Google Meet needs access to the camera through both the browser and the computer’s privacy controls. If you use Chrome for one meeting and another browser for the next, permission granted to the first application does not establish access for the second. Check the browser actually running the meeting.
Allow the meeting site
Open the trusted Meet address in your intended browser. Inspect the camera or site-information control beside the address and allow camera access for meet.google.com. Read the site name before granting access. Prefer a permission for this meeting site rather than broad camera access for unrelated websites. Reload the meeting page if required, preserving the original joining link.
Check the operating-system permission
On macOS, open System Settings, Privacy & Security, and Camera; allow the application you use for Meet. Google’s Windows guidance points to Settings, Privacy & security, and Camera. On a Chromebook, inspect Camera access under Privacy controls. If these settings are managed, give your administrator the browser name and displayed restriction rather than attempting to bypass policy.
Confirm the correct camera image
Return to Meet and select the intended camera from the camera dropdown or Video settings. Check the pre-join preview before enabling video in the call. A successful permission change should produce the expected live image, not merely remove a warning. If the preview stays black, check the physical privacy shutter and whether another application uses the camera. Permission is only one possible cause. Close any diagnostic camera application before returning to Meet, and use the same browser during the verification so the result matches the permission you changed.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 4, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.