Why Google Meet Camera Times Out on macOS Sequoia
Google Meet camera timeouts on macOS Sequoia occur when the browser cannot maintain a persistent media stream to Google’s WebRTC infrastructure. macOS Sequoia introduced stricter Camera and Microphone permission models that require explicit user consent per domain, new Screen recording permission requirements for virtual camera extensions, and tightened App Sandbox enforcement that can block Chrome’s direct camera access APIs.
macOS Sequoia Permission Architecture Changes
Sequoia moved camera permissions from System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Camera to a per-app consent model. If Chrome is not granted camera access at the OS level, the WebRTC getUserMedia() call fails with a NotAllowedError that manifests as a timeout in Google Meet’s UI. Additionally, Sequoia’s Automatic Privacy Notifications can interrupt camera streams when the device detects a context switch.
Fixes
1. Grant Camera Permission in System Settings
Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera. Find Google Chrome (or Microsoft Edge if you use that) and enable the toggle. If Chrome is not listed, scroll to the bottom and click Add App to manually add it. Also check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and ensure Chrome has microphone access as well.
2. Allow Google Meet to Access the Camera
In Google Meet, click the camera icon before joining a call — if a permission prompt appears, confirm the access. If the prompt does not appear, go to Google Meet → Site Settings → Camera and ensure the correct camera is selected. Sequoia’s permission prompts sometimes get hidden behind other windows — check Mission Control to ensure no permission dialogs are minimized in the background.
3. Disable Safari’s Hardware Media API Restrictions
If using Safari, go to Safari → Settings → Websites → Camera. Set it to Ask or Allow for Google Meet. For Safari → Settings → Privacy, ensure Allow hardware media keys is checked — this setting, new in Sequoia, can cause WebRTC to fall back to a software encoder that times out.
4. Check for Conflicting Camera Applications
Other applications holding the camera (Zoom, FaceTime, PhotoBooth) prevent Google Meet from accessing it. Open Activity Monitor and force-quit any camera-using processes. Sequoia allows only one app to access the camera at a time — if Zoom is running in the background with an active meeting, Meet cannot acquire the camera.
5. Reset the macOS SMC and Camera Permissions
For persistent timeouts, reset the System Management Controller: shut down the Mac, then press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to perform a complete power cycle. This resets hardware-level camera negotiation. Additionally, run sudo tccutil reset Camera in Terminal to reset all camera permissions to default, then re-grant them for Chrome.
6. Use Chrome Instead of Safari
Safari’s WebKit engine on Sequoia has stricter Media Capture permission handling than Chromium’s Blink engine. Google Meet is optimized for Chromium-based browsers. Download and use Google Chrome for the most reliable Meet camera experience on macOS.
Hardware-Specific Notes
On Apple Silicon Macs, the T2 security chip mediates camera access. If camera timeouts persist after permission fixes, the T2 chip’s firmware may need updating. Go to System Settings → General → Software Update to ensure macOS Sequoia and all firmware updates are installed.