What you need to know
- A recent Chrome OS update has apparently caused some Chromebook cameras to stop functioning.
- Users report that the camera would be on, but the viewfinder would not show anything.
- Google says that an update is on the way that will fix the issue.
It might be hard for some Chromebook users to check into their morning meetings, as users are reporting that a recent update has caused some cameras to stop working.
The reports came from Reddit and were spotted by About Chromebooks, with several users explaining that it stopped working after a recent update, regardless of what app tries to access it. Users say that it started happening with the big Chrome OS 100 update, although some indicate that update may have fixed the problem for them, suggesting it sharted cropping up with version 99. Others did not notice the problem until installing the Chrome 101 beta.
It's unclear exactly which devices are affected, but About Chromebooks listed the devices it noticed were experiencing the bug, including the Acer Chromebook 14, HP Chromebook X2 11, Lenovo Duet Chromebook 5, Lenovo 10e Chromebook, Google Pixelbook Go, and Acer Chromebook Spin 13. Several bug reports have already pointed out the issue, and Google has acknowledged the bug.
Additionally, a Google employee has issued a statement about the bug, saying that Google plans to push an update this week that will address it.
"Hello Chromebook Community,
Thank you again for taking time to bring this to our attention and apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing. Our team anticipates that the fix will be available later this week with a software update and is not related to your device. We will share an update on this thread once the fix has rolled out. We appreciate your patience as we work on resolving this."
With the weekend approaching, it's likely we may see the update arrive in the next day or two, and owners of the best Chromebooks can get back to their Zoom meetings.
