How to Give Google Access to Your Camera (on Web and Mobile)

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: May 19, 2021

This wikiHow will teach you how to give Google access to your camera using the Chrome web browser as well as using the Google mobile app. You'll need to allow the Chrome browser to access your camera and microphone for certain sites to function properly; if you have the Google Lens app on your Android or the Google app on your iPhone or iPad, you'll also want to make sure the app has permission to use your camera to successfully be able to search Google for an image.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Allowing Google Chrome to Access Your Camera

1
Open Chrome
. This app icon looks like a red, green, and yellow orb with a blue center. You can find it on one of your Home screens, in the app drawer, or by searching.
- If you're using a computer, you'll find it in your Start menu on Windows and in the Applications folder in Finder on Mac.
2
Navigate to a site that wants to use your camera. You can type the address in the address bar at the top of your screen or search for it.
3
Click or tap Allow. This will allow the site to record from your camera. If, however, you are using a different tab, the camera will not record.
- Click or tap Block if you want to prevent that site from ever asking for permission to use your camera.
- Click or tap ⋮ > Settings > Site Settings > Camera to change a site's permissions.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Allowing Google Lens to Access Camera on Android

1
Open Settings. You can either find the gear icon in the Quick Menu, which you can access by swiping down from the top of your screen, or you can tap the gear app icon from the app drawer.
2
Tap Apps. This menu option is generally next to a 2x2 grid of squares to represent your apps list, and will display all your apps once you tap on it.
3
Tap Lens. Since the list is generally in alphabetical order, you may need to scroll to find it.
4
Tap Permissions. It's usually the second listing in the menu.
5
Tap Camera. You'll see this next to an icon of a camera.
6
Tap Allow only while using the app or Ask every time. Google Lens will be able to use your camera whenever you are using the service, but if you tap "Ask every time," you'll be prompted to give the app permission to use your camera each time you open the app.
- Tap the back arrow to return to the permissions page.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Allowing Google to Access Camera on iPhone and iPad

1
Open Settings. You can find this gear app icon on one of your Home screens.
2
Tap Privacy. This menu icon is next to a hand on a grey background in the first grouping.
3
Tap Camera. It's next to an icon of a camera.
4
Tap Google. If you don't have the Google app installed from the app store, you won't see it listed here.
- You can also go to Settings > Privacy > Photos to give Google access to your photo library if you want to use Google Lens with any pictures in your album.