Fix Guide: Sequoia External Camera Not Detected

Symptom: Your USB or Thunderbolt webcam is plugged into your Mac running macOS Sequoia, but it doesn't appear in FaceTime, Zoom, or Photo Booth.

Why this happens

Sequoia's "Camera Continuity" engine can sometimes "hijack" the video input priority, ignoring external USB devices in favor of a nearby iPhone.

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Fix 1: Reset the Video Assistant Daemon

1. Open Terminal.
2. Run:

sudo killall VDCAssistant

Fix 2: Reset Camera Permissions

1. In Terminal, reset the TCC database for camera access:

tccutil reset Camera

Recommended Tool: iStat Menus

To monitor which processes are currently using your camera:

- Get iStat Menus to see real-time sensor and peripheral data, including which daemon is currently holding the camera lock.