Chromebook Camera File System Error (QUICK FIX)

Some users might never or rarely use the Chromebook camera but some decide for these lightweight devices mainly for video calls and online classes. Sadly, the camera is not working for some users due to an unexpected error. It seems that some users get Chromebook Camera File System Error whenever they start the camera from the app, in third-party apps, or on the web. If you are among them, check the instructions we provided for you.

Table of contents:

1. Ensure an enterprise does not lock your camera
2. Update your Chromebook
3. Leave Beta Channel or enter the Beta Channel
4. Perform a Hardware reset
5. Try Powerwash
6. Reinstall Chrome OS with Chromebook Recovery Utility

How do I fix my webcam on Chrome?

You can usually fix your webcam on Chrome by simply restarting the device. If you get the error on particular websites, click on the padlock icon in Chrome and make sure that the website has permission to access the camera. Also, ensure that an enterprise policy isn’t locking the camera access, update your Chromebook, and perform a Hardware reset. Check the additional solutions below.

1. Ensure an enterprise does not lock your camera

Whenever a problem arises a quick reboot is a good way to start troubleshooting. If that doesn’t work and you still can’t access your camera, ensure that an enterprise does not block your camera. There are reports that used Chromebooks were sold without leaving the enterprise enrollment. Contact your seller in order to resolve that.

Educational institutions in many countries use Chromebooks as their go-to platform and they tend to find a way to different markets around the world. On the other hand, if you purchased a brand-new Chromebook, you can skip this suggestion.

2. Update your Chromebook

Most users with this issue managed to solve it after installing the latest updates. It seems that a certain release caused camera issues but it was patched out in subsequent updates. ChromeOS usually checks for updates in the background and informs users to restart the device in order to apply them. However, you can check for updates manually, as well.

Here’s how to check for updates on your Chromebook:

1. On your Chromebook, open Settings.
2. Select About ChromeOS from the left pane. The option should be at the bottom.
3. Click Check for updates under Google ChromeOS.

3. Leave Beta Channel or enter the Beta Channel

If you are running ChromeOS Beta or the Developer channel, we suggest leaving it and switching to the Stable channel. On the other hand, I occasionally had better luck with Beta Channel than with the Stable one so you can give that a try if you have some time to invest in the setup. The drawback when moving from Beta or Dev channels to the Stable channel is that your device requires Powerwash (factory reset). However, considering that ChromeOS is an internet-based OS, it’s not as cumbersome as resetting a Windows PC. Unless you have a ton of files stored locally.

Here’s how to change the update channel on your Chromebook:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select About ChromeOS.
3. Click Additional details.
4. Select Change channel.
5. Select Stable or Beta and follow further steps.

4. Perform a Hardware reset

If you experience hardware problems on your Chromebook, the hardware reset sequence is a good idea. In this case, the problem might lie in the camera driver so the hardware reset should address it. The procedure is rather simple and it doesn’t require access to Developer options or anything similar.

What you need to do is power off your Chromebook first. Then just press and hold the Refresh button and tap the Power button to boot the Chromebook. Once the splash screen appears, you can release the Refresh button.

5. Try Powerwash

If the previous solutions didn’t work and you still get the Chromebook Camera File System Error, you can try Powerwash. Powerwash is the factory reset on Chromebooks that allows you to refresh the system. With that said, we suggest backing up your Chromebook first before going through the Powerwash process.

Here’s how to use Powerwash on your Chromebook:

1. Back up your files to Google Drive or Google Photos.
2. Open Settings.
3. Then expand Advanced.
4. Select Reset settings.
5. Finally, click Reset.

6. Reinstall Chrome OS with Chromebook Recovery Utility

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you, you can use Chromebook Recovery Utility to reinstall ChromeOS on your Chromebook. This is probably the final DIY solution we can recommend. If that fails, take your Chromebook to a service for a checkup. You’ll need a USB flash drive and you can use your Chromebook to create and mount the installation files.

Here’s how to reinstall Chrome OS with Chromebook Recovery Utility:

1. Plug a USB flash drive into your PC with at least 4 GB of free storage. Make sure to save its content because the following procedure will format all data.
2. Open Chrome on your Chromebook or an alternative PC/Chromebook.
3. After that, navigate to Chrome Web Store and install the extension.
4. While in Chrome, select the extension from the top right and click Get started.
5. Select your Chromebook model from the list and click Continue.
6. Choose your USB drive and then click Continue and click Create now.
7. Now, on your Chromebook, press and hold the Esc + Refresh buttons. While holding these two, press and hold the Power button until your device powers off. Keep pressing Esc + Refresh and let go of the Power button.
8. Once the message on the screen appears, you can let go of Esc and Refresh, too.
9. Select Recover using an external disk and follow the on-screen instructions.

And, on that note, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading what was, hopefully, a helpful article that solved your problems with Chromebook Camera File System Error. If you have anything to add or take, share it with us in the comments below.