Unable to access MacBook Pro camera and enter password in Terminal

Question

Level 1

4 points

Unable to access MacBook Pro camera and enter password in Terminal

My problem is a kind of double edged sword in that I can't get my MacBook Pro running Tahoe to access my inbuilt camera despite going through all of the 'normal' options.

I also tried the following...

"Force Quit Camera Processes: Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities) and type sudo killall VDCAssistant and sudo killall AppleCameraAssistant, pressing Enter after each (you'll need your admin password), then restart the app."

The problem with using, for me anyway, was that after entering the commands the query for me to enter my password gad a locked symbol so I couldn't enter my password

So...

I can't access the camera in Face Time or Photo Booth and I can't enter my password in Terminal ???

Any advice/help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Richard

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Accessing Macbook Pro camera

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.2

Posted on Dec 16, 2025 9:51 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 16, 2025 10:03 AM in response to richard4911

richard4911 wrote:

[...]

The problem with using, for me anyway, was that after entering the commands the query for me to enter my password gad a locked symbol so I 1. couldn't enter my password

[...]

This is Terminal prompting you for your password.

Terminal will not echo your password on the screen, it will not show that you are typing the password.

You must simply type the password in the blind and then press the [enter] key.

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Answer 2

Dec 16, 2025 10:46 AM in response to richard4911

richard4911 wrote:

Solved, finally dawned on me, it was Kaspersky that was blocking my webcam.

It that's all it is doing, consider yourself lucky. Recommend uninstalling it (though with AV software that is notoriously difficult and often a wipe/reinstall is needed to fully eliminate that type of software).

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Answer 3

Dec 16, 2025 11:13 AM in response to richard4911

richard4911 wrote:

Solved, finally dawned on me, it was Kaspersky that was blocking my webcam.

Good computing richard4911 !

Third party AntiVirus is not recommended— it typically does nothing but add issues to the macOS and competes directly with Apple’s own built in security:

macOS antivirus - Protecting against malware in macOS - Apple Support

Security and your Apple Account Security and your Apple Account - Apple Support

Apple Platform Security - Apple Apple Platform Security - Apple Support

further—

2024 Kaspersky ….

https://dmarcreport.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-us-ban-on-kaspersky-antivirus/

https://support.kaspersky.com/us/kis21mac/uninstall/15587

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Answer 4

richard4911 Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 16, 2025 9:56 AM in response to richard4911

Solved, finally dawned on me, it was Kaspersky that was blocking my webcam.

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