USB 3.1 (USB-C) or 3.0 (type-A) Gen1 cable just won't work properly. Even the Gen2 cable that dell supplied with my U3219Q monitor results in the built in Hub only running at USB 2.0 speeds. But, with a gen1 cable it runs at its full 5Gbps speed.

Have found this out by buying and swaping out a load of cables between my MacBook Pro M1 my dock, display and devices. My webcam now works.

Check out the USB section of System Report to understand what speed your Hubs and Devices are running at when connected.

 

[alright_cockroach]

Potential fix for Logitech Webcam owners: I had this same issue. I saw on another form that downloading Logi Tune can solve the issue for some of the supported webcams. It worked for me.

 

[BigCrazyMoon]

Think I have found a work around

Looks like anything other than a USB 3.1 (USB-C) or 3.0 (type-A) Gen1 cable just won't work properly. Even the Gen2 cable that dell supplied with my U3219Q monitor results in the built in Hub only running at USB 2.0 speeds. But, with a gen1 cable it runs at its full 5Gbps speed.

Have found this out by buying and swaping out a load of cables between my MacBook Pro M1 my dock, display and devices. My webcam now works.

Check out the USB section of System Report to understand what speed your Hubs and Devices are running at when connected.

Think I have found a work around

Looks like anything other than a USB 3.1 (USB-C) or 3.0 (type-A) Gen1 cable just won't work properly. Even the Gen2 cable that dell supplied with my U3219Q monitor results in the built in Hub only running at USB 2.0 speeds. But, with a gen1 cable it runs at its full 5Gbps speed.

Have found this out by buying and swaping out a load of cables between my MacBook Pro M1 my dock, display and devices. My webcam now works.

Check out the USB section of System Report to understand what speed your Hubs and Devices are running at when connected.

Thank you! Your recommendation did work for my Logitech Brio cameras running on Monterey (Intel). Strange that these cables weren't needed for Big Sur. This was not an option for my Logitech 920 webcam since the USB cable is attached and can't be swapped. I did discover that the newer 930 model is working with Monterey.

 

[ojobson]

Thank you! Your recommendation did work for my Logitech Brio cameras running on Monterey (Intel). Strange that these cables weren't needed for Big Sur. This was not an option for my Logitech 920 webcam since the USB cable is attached and can't be swapped. I did discover that the newer 930 model is working with Monterey.

Great to hear - also helps validate my findings. I have a call with apple support in 40 minutes so will be interesting to hear what they have to say.

 

[mcrpanda]

Potential fix for Logitech Webcam owners: I had this same issue. I saw on another form that downloading Logi Tune can solve the issue for some of the supported webcams. It worked for me.

Thanks! I have a flicker issue with my C920 Logitech Webcam, I used to resolve it with Logitech Capture app, but it seems not to work after upgrading to macOS Monterey. I downloaded the Logi Tune app, and changed Anti-flicker setting, and it works!

 

[Oldphart]

Arrgh! Upgraded to Monterey on my laptop and discovered what the previous posters have found. Two different USB cams that worked fine on a MBA before no longer worked. Before stocking up on a pile of adapters to test, and reasoning that Monterey seems to be fussy about what sort of USB connection it has, I simply restarted my laptop with the USB cam plugged in. The camera worked! Skype, Facetime and Zoom no problem. Unfortunately, doing the obvious test of unplugging the cam and then plugging it in again returned to the previous state of not working. So, no simple fix, but something to try in an emergency or while your waiting for the right adapter to arrive.

Presumably this problem is related to this thread.

 

[alienlanes]

Excitedly ran the Monterey update last night. Alas, no webcam fix.

 

[flowrider]

Mine still working without a hitch👍

Lou

 

[alienlanes]

I'm just wondering if this is even on Apple's radar as something that needs to be fixed. I have an older MBP, so the suggested workarounds with USB-C adapters aren't even an option for me.

 

[NWebb69]

Mine still working without a hitch👍

Lou

Which external webcam are you using? Thx

 

[flowrider]

^^^^As posted above:

My Logitech C920 is plugged into a USB 3 port on the Apple USB card in my NcMP 7,1. Works fine.

Lou

 

[cinek2]

ran into the same issue which interestingly enough caused some apps such as zoom to completely freeze. Luckily I had another usb hub which seems to work - at least so far. We'll see how long for.... really not looking forward to having to buy an apple certified hub for 3x the price when the old one was working just fine with big sur....