Changing Webcams in the Browser

You can change Webcams in your browser. This is useful for Video Notes in D2L or changing the camera in Google Meets. Note: in either case, for changes to take effect, you will have to reload the webpage so this cannot be done on the fly-- whatever camera you are using is the one you will be using for the rest of the meeting/recording. Also note that these changes will only take effect for that particular website and you will have to go through a similar process for other websites to grant permission. In this tutorial, three of the major web browsers will be discussed: Firefox, Chrome, and Edge. If you would rather a more visual tutorial, you can click on this link here.

Table of Contents

Firefox

1	Out of the three browsers discussed on this page, Firefox is the most difficult to change webcams in. You will see why in a moment. Go to a website that will access your camera; in this tutorial, D2L's Video Note option will be used. To access Video Note, you will need to go to D2L and, in this case, click on the description for your module.
2	When you click on the module description, you will get a few options to add to it. In the upper left corner is a rectangle with a triangle pointing to the right. Click on that.
3	Upon clicking on that, a menu will pop-up. Click on Add Video Note.
4	When you click on Video Note, D2L will show a pop-up window with a preview of the camera that is being used. If this is your first time recording a Video Note in D2L, Firefox will also have a pop-up appear in the upper-left asking you what Camera and Audio device to use.
5	By clicking on the drop-down menu, Where it says "Integrated Webcam", you can change the webcam being used. This is similar to the Microphone as well.
6	This is an optional step and really only useful if you are making multiple Video Notes or using Google Meets constantly or another website that requires access to your camera. You can click on the checkbox to the left of Remember this decision so that this pop-up window does not appear again when recording in D2L. Later, if you decide to change the Camera, there are a few more steps, outlined in steps 8-10.
7	Once you have the Camera and Microphone you want to use, click on Allow.
8	If you selected the Remember this decision, the pop-up in step 7 will not show. If you want to change the camera (maybe you got a new camera), you will need to click on the red blinking camera symbol on the left-hand side of the web address bar. Note: this will only appear when you access Video Note, so you will have to go through steps 1-3 again.
9	When you do that, Firefox will show you a similar similar pop as in steps 4-7, except that you have Use the Camera Allowed X and Use the Microphone Allowed X instead of the dropdown. Click on the X to the right of Use the Camera Allowed and reload the webpage.
10	Follow steps 1-7 again. Also note that this is saved only for this particular website; you will have to go through these steps separately for Google Meets or other websites that use your Camera or Microphone.

Chrome

1	Chrome is much easier to change the camera than in Firefox. When you open Chrome, click on the three vertical dots in the upper-right of your browser.
2	In the drop-down menu that appears, click on Settings
3	In the search bar that appears in the upper-mid of your screen (beneath the web address bar), type in Camera.
4	In the list that appears, click on Site Settings.
5	In the next list that appears, scroll down a bit until you find Camera, which should be highlighted.
6	When you do that, there will be a dropdown menu that says Integrated Webcam if you are currently using your laptop camera. If not, it may just say webcam. Click on it and a dropdown menu will appear.
7	In the drop-down menu that appears, choose the webcam that you want to use. Then click on the arrow to the left of Camera to return to the list shown in step 5.
8	In that list, underneath Camera, is Microphone. In a similar process to Camera, choose the microphone you want to use. Often, but not always, it may say USB Microphone or Integrated Microphone depending on what the browser has detected. If you are using headphones/earbuds, some browsers are smart enough to detect these automatically.
9	When you first go to a website that requires the use of your camera, a pop-up will appear in the upper-left asking if you want to let the website use your Camera or not. Click on allow if you wish for this to happen, otherwise click on block.
10	To change the Camera/Microphone, simply follow steps 1-8. If you have D2L or another site open that is currently using your Camera, you may have to reload the website for the changes to take effect. You will also have to do step 9 for each new website that you want to allow the use of your Camera or Microphone on.

Edge

1	Changing Cameras in Edge will have a similar process. First, click on the three horizontal dots in the upper right of the browser.
2	In the menu that appears, choose Settings; it has a little gear icon to the left of it.
3	In the Search Bar in the upper-left, type in Camera.
4	When you type in Camera, the menu options on the right will change; find and select Camera in the menu on the right.
5	In the dropdown, you can select the Camera you wish to use; in this case, Edge had automatically detected the external webcam.
6	By clicking on the arrow pointing to the left of Search Results, you will be taken back to the menu for Site Permissions.
7	In this menu, you can change the Microphone the browser is using by clicking on Microphone and following similar steps for changing the Camera.
8	When you go to a site that you want to use your camera for the first time, Edge will have a little pop-up in the upper-left asking if you want this site to use your Camera and Microphone. After this first time you will not be asked again. You will have to repeat this step every time you go to a new website that you want to use your Camera or Microphone on.

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